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National Lacrosse League

National Lacrosse League (1974–1975)
Sport	Box lacrosse
Founded	1974
No. of teams	6
Country(ies)	United States and  Canada
Ceased	1976
Last champion(s)	Quebec Caribous

The National Lacrosse League was a box lacrosse league that lasted two seasons: 1974 and 1975. It is not related to the modern National Lacrosse League.

Originally conceived by hockey owners as a means to fill their arenas in the summer months, the league was not very successful, with only Philadelphia and Montreal drawing sizeable crowds. The league folded in 1976 after the demise of several franchises and the inability of the Montreal franchise to play home games in 1976 because of the Summer Olympics.

Like the modern NLL (as well as the NHL), the league was dominated by Canadian players--approximately 60% of the league's players were from Canada.

Besides featuring NHL players such as Rick Dudley (Rochester) and Doug Favell (Philadelphia), the league also included Bruce Arena (Montreal)—who went on to greater fame as a United States soccer coach.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Teams 3 Champions 4 1975 National Lacrosse League season 4.1 Top Ten Scorers

[edit] Overview

The type of play during this short lived era of the NLL was a faster paced game, played more like an NHL style as opposed to the basketball style of the current league. Equipment differences include no face guards and wooden sticks. The 1976 season was cancelled due to three of the six teams going bankrupt and the Montreal team having to go two months without a home game because the 1976 Olympics would be using the Montreal Forum for boxing. After the 1975 season, there would not be another professional lacrosse league in North America until the birth of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League in January 1987.

[edit] Teams

• Maryland Arrows (1974-1975)
• Montreal Quebecois (1974-1975)
• Philadelphia Wings (1974-1975) ¹
• Rochester Griffins (1974)/Long Island Tomahawks (1975) ²
• Syracuse Stingers (1974)/Quebec Caribous (1975)
• Toronto Tomahawks (1974) ²/Boston Bolts (1975)

¹The Philadelphia Wings in this league is not related to the modern Philadelphia Wings of the modern National Lacrosse League.

²The 1974 Toronto team and the 1975 Long Island team had the same name (Tomahawks), but they were separate franchises.

[edit] Champions

Year	Champion	Runner-Up	Games
1974	Rochester Griffins	Philadelphia Wings	4-2
1975	Quebec Caribous	Montreal Québécois	4-2

[edit] 1975 National Lacrosse League season

                    1975 NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE                    -----------------------------                         PROFESSIONAL LACROSSE                         ---------------------                            FINAL STANDINGS                            ---------------                                                     GOALS  GOALS                             GAMES  WON  LOST  TIED  FOR    AGAINST  POINTS                             -----  ---  ----  ----  -----  -------  ------    LONG ISLAND TOMAHAWKS     48    31    17     0    802     702      62    MONTREAL QUEBECOIS        48    24    24     0    643     649      48    BOSTON BOLTS              48    22    24     2    735     741      46    QUEBEC CARIBOUS           48    22    24     2    729     694      46    PHILADELPHIA WINGS        48    21    25     2    690     713      44    MARYLAND ARROWS           48    21    27     0    670     770      42 

                               PLAYOFFS                               --------                              SEMI-FINALS             QUEBEC CARIBOUS DEFEATED LONG ISLAND TOMAHAWKS 4 GAMES TO 2.             MONTREAL QUEBECOIS DEFEATED BOSTON BOLTS 4 GAMES TO 3.                              FINALS             QUEBEC CARIBOUS DEFEATED MONTREAL QUEBECOIS 4 GAMES TO 2. 

[edit] Top Ten Scorers

Name	Hometown	Games	Goals	Assists	Points	Pen. Min.
Doug Hayes	Long Island	48	104	126	230	52
Paul Suggate	Maryland	48	92	127	219	71
John Davis	Montreal	48	79	129	208	16
Ivan Thompson	Boston	46	91	116	207	45
Dave Durante	Quebec	48	89	117	206	22
Brian Tasker	Maryland	48	73	125	198	58
John Grant	Philadelphia	47	64	134	198	52
Terry Lloyd	Philadelphia	48	113	56	169	54
Jim J. J. Johnston	Long Island	38	79	87	166	26
Jan Magee	Long Island	47	57	103	160	49
*Bold indicates leader in category

• 1974 AND 1975 NLL PRO STATS from Bible of Lacrosse (Invalid link)

v • d • e Lacrosse Leagues Professional National Lacrosse League • Major League Lacrosse Canadian Box Lacrosse Senior A Western Lacrosse Association (BCLA) • Major Series Lacrosse (OLA) Senior B Can-Am • OLA Senior B • QSLL • RMLL Senior B • WCSLA Senior C West Central Lacrosse League (BCLA) Junior A OLA Junior A • RMLL Junior A • BC Junior A Junior B OLA Junior B • RMLL Junior B • Prairie Gold Lacrosse League • Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League Junior C OLA Junior C College Lacrosse NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (non-varsity men) National College Lacrosse League (non-varsity men) US Lacrosse Intercollegiate Associates (non-varsity women) Post-Collegiate Club Lacrosse Midwest Cities Lacrosse Conference • Gulf Coast Lacrosse Association Notable Defunct Leagues Australian Lacrosse League • National Lacrosse League (1974–1975) • American Lacrosse League