Patrick Joseph (Joe) Lally
Sport: Lacrosse
Year Inducted: 1968
Patrick Joseph “Joe” Lally was born in Cornwall in 1868, and he was known as the “Father of Lacrosse in Canada” and “Mr. Lacrosse.”
He was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1965 as a builder in the lacrosse sport. He was also enshrined as a Charter inductee member of the Canadian Lacrosse Association Hall of Fame, and inducted into the Cornwall Sports Hall of Fame in 1968.
In the early 20th century and for decades, he not only developed lacrosse as an organized sport, but he was involved in all aspects of the sport.
He was known as a fearless player, along with his brother Frank. He was a fair referee. He was a coach of teams locally, and played a role in converting Edouard “Newsy” Lalonde from goal to forward.
In 1903, he took over the Cornwall Lacrosse Manufacturing Plant which had been started by his brother Frank in 1881, and the lacrosse sticks would become some of the world’s best.
As an administrator, in 1925 he founded the Canadian Lacrosse Association, an organization that awarded him Life membership in 1945. The Ontario Lacrosse Association honoured Joe with a Life membership in 1927.
In 1930, he donated the Lally Perpetual Trophy awarded each year to the winner of an international lacrosse event between the United States and Canada.
In 1918, Lally was elected Mayor of the city of Cornwall, Ontario.
Joe Lally passed away in 1956.