1975?
- Team Photo
The advent of the always hotly
contested Bowdoin vs. Middlebury match-up reminds many of the old guard Panther
laxmen that our coach from ’72 – ‘'75, Rob Pfeiffer, was a graduate and captain
of the Bowdoin lacrosse team during his college stint. Will Graham ’76
had mentioned that this might be a good year to pull some of the old boys
together to see this Bowdoin game and also pay tribute to Coach Pfeiffer, who
thirty years ago led the Panther laxmen to their first ECAC Championship
victory over
Middlebury Lacrosse history buffs will
remember that 1975 marked the beginning of Midd's recognized dynasty in this
sport. It was the first year the college allowed the lacrosse team to
participate in the ECAC tourney -- and the path of Middlebury Lacrosse has been
well documented starting at this date.
As has often been noted, previous outstanding Middlebury teams were never able
to prove their stature with a post season tournament. One would have a
hard time telling Midd's college All-Americans like Erik Green ’61, Tom Mettee ’63, Jeff McKay ’65, Fred Beams ‘66, Charlie
Sullivan ’68, Ralph Sexton ‘69, Dave Bahnson ’69,
Rick Moore ’69, Chris Grejtak ’71, Brad Bruce ‘72,
and leaders like Doug Arnot ‘72 (whose team in 1972 beat Amherst, Williams,
Bowdoin, Dartmouth, and UNH), that their teams would not have heralded
significant glory for Middlebury Lacrosse in an ECAC tournaments. Be that as it
may, however, the '75 ECAC tourney was a landmark, and Coach "The
Bear" Pfeiffer was there to lead the way. I hope (my own absence
notwithstanding due to our Senior Exhibitions out here in California), Panther
lax fans and alum, young and old, can be there to pay respects to an
outstanding man and coach, Rob Pfeiffer, and also to enjoy what is always a
great New England lacrosse match-up.
Regards from California,
Mike Mulligan, '75
