Hall of famers announced

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Mike Benedict Jr. has been making a name for himself in lacrosse circles in recent years. For the past half dozen seasons he's been toiling in the National Lacrosse League. During his pro career he's played for the Rochester Knighthawks, Syracuse Smash and New York Saints. Now his father has received some recognition. Mike Benedict Sr. will be one of the newest inductees into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

A total of 13 people - including six Native individuals - will be inducted into the hall this year. Induction ceremonies will be staged Oct. 21 at the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Catharines, Ont. The facility opened its doors in 1998.

"It's probably the biggest high of my career," the elder Benedict said about news of his induction. "I was really touched when I found out."

Of the six Native individuals who will be inducted, Benedict is the only one who is still alive. Those who will be inducted posthumously are Abe Thomas, Paul LaFrance, Alvie (Boots) Martin, Garland (Beans) Martin and Max Martin."

Benedict, 50, is very much alive and very much still active in lacrosse. He's the head coach of the Akwesasne Jr. B squad which competes in the Ontario Lacrosse Association. And he still plays himself, with the Akwesasne Oldtimers.

During his youth, the Mohawk man played at the Junior B level with the St. Regis Braves from 1970-74. He then moved up to the Senior B ranks with the Akwesasne Warriors, playing for them from 1975-81. With the Warriors he was twice selected, in 1978 and '79, as the most valuable player in the President's Cup, the national Senior B tournament.

But he considers his latest accolade even more significant.

"This is frosting on the cakes," he said. "To me, it's THE thing. What can I compare it to? I guess it's like getting your name on the Stanley Cup."

Benedict, the seventh of 13 children (10 are still alive), is expected to have a huge supporting cast with him at the induction ceremonies.

"I've got seven sisters here in Akwesasne and they all want to go," said Benedict, who is hoping his wife and two children can also attend.

As for Thomas, he was also from Akwesasne. He played for the St. Regis Indians during the 1950s and '60s. He led the Eastern Ontario Lacrosse League in scoring in 1959 and during his career was also a member of eight championship clubs.

LaFrance, also of Akwesasne, was a field lacrosse star from the late 1920s to early '40s. He was a member of the 1935 Eastern Lacrosse Association champion St. Regis Indians. During his career he also suited up for the Cornwall Island Indians and a combined Akwesasne/Kahnawake club.

As for the three Martins, they were all from Six Nations. Boot) Martin played field lacrosse in the early 1930s with clubs in Buffalo, Rochester and Atlantic City. And he also played pro with the Rochester Iroquois Lacrosse Club from 1936-39.

Beans Martin was one of the stars for the Six Nations club that won the OLA Intermediate title in 1948. He later played for the Brantford Bills (1950-52) and the Tuscarora Indians (1954-55).

Like Boots Martin, Max Martin also was with the Rochester Iroquois Lacrosse Club from 1936-39. During that stretch Max Martin also suited up for the Iroquois Indians and won a pair of New York State championships, in 1937 and '38. Later on he was a member of the Hamilton Tigers (1940), the Fergus Thistles (1941-42) and Toronto Marlboros (1945).