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Ken Thomas of of Port Coquitlam is one of 9 new members of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. (Photo: Jennifer Gauthier)

The Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame has 9 new members for its newest class, and one team. That brings the total of the honored to 459, and the newest members will be enshrined on Nov. 13 in Burnaby, British Columbia. The list includes: Bob Stewart (Burnaby) and Terry Lloyd (Oshawa) as Builders, Tyson Leies (Victoria), Ken Thomas (Port Coquitlam), Barry ‘Paco’ Maruk (Toronto) and John Fusco (Whitby) as Box Lacrosse players, Ken Webb (Surrey) and John ‘Gus” McCauley (deceased, Brampton) as Veteran players, Ted Sawicki (St. Catharines) as a Field player and the 1972-75 Peterborough P.C.O.’s in the Team category. Turn the page for bios of the fellas, and more information on the ceremony and tickets.

From press release

Builders

Robert (Bob) Stewart (Burnaby, B.C.): Bob has devoted over 60 years to lacrosse as a player, coach, manager, general manger and team executive member in minor lacrosse to the Western Lacrosse Association. Stewart started his lacrosse career in 1947 in North Burnaby when Val Roche first put a wooden lacrosse stick in his hands.

He played for the PNE Indians/Mount Pleasant Legion Junior teams from 1954-1956, winning three B.C. championships and two Minto Cups in 1954 and 1956. Stewart got his first taste of coaching youth teams at Vancouver’s Renfrew Box before coaching teams in South Burnaby in the early 1970s. Bob was lured back to lacrosse in 1986 to join the Junior ‘Bellies as the general manager and held that post until 1992. In 1993, he accepted a new challenge with the Senior Salmonbellies as GM until 1996, but remained active with the Senior ‘Bellies for many years after.

Stewart has provided leadership at the team and league levels over the past half century and offered his experience and knowledge to the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Terry Lloyd (Oshawa, ON): Terry Lloyd had a great career as a junior player in Oshawa in the 1970s and won a Mann Cup with the 1984 Peterborough Lakers.

This prolific goal scorer netted 238 goal and 127 assists in 120 senior games. But it was everything Lloyd did off the floor and field that helped numerous for many years. He was the team manager of the Oshawa senior field Lacrosse team from 1979-1991 and junior manager from 1983-1986. Terry was the main cog in the Oshawa Field Lacrosse Club as the VP of Operations but also offering his time provincially as the Cocommissioner, Treasurer and Secretary of the Ontario Junior Field League.

On the world stage, Lloyd has been the team manager of the Canadian U19 Men’s National teams in 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2008. He was inducted into the Oshawa Hall of Fame in 2006 and the OLA Hall of Fame in 2008.

Box Player Category

Tyson Leies (Victoria, B.C.): This Victoria lacrosse star played his Junior A lacrosse for the St. Catharines Athletics in the early 1990s, winning two Minto Cups in 1990 and 1991 before moving west to Victoria. Leies was known for his flamboyant offensive abilities and was a talented scorer.

In 13 Western Lacrosse Association seasons for the Shamrocks, he was selected as an all-star 5 consecutive seasons from 1994 to 1997 taking WLA MVP honours in 1996. Tyson played in four Mann Cups, winning three rings in 1997, 1999 and 2003. In 336 WLA regular-season and playoff games, Leies scored 442 goals and 429 assists for 871 points with 1,021 penalty minutes.

Ken Thomas (Port Coquitlam, B.C.): Born and raised in Port Moody, Ken honed his lacrosse skills with the Coquitlam Junior Adanacs from 1985-88.

Initially a Richmond Outlaw draft selection in 1989, Thomas spent 2 seasons in Burnaby and 10 seasons with the Burrards from 1991-2000. This born leader was a crafty playmaker and known for pin-point passing. Thomas came out of retirement to play for the Coquitlam Adanacs in 2001 and won his only Mann Cup ring with the Adanacs. He was voted an all-star five times and was in the top ten of Western Lacrosse Association scoring in five seasons. In 329 WLA regular season and playoff games, Thomas scored 183 goals and 589 assists for 772 points.

John Fusco (Whitby, ON): John Fusco was a Brooklin Redmen player through and through. In the Whitby Junior A system from 1980-1984, Fusco was in the top 7 scorers every year and won two Minto Cups in 1980 and 1984. This life-long Brooklin star was a big playmaker on the floor. In 421 regular season and playoff games, he scored 382 goals, 832 assists for 1214 points.

Fusco was a main part of the legendary Brooklin Redmen teams of the 1980s winning four Mann Cup rings in 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1989 while winning his final Mann Cup in 2000.

