Ross Powless
Encyclopedia
Alexander Powless (September 29, 1926–May 26, 2003) was a Mohawk
lacrosse
player from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation near Brantford, Ontario
. His exceptional play has been credited with reviving interest in box lacrosse
in the 1950s.
He played with the Peterborough
Timbermen when they won four consecutive Mann Cup
s from 1951 to 1954, during which time he lived for a while with his wife Wilma and son Gaylord in a tent at Fairy Lake, near Peterborough. He won the Mike Kelly Memorial Trophy
for most valuable player in the series in 1953. As a coach he won three national championships at different levels, including one with a team including six of his sons at the North American Indian Lacrosse Tournament, which he later said was one of his biggest thrills. He twice won the Tom Longboat
Award as Canada's outstanding First Nations
athlete, and was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1969.
His last season as a player was in 1967 when he played for the Hagersville Warriors and in one game played in Whitby had the opportunity to play against his son Gaylord who was with the Oshawa Steelers. Ross and son Gaylord, are the only father and son inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Ross was a member of Local 18 of the Hamilton Carpenters Union and worked on the construction of the original Burlington Skyway Bridge in 1956, and was proud of the fact that his son Gary worked on the twinning bridge in 1986.
Ross was a player/coach with the Hamilton Lincoln Burners, and was involved with the formation of the Brantford Warriors.
He led the establishment of hockey
and lacrosse leagues on the Six Nations reserve, and was a band councillor for eight years. In the 1970s, he coached the Brantford Warriors lacrosse team, which featured four of his sons, Gaylord, Gary, Harry and Greg. In 1997, he received the volunteer service award of the Ontario Municipal Recreation Association.
In later years, Ross was a building inspector on the Six Nations Reserve outside of Brantford, and he enjoyed spending time hunting with his dogs Lady and George. Ross was also an excellent pool player.
He was the father of Gaylord, Gary, Richard, Darryl, Tony, Jeff, Harry, Victor, Greg, Audrey, Arlene, Gail, Karen, and Jackie Powless, and great-uncle of Delby
and Neal Powless
.
He was the son of Chauncey Powless and grandson of Peter Powless, and the nephew of Sam, Dick, Cecil, and Titus Van Every. Ross was the husband of Margaret Wilma Powless (Bomberry).
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
player from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation near Brantford, Ontario
Brantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
. His exceptional play has been credited with reviving interest in box lacrosse
Box lacrosse
Box lacrosse, also known as indoor lacrosse and sometimes shortened to boxla, LAX or simply box, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada, where it is the most popular version of the game played in contrast to the traditional field lacrosse game...
in the 1950s.
He played with the Peterborough
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
Timbermen when they won four consecutive Mann Cup
Mann Cup
The Mann Cup is the trophy awarded to the senior men's lacrosse champions of Canada. The championship series is played between the Western Lacrosse Association champion and the Major Series Lacrosse champion...
s from 1951 to 1954, during which time he lived for a while with his wife Wilma and son Gaylord in a tent at Fairy Lake, near Peterborough. He won the Mike Kelly Memorial Trophy
Mike Kelly Memorial Trophy
The Mike Kelly Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in Mann Cup competition. The Mann Cup is the senior men's lacrosse championship of Canada. The championship series is played between the Western Lacrosse Association champion and the Major Series Lacrosse champion....
for most valuable player in the series in 1953. As a coach he won three national championships at different levels, including one with a team including six of his sons at the North American Indian Lacrosse Tournament, which he later said was one of his biggest thrills. He twice won the Tom Longboat
Tom Longboat
Cogwagee was an Onondaga distance runner from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation Indian reserve near Brantford, Ontario, and for much of his career the dominant long distance runner of the time...
Award as Canada's outstanding First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
athlete, and was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1969.
His last season as a player was in 1967 when he played for the Hagersville Warriors and in one game played in Whitby had the opportunity to play against his son Gaylord who was with the Oshawa Steelers. Ross and son Gaylord, are the only father and son inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Ross was a member of Local 18 of the Hamilton Carpenters Union and worked on the construction of the original Burlington Skyway Bridge in 1956, and was proud of the fact that his son Gary worked on the twinning bridge in 1986.
Ross was a player/coach with the Hamilton Lincoln Burners, and was involved with the formation of the Brantford Warriors.
He led the establishment of hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
and lacrosse leagues on the Six Nations reserve, and was a band councillor for eight years. In the 1970s, he coached the Brantford Warriors lacrosse team, which featured four of his sons, Gaylord, Gary, Harry and Greg. In 1997, he received the volunteer service award of the Ontario Municipal Recreation Association.
In later years, Ross was a building inspector on the Six Nations Reserve outside of Brantford, and he enjoyed spending time hunting with his dogs Lady and George. Ross was also an excellent pool player.
He was the father of Gaylord, Gary, Richard, Darryl, Tony, Jeff, Harry, Victor, Greg, Audrey, Arlene, Gail, Karen, and Jackie Powless, and great-uncle of Delby
Delby Powless
Delby Powless , is a Mohawk lacrosse player from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation near Brantford, Ontario. He was born in Six Nations, Ontario, and is the grandnephew of Ross Powless and cousin of Gaylord Powless, both of whom are in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame...
and Neal Powless
Neal Powless
Neal Powless is an Iroquois lacrosse player from the Onondaga Nation near Syracuse, New York. He is the son of Chief Irving Powless Jr. and brother to Barry Powless and Bradley Powless....
.
He was the son of Chauncey Powless and grandson of Peter Powless, and the nephew of Sam, Dick, Cecil, and Titus Van Every. Ross was the husband of Margaret Wilma Powless (Bomberry).