Thomas Arthur REED, The Blue and White: A Record of Fifty Years of Athletic Endeavour at the University of Toronto, Toronto: The University of Toronto Press, 1944, chapter xvi, pp. 187-210. (Web page prepared by Michael Kolarcik with permission from University of Toronto Press, 15/Feb/2001.)

EVEN the Romans had a name for it, the northern peoples of Europe played it, with national variations, on frozen grounds or ice; in Ireland, where it was played before the year 1300, it is called "hurley" or "goaling"; in Scotland "shinty" or "shinny"; and in England "bandy". In its original primitive state, the size of the field and the number of players was unlimited. Joyce¹ says, "I have seen at least 500 on each side when two adjacent parishes or districts contended - but that was before 1847". Apparently the rules were simple and the play very rough. But the object was the same, to drive the ball into the opponents goal, and those goals might be a mile apart.

ston, the British Regiments stationed there played on the ice a game closely resembling it, no doubt an adaptation of the English game of field hockey, but with modifications which made it suitable for local conditions.

The first recorded game of Hockey in Montreal was played on March 3, 1875, by a team made up from members of the Montreal Football Club. It is probable that the students of McGill University had a team also, for in the McGill University Gazette, a student publication, there is a report of a meeting of students held on February 1, 1877, for the purpose of forming a hockey club. Games were played on the Victoria Rink with the Montreal Hockey Club a "crack" club of the city. The rules are referred to as "The Halifax Hockey Club Rules", modelled after the football rules. The same journal (Dec. 1, 1877) urged students to take up hockey, saying "it ought to be the winter equivalent of football".

The International Ice Hockey Federation formally recognizes Montreal, specifically the Victoria Skating Rink as the birthplace of our contemporary Ice-Hockey game KHODYNKA, Russia—May 8, 2007 History was made today when the IIHF announced the first-ever tournament on European soil featuring club teams from the National Hockey League and champions from the European leagues. The Victoria Cup will be competed for on an annual basis beginning September 2008. It will be a three-team competition, two teams from Europe and one from the NHL. The series is the first ever initiative to pit the top teams from North America versus the top teams from Europe. This announcement was one of several which are the focus of the IIHF's 100th anniversary celebrations which kick off this fall. The IIHF will replace the European Champions Cup with the new Champions Hockey League. This will consist of a series of stages among the top European club teams beginning in 2008 and will be the basis for determining which teams will be eligible to compete for the Victoria Cup. The CHL is modelled after soccer's successful Champions League. The IIHF will formally recognize the Victoria Skating Rink as the birthplace of hockey. On March 3, 1875, the first true hockey game took place at that rink in Montreal. It was an indoor game featuring two teams, a referee, and a puck. The score was recorded, and the game was reported in the Montreal Gazette the day of the game to attract the interest of fans. A report was published in the Gazette the next day detailing the events of the game. A commemorative marker will be placed on the site of the rink which is currently a car rental agency. The rink's dimensions were 200' x 85' and it was this size that has been the standard for every North American rink ever since.

