On Friday, June 18, the Toronto Rock Athletic Center hosted The Rob Macdougall Celebrity Lacrosse Classic.
The game honoured Rob Macdougall, who meant so much to the lacrosse community in the town, touching the lives of many athletes and families.
Though many people may not know his name, most people will know Macdougall's art.
Rob graduated from the Art College of Ontario and worked for many different news outlets as a sports artist, including the Toronto Sun and The Hockey News. He was the official illustrator for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Rob also created the original logos for the Toronto Rock, the Oakville Buzz, and the Oakville Hawks.
His sudden passing on October 1, 2021, was a shock to all, and this game was an amazing way to honour his legacy.
Many celebrities were able to participate. Team Black featured players such as Toronto Rock veteran and Oakville native Dan Dawson along with his brother Paul Dawson of the Rochester Knighthawks.
Another celebrity that made the trip was Brian Shanahan. Most people will recognize his last name and his brother Brenden Shanahan, but Brian is an analyst for the NLL and a writer for inside lacrosse.
For team blue, celebrities included former Toronto Rock captain Jim Veltman, Toronto Rock's current president and owner Jamie Dawick, and most notably Toronto Maple Leafs captain and former Oakville Hawk John Tavares.
The game was a massive success. Cheering fans packed TRAC, yelling in support of this incredible game and the man that loved the game and who meant so much to so many different people.
The game finished with a last-second goal by John Tavares, who won the game for team blue by a score of 10-9.
After the game, John Tavares spoke on how it felt to play lacrosse again after almost 16 years and what Rob Macdougal meant to him.
Tavares said, "It was amazing. Obviously, we are here for a memorial to Rob Macdougall, who had a tremendous impact on me. When I heard about the game going on and knew I would be available, it was an easy decision and obviously a blast."