YEAR BY YEAR OF ONTARIO LACROSSE ASSOCIATION SENIOR A AND MAJOR STATS I wish to memorialize the memory of my good friend Bob Grainger in the BIBLE, the Ontario Lacrosse Senior A section season by season will be dedicated to the many hours, days, weeks Bobby spent researching over game summaries and stories and a lot of the all-time stat records would have been in far worst shape without the effort Bobby put into the sport. Bobby passed away while doing research in the main Toronto library of a massive heart attack, passing away at working on something he loved doing. Several hours ago I recieved word from Tom Succamore about the sudden passing of my very close friend, Bobby Grainger. I have very little details concerning the passing other than that it happened sometime during the past week or so and that Bobby died of a massive heart attack inside the main Toronto Library while working on research of the old senior A lacrosse stats, more than likely from the early 30's. Bobby, who was born April 30, 1928, was dedicated to this research, having played senior A lacrosse for Hamilton from 1948 till 1954. The highlight of his career was in 1948 when he played for the Mann Cup Hamilton Tigers which he was most proud of but also in 1950 Bobby scored 26 goals for Hamilton marking his season high in scoring. Bobby was far more than just a statistic though, he was my comrade, who we shared so much together from the sport of lacrosse and life in general. I liked to brag about how Bobby, on his 75th birthday went white water rafting, how still he could out walk me through the streets of Toronto. We shared a lot of happy times togetiher. I always will want to be like Bobby when I get older. I never met Bobby till 2004, during the Mann Cup in Peterborough. He told me he was retired and was looking for something to work on to fill his already active life and at the same time I was in dire need of assistance in recording all the old stats. Man, this man's energy was incredible. He drove me to Fergus to work on research at the Wellington Library and it was only about 2 months ago that we drove all the way just outside of North Bay to do an interview with Gord Gair and his son Graeme to put on the BIBLE. Bobby's brother-in-law was Jack Gair, brother of Gord. I'll always have that interview to remember Bobby by, to listen to his voice because man I'm sure going to miss him. Usually, the passing of an older person is just so acceptable, but Bobby was so young and enthusiastic that it just wasn't his time. I have never been a religious man, but I feel somehow God meant for us two to meet and become friends. My life is so much more full because having known Bobby for those 18 months or so. Funny, but even this one picture of Bobby and I, taken this past April, was taken inside the very library that Bobby passed away in. The work that Bobby did to record the history of the great sport of lacrosse should never be forgotten. Life is going to be a lot more lonely and won't seem nearly as fullfilling, finding missing stats without Bobby there to tell him about it and share our enthusiasm with each other.

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