My pal, Michele Tucker, curator of the Adirondack Room of the Saranac Lake Free Library, has finally returned from vacation.

You Know What else? She has found pictures of what may be the very first football team in 1923.

It was not until 1926 when the first yearbook was named the Canaras, that clever title being the brain child of Lawrence LaVallee, grandfather of my neighbor Larry Branch, and grandfather of many other Branches, Muldowneys, etc. Prior to 1926 the yearbook was named the Mazda … the following is from that 1923 publication:

“The students of Saranac Lake High School wish to express their appreciation for the services and valuable time of several men in town who did their best to develop a football team for Saranac Lake High School. The men who volunteered their services are Messrs. Sackett, [first Coach], Jordan, Payne, Mooney, Stephens, Deardorff, Murphy, Prendergast, Martineau and Ladu.”

This photo doesn't identify the football players, but here is a list of the men who answered “the call for candidates for football” as listed in the Mazda. Robert Herron, Dick O’Brien, Babe Lytle, Red Donahue, Jack Disco, Merville Witherbee, Bill Duprey, Ed Duprey, Ed Garvey, Tom Wallace, Walter Mulfur, Lucien Platt, Berkley Leahey, Joe Toohey, Clarence Petty, Henry Fadden, Phelps Utting, Jackson Farrington, George Munn, Harry Kennedy, Kenneth Lawless [grandfather to the famous Lawless family we all know, especially the owners of the Downhill Grill], Lawrence Lattrell, Tom D’Dnofrio and Robert Dewey. The new school on Petrova was under construction to open in 1925 so the first football teams of 1923 and 1924 probably practiced on the present today’s athletic fields. When I was mayor in the 1960s most of those fields were still owned by the Village of Saranac Lake. It was a tough looking team in 1923. I am not sure what is happening in the other action shot. (Information and photos courtesy of the Adirondack Room of the Saranac Lake Free Library)

Now remember, the following stories are not from the Enterprise but write-ups of the various sports games the editors could fit in the yearbook.

“On September 20th, with only two week’s practice, Saranac Lake played Mineville and was defeated 12 to 2. Throughout the first half Saranac Lake outrushed and outplayed Mineville, but in the second half the visitors scored two touchdowns on two trick plays. Saranac Lake scored two points when Lytle tackled Cooke behind the goal line as he was about to kick. The Saranac Lake players played a strong game, but there was a lack of practice and condition.

“The Saranac Lake lineup: Quarterback, Disco; Left Halfback, Herron; Right Halfback, Lytle; Fullback, O’Brien; Left End, Mulfur; Left Tackle, Lattrell; Left Guard, Toohey; Center, Witherbee; Right Guard, W. Duprey; Right Tackle, Leahy; Right End, Kennedy.

“On September 20th the Saranac Lake football team defeated Lake Placid in the opening game of the league, 6-0. [What about the Mineville game on September 20th?] Saranac Lake went into the game with five regulars unable to play because of injuries. Saranac Lake scored after O’Brien made thirty yards off tackle and went through left tackle for a touchdown. In the second quarter, Donahue, who had been playing a good game at quarter, was hurt and Herron called signals for the rest of the game.”

The Saranac Lake players were pretty much the same as in the first game. The incomplete Lake Placid lineup was R. Lyons, Fitzgerald, Goff, Bruce, Prunier, Bryant and Blinn.

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How about basketball?

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It is difficult to believe the low scores in basketball back in the day. The following game was played on January 26th, 1923 against Tupper Lake and the final score was T.L. 26, S.L. 12. Didn’t they ever shoot? Saranac Lake lost again to Tupper Lake in a game played on February 9, 22-21.

Excerpts from the two games- Game 1:

“The team and its supporters were doomed to disappointment concerning the outcome of the game played at Tupper Lake on January 26.

“The lack of practice was the main cause of the defeat at the hands of Tupper. The team was noticeably lacking in team work and all the players were not in the best physical condition. Tupper Lake outplayed our men from the beginning.

The lineup for Saranac Lake was Mathewson, Scollin, Thomas, Judson and Gedroiz. Owing to an injury Merrill Thomas was forced to withdraw in the second half.”

From the February 9 game:

“The game was the most exciting and closest that the Saranac team has played this year. The score in the first half was 17-14 in favor of Saranac. At the end of the first half both teams were in humor for good play and by the third quarter the playing had become so fast that both teams were fairly winded. In the last quarter, time was called six times. The last half was ended with a tied score of 21-21.

“A foul was called on Saranac and Chalmers who was shooting the fouls for Tupper, threw the ball, it spun around the rim for a moment and dropped through. In the next minute to follow Saranac was unable to make another basket. The score stood at 22-21 in favor of Tupper. The game was so fast that after it was over two Tupper men fainted.”

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The Mazda

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The Mazda was published quarterly, so it was not a “yearbook,” but a very impressive magazine with a large staff.

The Editor was Anthony Gedroiz, later a well know Saranac Lake Physician. His staff included:

“Roger Denison, Cornelius Carey, Daniel VanNortwick, Lucy Edelberg, Robert Brewer, Kathleen O’Connell, Nelson Sageman, Merrill Thomas, Edward Summerville, Stella Paul, Morrison Chambers, James Munn, Arthur Steneri, Bernice Levi, Richard Lytle, William Lytle, Ned Mulflur, Joseph Knapp, Edward Robinson, Edson Smith and Gurney Raymond.”