Joe Comeau (lacrosse)

Joe "The Quite Man" Comeau[1] (born June 24, 1940) is a Canadian retired amateur and professional[2] box lacrosse goaltender. A member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame,[3] Comeau was the winner of four Mann Cup national championships,[1][4] WLA playoff and regular season most valuable player trophies, seven all-star team inductions and four Nicholson Trophies as the WLA's top goaltender.[1][5]

"Quiet Man" Comeau
BornJune 24, 1940
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
NationalityCanadian
PositionGoaltender
WLA/
NLA team		New Westminster Salmonbellies (WLA)
New Westminster Salmonbellies (NLA)
Coquitlam Adanacs (WLA)
Portland Adanacs (NLA)
Vancouver Carlings (WLA)
Pro career1961–1976
Career highlights

Minto Cup: 1960
Mann Cup: 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976
Commission Trophy: 1976
Ellison Trophy: 1974
Nicholson Trophy: 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976

Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, 1983

Career

At the age of 12, Comeau switched from defenceman to goaltender. After four provincial minor championships, he was promoted to the Junior A New Westminster Salmonbellies. He helped lead the 'Bellies to the 1960 Minto Cup with a 21-1 record and an 0.810 save percentage in the regular season.[1]

In 1962, Comeau was forced to split his time between the New Westminster Salmonbellies of the ICLL and Port Coquitlam of the Senior B loop. In Senior B, he led Port Coquitlam to a provincial title. By 1964, he was full-time with the Salmonbellies. He also played a stint with the Coquitlam Adanacs.[1]

In 1968, Comeau turned professional with the relocated Portland Adanacs in the National Lacrosse Association, but rejoined the Salmonbellies for the 1969 NLA season. The 'Bellies would win the WLA Conference of the NLA, but lose the final to the Peterborough Lakers. The NLA folded at the end of the 1969 season.[4]

In 1971, 1972, and 1973, Comeau was a WLA playoff champion and won the Mann Cup in 1971 and 1973.[6] He subsequently retired from lacrosse. In 1974, he returned and won yet another league title and Mann Cup and retired again.[4] Late in the 1976 season, his Salmonbellies were suffering a bad season, and he came out of retirement to turn their season around, win the league and a fourth Mann Cup.[4] He then retired for a third and final time.

"Quiet Man" Comeau was elected into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1983.[3] The Salmonbellies dynasty that he was an integral part of was also inducted in 2004.[6]

Statistics

Source: Wamper's Bible of Lacrosse[7] and Stan Shillington's "Who's Who in Lacrosse 1933-2013: Goaltending Records".[8]

SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPPIMSv%Team GAA
1960New WestminsterBCJALL200116-5.36
1961VancouverBCJALL140002-7.88
-New WestminsterICLL100000.7568.20
1962New WestminsterICLL400000.6898.22
1963Port CoquitlamWCLLStatistics Missing
1964New WestminsterICLL1301120.7759.31
-New WestminsterP/O600000.696-
1965New WestminsterICLL200000.7759.07
-CoquitlamICLL9000011.30
1966CoquitlamICLL500000.7508.03
1967CoquitlamICLL2300000.7778.47
-CoquitlamP/O501100.675-
1968PortlandNLA1907700.7699.61
1969New WestminsterNLA110171700.7958.47
-New WestminsterP/O150141400.787-
1970New WestminsterWLA280292950.76610.67
-New WestminsterP/O190232300.784-
1971New WestminsterWLA190181800.7739.52
-New WestminsterP/O907700.812-
1972New WestminsterWLA300282840.77210.61
-New WestminsterP/O1508800.758-
1973Retired
1974New WestminsterWLA200161600.77710.92
-New WestminsterP/O407700.793-
1975Retired
1976New WestminsterWLA1309920.80012.88
-New WestminsterP/O180161620.799-

References
  1. British Columbia Lacrosse Association
  2. http://manncup2013.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Mann-Cup-2013-Down-Memory-Lane-Stories-Shillington.pdf
  3. "Box Players - 1983". Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
  4. Central Desktop
  5. WLA 2013 Media Guide 13Jan22
  6. "Team - 2004". Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
  7. Bible of Lacrosse - statistics
  8. Stan Shillington's "Who's Who in Lacrosse" by Stan Shillington Western Lacrosse Association. 2013.
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