In the return of “Legends of the Game” we look at the career of Patrick Baker.
Mr. Baker (born 1939) is a retired professional box lacrosse goaltender, who was considered a pioneer of the breakout pass.
Career:
Pat first played lacrosse at the age of nine in Port Dalhousie, Ontario. After three years of playing, he helped his team win the Ontario peewee championship. In 1958, Baker signed with the Brampton ABC’s of the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League and won the Minto Cup that season. Pat played in the Ontario Hockey Association with the Hamilton Tiger Cubs, the Detroit Red Wings junior entry, for three years as a forward.
Pat started his Senior A career in 1959 with Peterborough Lakers. The team went belly up after two seasons. Pat signed with the Brooklin Redmen. After five seasons in Brooklin, Baker returned to a newly formed Peterborough club in 1966. In 1968, he and his team joined the National Lacrosse Association and turned professional for two seasons, winning the championship in his second season there.
- Baker would win two Mann Cups with Peterborough in1966 and 1973. Baker was named the 1973 Mann Cup most valuable player.
- Pat won best goaltender in the Ontario Lacrosse Association ten times, and was named Peterborough’s sportsman of the year in 1969.
- Inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1980, the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1981, and the Peterborough and District’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.
- In 2008, Baker and his 1958 Minto Cup winning junior team were named to the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2012, the 1956-59 Brampton Minto Cup dynasty was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame (Baker playing for the 1958 edition of the team).
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Gary Groob has been involved with Lacrosse for the majority of his life, whether playing, coaching, or covering the sport for the media.
An avid fan, with a real drive about helping to “grow the game”, Gary became part of podcasts about the game in 2010. Through the podcasts, Mr. Groob was given an opportunity to write about lacrosse, and the rest as they say, is history.
Through many miles (flying and driving) Gary has made inroads with the National Lacrosse League, Major Series Lacrosse League, the Ontario Lacrosse Association, as well as the Arena Lacrosse League, covering the leagues, their teams, and players, working for, and in concert with all of them.
In the year 2020, Mr. Groob was made the media person for the Arena Lacrosse League, voted onto the board of directors of the Brampton Excelsiors Lacrosse Club, as well as being made administrator of the Lacrosse page “Global Lacrosse” with a membership of 9000 members in over 90 Countries. Gary was also made an administrator of Lacrosse History Past Present and Future in 2022.
Mr. Groob co-hosts a weekly Lacrosse show on Spanglish Sports World, and ZingoTV channel 250, as well as writes a weekly lacrosse column for La Portada Canada News (both in print, and online).
Gary also hosts a Lacrosse talk show and podcast for The Edge of Philly Sports Network, seen live Sunday nights at 9pm (ET), and archived on the Edge of Philly YouTube page, as well as Spotify.
Mr. Groob’s other sports interests include Hockey, Football, Boxing, Wrestling, and Baseball, competing competitively in Boxing and Wrestling for many years.
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