Manhasset resident and Port Washington lacrosse legend Harvey Cohen was recognized recently for his lifelong commitment to the game of lacrosse and his dedication to the youth of Port Washington, Manhasset and North Hempstead.
Cohen, 95, was named as the first recipient of the The Keeper of the Game award at the annual U.S. Lacrosse National Convention which took place in Philadelphia from Jan. 10-12.
Honored by US Lacrosse for 80 years of involvement in the sport, U.S. Lacrosse federation officials say Cohen helped to establish Long Island as one of the great hotbeds of the game.
Inducted in 1988, Cohen is the oldest living member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
The award was established as a cultural initiative launched to preserve and promote the essence of lacrosse.
"Harvey is the epitome of what it means to be the keeper of lacrosse," said a U.S. Lacrosse official at the presentation ceremony. "His unrelenting passion for the sport and his quest to share the gift has made him both loved and invaluable."
Cohen's love affair with lacrosse began in 1934 as a defenseman at New York Military Acedmy. He played college lacrosse at Lafeyette College where he was the state's leading scorer in 1939.
See video of the awards ceremony here
He was a volunteer assistant lacrosse coach for the freshman team at Harvard University before serving in Europe during World War II as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
After the war, Cohen graduated from Harvard Law School in 1947.
In 1964, Cohen was instrumental in the establishment of the Midget Lacrosse League in Port Washington and the larger Long Island Midget Lacrosse League in 1969. Throughout the 1970's Cohen coached post high school and college summer league teams and formed an indoor lacrosse league for high school students. He founded the North Hempstead Lacrosse Club in 1982.
Cohen was a selector and administrator for the USA Team in the 1986 and 1990 World Games.
Founded in 1998, US Lacrosse is the national governing body of lacrosse with 64 chapters in 43 states.
Information for this article provided from video provided by Arena Sports & Graphics, 52 Main St., Port Washington.
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