Lacrosse was Joe Lally's life. Known variously as a father of lacrosse in Canada and "Mr. Lacrosse," he was involved in all aspects of the game and instrumental in the development of lacrosse as an organized sport in the first half of the 20th century. Lally spent his life in his birthplace, Cornwall, Ontario, where he was elected mayor in 1918. There he played and coached for local lacrosse teams. As a coach, he played a pivotal role in converting star Newsy Lalonde from goal to forward. But it was off the field that he made his greatest contributions to the sport he loved. In 1903, Lally took over the Cornwall-based lacrosse stick manufacturing business started by his brother Frank in 1881. Lally sticks were to become among the best-known lacrosse equipment in the world. Lally also made significant contributions as an administrator. In 1925, he was instrumental in establishing the Canadian Lacrosse Association, which made him a lifetime member in 1945—an honour that the Ontario Lacrosse Association had bestowed upon him in 1927. And, in 1930, he donated the Lally Perpetual Trophy, which was to be awarded annually to the winner of an international competition between teams representing Canada and the United States. Both Joe and Frank Lally were accomplished lacrosse players, and Joe was well known as a referee. Their nephews, Bill and Bun Cook, starred in the NHL with the New York Rangers and the former is an honoured member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Joe Lally is also enshrined in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.