1978 World Lacrosse Championship

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1978 World Lacrosse Championship
Tournament details
Host countryFlag of England.svg  England
Venue(s) Edgeley Park, Stockport, Greater Manchester
DatesJuly 2–8
Teams4
Final positions
Champions Gold medal blank.svgFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada (1st title)
Runners-up Silver medal blank.svgFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Third place Bronze medal blank.svgFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Fourth placeFlag of England.svg  England
Tournament statistics
Scoring leader(s) Stan Cockerton
Awards
MVP Mike French
  1974
1982  

The 1978 World Lacrosse Championship was the third edition of the international men's lacrosse tournament. The event took place at Edgeley Park in Stockport, England, under the auspices of the International Lacrosse Federation. Four teams competed in the tournament: Australia, Canada, England, and the United States. Canada defeated the United States 17-16 in overtime in the final to win the tournament. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Overview

In the finals, Canada captured the 1978 World Championship with a shocking 17-16 overtime victory over the United States team.

The underdog label was given to the Canadian team due to their lack of field lacrosse experience, and also following a round-robin American annihilation of the Canadians, 28-4. However, three individuals with previous field experience would prove to be key factors in the longshot victory. Goalie Bob Flintoff from North Carolina State and Hall of Famers Stan Cockerton from North Carolina State and Mike French from Cornell had great tournaments. In the first game of the 1978 tournament, Cockerton whipped in seven goals with French adding three more plus seven assists to move past the host English squad 21-15.

The U.S. took Australia 22-17 the first day and then drubbed Canada 28-4. U.S. scored the first 14 goals even before French put Canada on the board; but the rout on the rain-drenched field continued - 17-2 at halftime and 22-3 after three periods. Meanwhile, Australia downed England 16-10. Down 4-3 early in game three against Australia, Canada whipped in six straight on the road to a 16-13 victory that set up a rematch with the Americans, who had narrowly squeaked past England 12-11.

The Americans opened the finals intent on repeating their earlier conquest of Canada with Cornell great Bill Marino rifling home a shot just 15 seconds after the opening faceoff. But Team Canada stunned the Americans with six unanswered goals to take an 8-4 lead after one period. The U.S. rallied to tie the contest and then moved ahead only to see Cockerton knot up the contest 16-16 with seconds remaining.

Stan Shillington wrote: "with the entire crowd of 3,500-plus chanting for the Canadians, both teams went through a scoreless overtime session and all but 20 seconds of a second extra period. That's when Cockerton scooped in the winner, his sixth goal of the game, that gave Canada a 17-16 victory." [4]

Cultural Note

The 1978 Canadian team was the first known sports team to use the song "We Are the Champions" by Queen as part of its victory celebration. The song, released in October 1977, was played at Edgeley Park in Stockport, England, immediately after Canada’s 17–16 overtime win over the United States on 8 July 1978. Team members later recalled that the track was chosen spontaneously and became an unofficial anthem for their historic world title—the first in Canadian field lacrosse history. [5] [6]

Correction to 1978 World Championship Scoring Attribution and Legacy

A long-standing reporting error originated from an early Canadian Press (CP) wire story distributed immediately after the 1978 World Lacrosse Championship final in Stockport, England. The CP summary, reprinted internationally, incorrectly credited Stan Cockerton with both the tying and winning goals in Canada’s 17–16 overtime victory over the United States. [7]

Subsequent firsthand accounts from team members and later interviews clarified the actual scoring sequence. According to multiple players, Cockerton’s controversial goal late in regulation narrowed the U.S. lead to 16–15, while Jim Wasson of Peterborough, Ontario, scored the tying goal (16–16) in the final minute to force overtime. [8] [9] Canada then scored in overtime to secure its first world field lacrosse title. [10]

Legacy and Impact

Canada’s 1978 victory is widely regarded as a turning point in international field lacrosse. It marked the first time the United States had lost a world championship and showcased the effectiveness of Canadian box-lacrosse players adapting to the outdoor game. Many members of the 1978 roster — including Mike French, Stan Cockerton, Jim Wasson, and John Grant Sr. — went on to play pivotal roles in advancing the sport in Canada and internationally. [11]

