Born and raised in Ontario, George Bretz was a lacrosse player with a local London team prior to moving to Manitoba in 1902 and joining the Shamrock Lacrosse Club. He played for them when they won the 1903 Manitoba Provincial Championship and accompanied them when they ventured to the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. By overcoming the St. Louis Amateur Athletic Association’s squad with a score of 8-2, the team earned itself Olympic gold medals. According to an obituary published by the Winnipeg Free Press, he was killed in the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, but this is an error as there is evidence that he was alive at least into 1911. Outside of sports he worked as a tailor and he was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, along with the rest of his gold medal-winning team, in 2004.
Did not die during the Great San Fransisco Earthquake of 1906 as written in Winnipeg Free Press obituary. This is a mistake. He was still alive in 1911.
Canada