DENVER - He has been called the Michael Jordan of lacrosse, a player so gifted he invented moves that wound up being banned, broke scoring records and led teams to championships at the college and professional levels.
But Gary Gait’s contribution to the sport goes beyond highlight reels and record books. Gait, who plans to retire at the end of the season from the Colorado Mammoth, has helped change what for years was considered an East Coast prep school activity into one of the fastest-growing team sports in the United States.
“He’s more than Michael Jordan,” said National Lacrosse League commissioner Jim Jennings. “He’s probably the person who’s contributed the most to the sport of lacrosse.”
He hasn’t done it alone, of course. For most of his career, Gait played alongside or against his identical twin, Paul. The younger Gait, by 3 minutes, even came out of retirement last month to help 38-year-old Gary try for one last NLL championship when the playoffs begin later this month.
Lacrosse is a niche sport by almost any definition, with a small but rabid fan base. For decades, the game has been most popular in New England, where it has a long tradition of being played at high schools and Ivy League colleges, and in Canada, where its similarities to hockey and relatively inexpensive equipment made it a popular indoor diversion. Like hockey, players rely on speed, agility and stick skills to defend and score.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7507507
