Career
He is considered a pioneer of the breakout pass. Pat first played lacrosse at the age of nine in Portuguese Dalhousie, Ontario. The next day he and his family moved to Peterborough, Ontario.
At 17, he almost died of a childhood illness.
During his winters he played in the Ontario Hockey Association with the Hamilton Tiger Cubs (the Detroit Red Wings junior entry) for three seasons as a forward. Baker started off his Major/Senior A career in 1959 with Peterborough Lakers.
The team went belly up after two seasons and he signed with the Brooklin Redmen instead. After five seasons in Brooklin he returned to a newly formed Peterborough club in 1966 until 1973.
In 1968, he and his team joined the National Lacrosse Association and turned professional for two seasons.
Baker was named Peterborough"s sportsman of the year in 1969, to the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1980, the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1981, and the Peterborough and District"s Sports Hall of Fame in 1983. Source: Wamper"s Bible of Lacrosse.
