-
Modern Rubber Lacrosse ball
Prior to 1867, lacsrosse balls were made of various materials. Some of the earliest were made of wood. Others were made of deerskin stuffed with hair. In 1867, Canadian dentist and Lacrosse enthusiast William George Beers petitioned to have Lacrosse named the official sport of Canada. Though unsuccessful, Beers standardized the rules of the game, for which he is know as the "Father of Lacrosse." Among his changes to the rules, he made the rubber ball the official ball used in lacrosse. -
First documented use of helmets in Lacrosse
The first documented use of lacrosse helmets was in the 1928 olympics. It quickly became the standard for all lacrosse players. Originally, lacrosse was played with no helmet or padding. This was extremely significant because it addressed the safety issues that faced lacrosse. It created a safety standard throughout the game. Modern lacrosse helmets are constructed of a strong plastic outer shell with a metal cage face mask and inner padding to protect the skull. -
First Synthetic Stick developed
In The early 1960s, Lacross company STX introduced the first synthetic stick. This would revolutionize the game. Early sticks were composed of wood with a rubber or plastic head. After this innovation, sticks would be constructed with aluminum or composite shafts and plastic or composite heads. This extremely impacted the game because sticks were now much lighter and maneuverable, creating a change in the way the game was played. -
Introduction of plastic stick head
The first plastic stick head was invented in 1964. This allowed for a more lightweight, symmetrical and balanced stick head.
This was extremely significant because created plastic stick heads made it possible to standardize all sticks so that they could all be a standard length, width and weight.
This invention decreased the bulk and weight of th e head which allowed for better stick control by players.
