Another Victoria Shamrocks Legend to have his Jersey Retired on Friday

Written by Justis Doucet

Victoria, - The Victoria Shamrocks and Shamrocks alumni association have announced that a second green and white jersey banner will be displayed in the rafters of The Q Centre and will retire Ranjit Dillon’s#5 jersey on Friday June 23rd during the Alumni game presented by Jenner Chevrolet.

Dillon was introduced to the game of lacrosse by Doug Fletcher, Victoria's godfather of lacrosse when he was thirteen and ended up playing with the Victoria Shamrocks for 14 seasons.

Playing games on Saturday mornings, Dillon, and his friends formed a team that played at Stevenson Park. That team which included, Ranj, his brother Nirmal and Cousin Charn, won four British Columbia minor lacrosse championships, and all three of them are in the lacrosse hall of fame.

Dillon started his Senior A Shamrocks career in 1964 and won rookie of the year. Three years later was the WLA scoring champion with 95 points in 29 games, a first team all-star, and league MVP. The next season he set his career high in goals (44), assists (72), and points (116).  After losing the 1978 Mann Cup to Peterborough in seven games, Dillon led the 1979 'Rocks to their first Mann Cup Championship in twenty-two years. That was the final season of his career, scoring 22 points in 14 playoff games.

Over his career, Dillon scored 450 goals, 788 assists for 1238 points in just 453 games, was a league all-star seven times and was voted winner of the Maitland Trophy for sportsmanship three times.  He was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. 

Fridays game is against the Maple Ridge Burrards at 7:30also includes members from the 1997 Mann Cup Championship team dropping the ball before the game and the popular alumni 'tailgate' begins at 5:30 with music and Triple O's burgers by donation, with proceeds benefiting the Victoria Shamrocks Alumni and the Westshore Rotary club.  Tickets can be purchased HERE, phoning 250-478-7625 or at the team store at 967 Langford Parkway.