A Report of the First Game of Ice Hockey: an excerpt from Michael McKinley, Hockey: A People's History, Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2006. Chapter 4: March 3, 1875, was an eventful night. In London, Gilbert and Sullivan premiered Trial by Jury, their first comic opera success. In Paris, Georges Bizet debuted the tragic opera Carmen – his last success, for he would die later that year. And in Montreal, the Victoria Rink hosted what the Gazette called "a very large crowd" of forty people, who braved a cold night (the day's high had been a frigid nine degrees Fahrenheit) to see what would become a kind of Canadian opera, with heroes and villains, with triumph and tragedy, and an in-built beauty to every performance: no scripted endings.  Under the light cast by the Victoria Rink's gas lamps, these intrepid Montrealers, likely warmed by flasks of brandy and kept out of harm's way by standing on a platform eight inches above the ice it surrounded, watched James Creighton and his seventeen friends take to the ice. Wearing rugby club jerseys, shorts, long woollen stockings, and no protective padding, the players were all from the Victoria Rink and the Montreal Football Club. They wore Starr skates and used Mic-Mac sticks, and shortly after 8:00 p.m., the first ever indoor hockey game began. An hour later, James Creighton had captained his team to a 2–1 victory. The next day's Gazette featured the world's first report on the indoor game: "The game is like lacrosse in one sense – the block [of wood] having to go through flags placed about 8 feet apart in the same manner as the rubber ball – but in the main the old country game of shinty gives the best idea of hockey." The following day, Kingston's British Whig Standard was the first newspaper to wag a finger at the violence already endemic to the game: "A disgraceful sight took place at Montreal in the Victoria Rink over a game of hockey. Shins and heads were battered, benches smashed, and the lady spectators fled in confusion." The Gazette failed to mention this brawl, which was not between the teams, but between the players and Victoria Skating Club members, who had seen enough of this new game and wanted their ice back. The newspapers paid attention to James Creighton's indoor game most likely because of the pedigree of the players – English Montrealers all: Torrance, Meagher, Potter, Goff, Barnston, Gardner, Giffin, Jarvis, Whiting, Campbell, Campbell, Esdaile, Joseph, Henshaw, Chapman, Powell, Clouston, and, of course, Creighton. The world's first indoor hockey game was the beginning of the sport's rapid development in Montreal, where James Creighton was studying law at McGill, playing more indoor games at the Victoria Rink, and helping to develop the Montreal Rules, which were published in 1877. After earning his law degree, Creighton moved to Ottawa, where he became law clerk and Master in Chancery to the Senate and a member of the Rideau Rebels, an Ottawa ice-hockey team, one that was begun by the Stanley brothers, whose father had fallen in love with the game. He, too, would change everything.

In the McGill Gymnasium there is, among other trophies, a silver cup supported by three hockey sticks, also of silver, won by the McGill team at the Winter Carnival of 1883. They also have a photograph of the team of 1881 together with a hockey stick of ancient vintage and a square wooden puck.

W.F. Robertson, a graduate of McGill and R.F. Smith, a player on the McGill team of 1879 were responsible for revision of the hockey rules. To quote Smith, "we used some field hockey rules, thought out a few others and mixed in some Rugby football rules, the latter being the reason that hockey is an 'onside' game."

The first organized Hockey League in Ontario was undoubtedly in Kingston, where a league operated during the winter of 1885-86. It consisted of teams from the Royal Military College, the Kingston Athletics, the Kingston Hockey Club and Queen's University (the late Dr. George M. Grant, Principal of Queen's, 1877-1902, was an enthusiastic hockey fan). This league was eventually merged into the Ontario Hockey League when the provincial body was formed in 1890.

Mr. W.A. Hewitt, for over forty years the popular secretary of the Ontario Hockey Association, says the first hockey

sticks used in Canada were brought from England and cost four shillings each. They were field hockey sticks and much shorter than the kind used in our game today. Mr. Hewitt introduced goal nets in 1899 at a game in Montreal. They were adopted by the O.H.A. the following year and have proved of great value in preventing disputes as to goals scored.

Lord Stanley of Preston, Governor General of Canada (1888-1893) donated to the Ontario Hockey Association a cup for the furtherance of hockey. This was due to the keen interest taken by his son, the Hon. Arthur Stanley, who, on his arrival in Canada, had been attracted by the possibilities of the game and, with his brothers, played it in both Montreal and Ottawa.. At a later date, about 1908, this cup became the championship emblem of professional hockey.

The Allan Cup was donated by Sir H. Montague Allan in 1908 to take the place of the Stanley Cup as the championship trophy for amateur hockey in Canada. It was presented to the Victoria Hockey Club of Montreal to be defended by the champions of their league that year. The Queen's University team were the first winners. In 1928 it was transferred to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association as Trustee.

The John Ross Robertson Cup was given by the late John Ross Robertson of Toronto (ob. 1918) for the Senior Championship of the Ontario Hockey Association.

For the information contained in the foregoing section, "Hockey in Canada", the writer is indebted to J.P. Fitzgerald, '95, Sports Editor of the Toronto Evening Telegram; W.A. Hewitt, the Secretary of the Ontario Hockey Association, and F.M. Van Wagner, of the Department of Physical and Health Education at McGill University.