Barry “Paco” Maruk (Toronto, ON): Maruk tended goal with the Junior A Rexdale Warriors in the OLA Junior Series from 1976-1978 scoring a career 180 points; most points by a goaltender.

Maruk was an outstanding stopper with a knack for passing the ball quickly from his crease. He won the 1980 Mann Cup with Brampton and was the Mike Kelly Award MVP recipient. He spent 11 seasons with the Brampton Excelsiors and ended his career with the Vancouver Burrards in 1993. Maruk was ranked in the top five in team scoring during five seasons. In 190 regular season Senior A games, he scored 6 goals and had 274 assists as a goaltender.

Veteran Player Category

Ken Webb (Surrey, B.C.): Ken Webb was just 11 years old when a sports enthusiast gave him an old lacrosse stick.

Ken was soon hooked after watching older boys playing field lacrosse at Dunbar West Memorial Park. He won two Vancouver City finals with the Point Grey Midget club and a Juvenile provincial championship in 1941. In 1943, Ken joined the Richmond Seniors of the Inter-City League at 17 years of age netting 33 goals in his first full season. Webb lined up with the Navy team in 1944 and spent the next nine seasons with the Richmond Farmers finishing his career in Vancouver.

He played in two Mann Cups with Vancouver losing twice to Peterborough. During his 214-game career, Ken racked up 302 goals and 101 assists for 403 points.

John “Gus” McCauley. (deceased – Brampton, ON): John began his lacrosse career with the Brampton Minor Lacrosse club from 1948-1959. McCauley was called up to play with the Brampton Juniors in the 1959 Minto Cup series and was the youngest player to play in a Minto Cup at 14 and win the title.

He toiled with the Brampton Junior A team from 1960-65 and was picked up by the Hastings Legionnaires and Oshawa Green Gaels winning Minto titles in 1961 and 1963, respectively. McCauley played from 1966-68 for the Brampton Senior A Excelsiors. In 139 junior regular-season and playoff games, he scored 321 goals and 282 assists for 603 points. He is a member of three Ontario Sports Hall of Fames in individual and team categories. McCauley also was an NHL official from 1979-1981 and the NHL Director of Officiating from 1986-1989.

Field Lacrosse Category

Ted Sawicki (St. Catharines, ON): Ted Sawicki had a star-studded box and field lacrosse career doing double duty in the arena and on the field.

A box lacrosse goaltender by trade, Sawicki learned the field lacrosse goaltender position mainly on his own. He was known as Canada’s goalie playing for the Canadian National men’s field Lacrosse team from 1980 to 1998, winning three silver and two bronze medals in five World Championship appearnaces. He currently holds the world record for the most World Championships appearances.

In 1990 he won an Ontario Field Lacrosse Championship with the Oshawa Blue Knights and played for the Hamilton Field Lacrosse Club, winning another title in 1994 and 1995. Sawicki was inducted into the OLA Hall of Fame in 1999.

Team Category

The 1972-75 Peterborough P.C.O.’s Junior A lacrosse team dominated Junior Lacrosse in Ontario and Canada from 1972-75, winning four consecutive Minto Cup Championships.

In 1972, the PCOs finished with a perfect 28-0 regular season record finishing the year with 46 wins, 1 loss and 1 tie. Peterborough won the 1972 Minto Cup, sweeping the Burnaby Cablevision in four games. Peterborough lost its first game of the 1973 campaign but went on to post a 26-2 record. The PCOs breezed through the eastern finals and met the Richmond Roadrunners in the Minto Cup. Peterborough took Richmond to seven games and won their second title in as many years.

The 1974 Peterborough team again had a perfect regular season, winning 28 games and losing none. This powerful team netted 606 goals for and only allowed 244 against. In the regular season, Peterborough had four players in the top ten league scoring – Paul Evans (180 points), JJ Johnston (156 points), Brian Evans (130 points) and Steve Plunkett (117 points). The PCOs went on to amass 46 straight victories and win another national title sweeping the Burnaby Cablevision 4-0.

In 1975, the Junior team changed their name to the Gray Munros. After a slow start they would finish in first place with a 26-5-1 record. They once again advanced to the Minto Cup finals by winning their two series by 4-1 records. Burnaby traveled east to take on Peterborough and won the first game of the Minto Cup 10-8, but the eastern champs proved too much and won 4 games in a row, thus winning their fourth Minto Cup Championship in four years.

Tickets for the ceremony at the Firefighter’s Club in Burnaby are $75, $60 if you’re a member of the Hall. For information on the ceremony, contact Hall of Fame Chair Randy Radonich (604) 862.1642 or for tickets, contact Sohen Gill at (604) 421.9755, extension 5.

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