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Knights, Powerhouses, Picks and Shovels, and Sweethearts: Don Morrow and Canadian Sport History
Kevin B. Wamsley
Reading Frank Grace’s Record: Life Writing and Lacrosse in Early Twentieth-Century Canada
Andrew C. Holman
This essay assesses the merits of life writing in sport history as it is represented in one rare document, the Record, a diary-notebook-scrapbook constructed by lacrosse player Frank J. Grace (1878–1954) beginning in 1907. A talented athlete, Grace was a professional “tourist” who suited up for teams in Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto, Chatham, Orillia, and Winnipeg during the twilight of Canadian lacrosse; that is, in the years preceding World War I. The highlight of Grace’s career was his selection to the All-Canada Lacrosse Team that traveled to play 16 games against teams in Australia in July and August of 1907, which prompted him to begin recording his life in the sport. This study makes sense of the Record by examining its making as an historical document, by placing it in the context of its times, and by interpreting the story it tells about Grace’s life in the game.
