BRUCE WANLESS

BRUCE WANLESS Bruce Wanless won the Ontario Lacrosse Association’s most valuable player award in both Junior A and Senior A series during a 16year career with the Brampton Excelsiors. Wanless a defenceman had been playing competitive lacrosse only five years when he received the MVP award while playing with the Canadian champion 1959 MintoCup winning junior Excelsiors. For Wanless and his Excelsiors, it was their third consecutive Canadian junior title. His senior career began in 1960. After Brampton’s elimination in the Ontario playoffs, he joined the Mann Cup Canadian senior champion Port Credit Sailors. Wanless starred with the Eastern Canadian senior champion Excelsiors in 1961 and 1962. He was named the senior division’s MVP in 1967. He also played in Canadian senior finals with St. Catharines Athletics and Brooklin Redmen, as a pickup, for the Canadian finals following Brampton’s elimination from Ontario playoffs. Wanless played for pro lacrosse’s Detroit Olympics in 1968, winning the league’s Eastern crown, before losing to Western champion New Westminster. Bruce was named the Major league’s most valuable defenceman in 1970. Before his retirement in 1971, Wanless won best defenceman honours with the Excelsiors in 1970 and 1971. Inducted November 15, 1989