Green Gael Heritage

Jim Bishop has seen it all. Player, manager, coach, administrator, advisor.  He is a member of the Canadian lacrosse Hall of Fame for all of the above reasons. . . and then some.  Seldom is there a conversation about the sport that doesn't include a mention of the seven consecutive Minto Cups his Oshawa Green Gaels won from 1963-1969.

Bishop has been honoured twice by the Ontario Lacrosse Association, in 1969 and 1991, as "Mr. Lacrosse:' And in a coaching career that has spanned 40 years, his teams have won championships at all levels from tyke through junior.

His credentials are impeccable. Some highlights include:

• Helping to organize the professional National Lacrosse Association in 1968 and coaching the Detroit Olympics to the eastern division title.

• Coaching the Windsor Warlocks to Presidents' Cups (national senior) championships in 1970-71.

• Organizing, along with Morley Kells, the pro National Lacrosse League and coaching and managing the Toronto Tomahawks and Montreal Quebecois.

• More recently, coaching Ontario peewee and bantam champions in Whitby/Durham.

Bishop began his career as a junior goalkeeper with Toronto St. Vincent's.  He then played forward for five years with the Scarborough Maitlands before turning to coaching minor teams in 1946. Stops at every age-group at the minor level and at Oakville, Toronto, Mimico, Newmarket, Huntsville and Whitby were made before landing in Oshawa.

Bishop was a hockey man, too and for five years was administrative assistant with the Detroit Red Wings.

Lacrosse is Jim Bishop.  Even his livelihood is derived from a lacrosse equipment business in Bowmanville.

Bishop is coaching a bantam and midget team in Whitby this season.  There is still fire in his eye and don't you just get the feeling that this living legend would like one more kick at the Minto Cup can?