[NU Sports] lacrosse

[Jim Bendat]

Okay, everyone, I have a lacrosse question.  I know nothing about the 
sport, but now that Jeff has given us a history lesson, I'm in (some of 
you might recall that I like history).  Here's my question:  on TV, I've 
noticed that male lacrosse players wear helmets, but female players only 
wear eyeguards.  Why?

Jeff Beamsley wrote:

>You are only one of a long line of folks to be fascinated by the game.
>
>In 1763 some clever Native Americans captured Fort Michilimackinac in
>Northern Michigan by playing lacrosse.  During the game, they hit the ball
>inside the stockade's open gates.  When the garrison allowed the players to
>run in to retrieve the ball, the players grabbed weapons hidden in the
>clothing of the women watching the game, overwhelmed the guards and took
>over the Fort.  
>
>This was part of a very successful military offensive organized by Pontiac
>which took over every British outpost in the west except Fort Detroit and
>Fort Pitt.  The only reason they had to give up the sieges at these last two
>outposts is that the French broke their promise to resupply the Indian army
>as winter approached.  It took the British three years to finally beat
>Pontiac who was later murdered by a British-paid assassin named Black Dog.  
>
>Jef
>