A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
The Akwesasne Lacrosse Hall of Fame inducted and honored more than a dozen people on November 21, 2015. Above are inductees Brian Thomas, Scott Thomas, Lewis Mitchell, Tyler Sunday and Danny Oakes and honored pro players Travis Cook, Bruce Roundpoint and Ernie Mitchell and special contributors Sandy Cook and Larry Edwards. Seated are Tiara, Carlee and Theresa Oakes, accepting the honor on behalf of their father, John Oakes. In back are Akwesasne Junior B Indians Dalton Roundpoint, Skye Sunday and Keegan Thomas, who were lauded for their 2015 Founder's Cup title. Photo: Andy Gardner.
Ronald Thomas, left, took the podium on behalf of the 1950 St. Regis Indians. Emcee Peter Garrow holds a photo of the team, who have all passed.
The Hall of Fame honored three former professional lacrosse players. From left: Bruce Roundpoint, Ernie Mitchell and Travis Cook.
From left: inductee Scott Thomas, event emcee Peter Garrow and inductee Brian Thomas.
Inductee Lewis Mitchell.
Bobby Delormier gives an induction medal to Tyler Sunday.
Announcer Larry 'The Eagle' Edwards received a special contributor accolade.
Tiara, Carlee and Theresa Oakes accept an induction on behalf of their late father, John Oakes, whose picture they hold.
Seven players, two announcers and a team who have contributed to the sport over the last 70 years were inducted into the Akwesasne Lacrosse Hall of Fame's ranks on Saturday, November 21, 2015.
Player inductees were Brian Thomas, Scott Thomas, Lewis Mitchell, Tyler Sunday, John Oakes, Danny Oakes and Freddie Boots.
The entire 1950 St. Regis Indians also received the posthumous honor.
The Hall also recognized Sandy "Extravaganza" Cook and Larry "The Eagle" Edwards Gauthier as special contributors.
In addition, they paid tribute to the Akwesasne Junior B Indians for winning the Canadian Lacrosse Association Founder's Cup and Adam Bomberry for his role as a team leader.
Many of the speakers touched on a common theme of the pride and joy lacrosse brings to Akwesasne and the link it creates between generations going back to time immemorial and the up-and-comers of today.
"We're just a link in that chain," Travis Cook said. "It's great to be a lacrosse player."
"It's an honor to be part of the big circle," Sunday said.
Former Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Grand Chief Mike Kanentakeron Mitchell said they started the Akwesasne Hall in response to an uphill battle with the Canadian Lacrosse Association. He said their criteria for induction, in addition to prowess in the sport, was having played in junior and senior A leagues, which wasn't an option for many Indian players of the past.
"Every year we had to fight," he said. "A lot of Native players from Native communities bring a lot of joy, so we should have our own hall of fame."
He was speaking for Freddie Boots, who was posthumously inducted.
Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Chief Ron LaFrance said he thinks the Hall of Fame committee should someday consider opening the honor to women, who are now making names for themselves in lacrosse.
"Hopefully we'll have a section to honor them. I wasn't for that originally, but now I have two daughters," he said.
Ronald Thomas, who spoke on behalf of the 1950 Indians, said he remembered a team that bled the sport. He recalled decades ago, many would work jobs as ironworkers in cities like Utica and Rochester then quickly get back home at the end of their shift to play.
"They rushed home for a Friday night game. You can imagine how tired they were after climbing steel all day," he said.
Those who spoke also paid heavy tribute to today's Akwesasne Indians for winning the Canadian title.
"These guys know how to score and they know how to backstop," said Rusty Doxtdator. He is the Hall's Second Vice Chairman and the Canadian Lacrosse Association's Aboriginal Director.
Cook credited the squad "for putting us back on the map."
Doxtdator spoke on behalf of Bomberry, who was unable to attend the ceremony.
He read a speech that included a transcript of a brief interview with Bomberry, who talked about an otherworldly feeling of bringing the Founder's Cup back to Akwesasne.
"Knowing we brought the ... championship to Akwesasne is a surreal feeling. Winning with the Indians felt unreal, just because it was almost the same team that had come so close in 2012," Bomberry told Doxtdator.
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