ros se ▁club ▁was ▁established ; ▁by ▁the ▁mid - 1 8 6 0 s ▁there ▁were ▁active ▁teams ▁in ▁eastern ▁Ontario . ▁The ▁National ▁Lac ros se ▁Association ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 ; ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁the ▁league ▁became ▁the ▁National ▁Am ateur ▁Lac ros se ▁Association . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁the ▁organized ▁sport ▁was ▁found ▁nation wide , ▁and ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁popular ▁spect ator ▁sport . ▁To ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁violence , ▁middle ▁class ▁prom ot ers ▁spoke ▁in ▁Social ▁G ospel ▁terms ▁about ▁the ▁ideal ▁of ▁" mus cular ▁Christian ity ." ▁ ▁As ▁working ▁class ▁players ▁and ▁spect ators ▁became ▁more ▁prominent , ▁the ▁r het or ic ▁focused ▁on ▁winning ▁at ▁all ▁costs . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 8 6 0 s ▁the ▁Montreal ▁Sh am ro cks ▁introduced ▁a ▁new ▁level ▁of ▁ag gress iveness ; ▁it ▁was ▁Irish , ▁Catholic , ▁and ▁fought ▁to ▁win . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁the ▁Sh am ro cks ▁had ▁blo ody ▁confront ations ▁with ▁the ▁middle - class ▁Protest ant ▁Montreal ▁and ▁Toronto ▁Lac ros se ▁Club s . ▁ ▁Field ▁lac ros se ▁was ▁spread ▁across ▁Canada ▁by ▁Ang lo phone ▁migr ants ▁from ▁Ontario ▁and ▁Quebec . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 8 8 7 , ▁the ▁Toronto ▁Lac ros se ▁Club ▁began ▁using ▁hockey ▁as ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁exercise ▁during ▁the ▁winter