The upset reshaped the balance of world lacrosse, inspiring new field lacrosse programs across Canada and contributing to competitive national teams in later tournaments such as 1982 (Baltimore) and 1986 (Toronto). [12] Historians and former players often cite the 1978 championship as a defining moment that bridged Canada’s indoor and outdoor lacrosse traditions and established the nation as a perennial contender on the international stage. [13]

  1. "International Lacrosse Events History" (PDF). Federation of International Lacrosse.
  2. "ALL-TIME FIL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS". US Lacrosse.
  3. "Dispatches from England – Team Canada and the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships". Team Canada Lacrosse. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  4. Shillington, Stan. "1978 Canada 1978 World Champions [Down Memory Lane]". www.clhof.org. Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  5. Jim Wasson interview, "Team Canada 1978 Memories," LaxHall.com (2024).
  6. "The Players Series – Jim Wasson," ThinkLacrosse.ca (2023).
  7. Canadian Press wire service, July 1978; reprinted in multiple North American newspapers.
  8. "John Grant Sr. and Jim Wasson," LaxHall.com (2023).
  9. "The Players Series – Jim Wasson," ThinkLacrosse.ca (2023).
  10. Peterborough Examiner, retrospective feature, "Canada’s 1978 Lacrosse Gold Remembered," (2023).
  11. Mike French interview, Inside Lacrosse, "Unearthed Video: Canada’s Dramatic 1978 Lacrosse Gold," (2023).
  12. Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, "Team Canada 1978 Induction Summary," CLHOF.org (accessed 2025).
  13. "Team Canada 1978 Legacy," LaxHall.com (2024).

Stan Cockerton led the tourney in scoring with 18 goals and 9 assists in the four games. Mike French, with 6 goals and 15 assists, was named the "Best and Fairest Player." Other awards were given to Bob Flintoff, Canada, Goalkeeper; Steve Bevington, England, Defender; John Butkiewicz, Australia, Midfielder; and Peter Cann, Australia, Attackman. [1]

Australia beat England 19-9 for third place.

Results

Group

DateTeam 1Team 2Score
July 2CanadaEngland21-15
July 2United StatesAustralia22-17
July 4United StatesCanada28-4
July 4EnglandAustralia10-16
July 5United StatesEngland12-11
July 5CanadaAustralia16-13

Standings

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1United States33006232+306
2Canada32014156154
3Australia3102464822
4England30033649130
Source: [ citation needed ]

Third Place

Final

July 8, 1978

Rosters

Canada

Goal: Bob Flintoff, Tim Barrie
Defense: Sandy Lynch, Carm Collins, Brian Jones, Jim Branton, Murray Cawker, Fred Greenwood
Midfield: Pat Differ, John Mouradian, Jim Calder, Ted Greves, Dave Huntley, Dan Wilson, Jim Wasson, Doug Hayes, Bob Burke,
Attack: Stan Cockerton, Mike French, Dave Durante, John Grant, Steve Mastine, Tim Briscoe
Coaches: Bob Allan, Don Barrie, John McCauley
Manager: Ron Wicks [2]

United States

Goal: Rick Blick, Dan Mackesey
Defense: Dave Devine, Chris Kane, Tom Keigler, Dom Starsia, Dennis Townsend, Mike Waldvogel
Midfield: Jim Darcangelo, Craig Jaeger, Skip Lichtfuss, Billy Marino, Phil Marino, Dave McNaney, Doug Radebaugh, Bob Hendrickson, Bruce Arena
Attack: Eamon McEneaney, Bob Griebe, Jeff Long, Tom Postel, Dave Warfield
Head Coach: Richie Moran
Assistant Coaches: Jerry Schmidt, Gene Fusting

Awards

The International Lacrosse Federation named best positional players and a Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of the championship. [1]

Best Positional Players

Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Bob Flintoff - Goalkeeper
Flag of England.svg Steve Bevington - Defence
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Butkiewicz - Midfield
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Cann - Attack

Tournament MVP

Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike French - Attack

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Men's World Championship History - 2014 World Lacrosse Championship". www.worldlacrosse2014.com. US Lacrosse. Archived from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.