Shamrocks great Lynch was ‘a natural goal scorer’

Jim Lynch was one of the most prolific scorers for the Victoria Shamrocks and Nanaimo Timbermen of the Western Lacrosse Association.

Lynch, inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2018, died of cancer at 67.

“Every scoring trophy I won had Jim Lynch’s name on it ahead of me,” said Victoria lacrosse legend Kevin Alexander, who came up three years behind Lynch in youth minor lacrosse.

Lynch played on the 1979 and 1983 Mann Cup national Senior A champion Victoria teams in his seven-season Shamrocks career. He also played three seasons for the Timbermen.

Lynch amassed 560 points in 161 regular-season WLA games and 108 points in 44 playoff games.

Alexander played with Lynch in both Victoria and Nanaimo. Although they never made the playoffs in Nanaimo, Lynch, Alexander and Brian Evans featured on a potent Timbermen power play that was one of the best in WLA history. Lynch and Alexander rejoined in Victoria and won two Mann Cups together with the Shamrocks.

An outstanding Junior B career was followed by Lynch scoring 101 points for Victoria McDonald’s Bread, to be named 1972 B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League rookie of the year. He followed that up with 90 points in 1973.

“Defenders could not let Jim get near the goal or they were in trouble,” said Alexander, who preceded Lynch into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and is also a member of the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.

“But trying to hold him out was next to impossible for opposition defences because he was so slippery. He was a natural goalscorer. Playing with him was lots of fun.”

Lynch also played pro in the National Lacrosse League, where his lethal offensive skills were equally evident. He scored a headspinning 157 points, with 83 goals, in 45 games for the Montreal Quebecois in being named 1974 NLL rookie of the year and 96 points in 41 games for the Philadelphia Wings in 1975.

Lynch’s combined WLA and NLL totals were 426 goals and 921 points in 291 games for an average of more than three points per game.

“Jimmy was also a tremendous field lacrosse player with the [Victoria] Seasprays,” said Alexander.

A member of the Class of 2018, Lynch delivered what the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame says is the second-briefest enshrinement speech in its history.

“I’m going to make this really short,” he told the assembled at the induction ceremony that night in New Westminster.

“I had a great career with great teammates and great coaches and I’m going to leave it at that.”

Lynch let his skills on the lacrosse floor do the talking for him.