2. HOCKEY IN THE UNIVERSITY 1890 - 1915

Before 1890 there seems to have been little interest taken in hockey, or its possibilities, around the University. In 1891, however, a challenge from the McGill Hockey Club stirred certain enthusiasts of the game and on Thursday evening, January 15, a meeting was held in Mr. Peter White's room in the old Residence, when the formation of the University of Toronto Hockey Club was the outcome of an enthusiastic

gathering. The first officers were, A.T. Kirkpatrick, '91, President; Peter White, '93 (LL.B. '97), Secretary- Treasurer, and the following committee members, A.W. Harvey, '93, James Bain, '94, and W. Cram, Med. '94. A team was formed which, on February 17, following, played its first game winning by a score of 2 to 0.

The Team consisted of - Goal, Joe Clarke, '94; Point, C.S. Cameron, '94; Cover, W.A. Gilmour, '94 (Captain); Forwards, J.R. Caning, '91, H. McQuarrie, '92, Peter White, '93, Geo. Clayes, '94, A.F. Barr, '96, and J.W. Gilmour.

Beyond this there is no record although the team apparently met with fair success, but no game seems to have been played with McGill.

The following season a team was entered in the Ontario Hockey Association series playing with Osgoode Hall and the Athletics. A rink was made on the campus adjoining the Residence where short practices and inter-year games were held each afternoon. ("Fee for membership $1.00, C.S. Cameron, Secretary").

In 1892- 93 the team was strengthened by the addition of W.P. (Watty) Thomson, a famous Soccer player and C.H. Wilson. Wm.A. Gilmour continued as Captain. The team consisting of Thomson, Wilson, Barr, Shepard, Field and the two Gilmours was no match for the smart Osgoode Team but was able to win from the Victorias.

A second team was organized which played teams from Trinity College, the Granites and the Victorias of Hamilton.

The Hockey executive for 1893-94 had for President, W.P. Thomson, Med. '92, Secretary-Treasurer, A.F. Barr, '96, Captain, W.A. Gilmour, '94, the two latter being the delegates to the O.H.A. meeting. The second team was entered in the Junior O.H.A. and the Toronto Hockey League and made a good showing.

In 1894-95 A.F. Barr became President and A.A. Shepard, '94, Med. '98, Captain. The Club won the City Championship by defeating Osgoode and the Toronto Athletic Club by large margins. The first reference to a College game is on February 8 when Varsity travelled to Kingston for the first

match of the semi-finals and was defeated by Queen's by a score of 19 to 3.

The next year there is little of note, Osgoode and the Victorias both outplaying the Varsity team.

The 1896-97 team was drawn against Stratford whom they succeeded in defeating 11 to 6 on the round, but were defeated by Queen's in the O.H.A. finals. At the annual meeting it was decided to play on the rink which the Athletic Association prepared on the Campus. It was also decided to have an Inter-College series, the same as existed in football. The Honorary President of the Club was Professor C.H.C. Wright, B.A.Sc.; President, A.A. Shepard; Secretary-Treasurer, F.H. Scott; Manager, M.C. Cameron; the Committee: W.H. Morrison, A.E. Snell, J.W. Hobbs, Bradley, Blackwood and R.G. Fitzgibbons, Captain. Queen's was again declared winner in the semi-finals. In the Interfaculty series against Victoria, the '97 (Arts) team won, having several senior players on the team.

In 1897-98 and the following year, interest in hockey increased, largely due to the fine players mentioned above and a better schedule of games. Prominent players were R.S. Waldie, F.H. Scott, R.Y. Parry, A.A. Shepard, A.E. Snell, Captain, W.H. Morrison, A.J. Isbester, F.E. Elliott, J.R. Barry. In 1899 they reached the finals in the O.H.A. series, but were defeated for the championship by Queen's. Games were played on the rinks of the city curling clubs, viz., the Victoria (on Huron St.) and the covered rink of the Caledonian Club on Mutual Street. This building was afterwards replaced by the old Arena Gardens, the first artificial ice rink in this part of Canada. Varsity played Osgoode, the Wellingtons and the St. George's (all of Toronto), Stratford and Peterborough. With the exception of Osgoode, always a strong team, Varsity was usually equal to or better than her opponents. But exhibition games played in February 1899 against Queen's and McGill seemed to have gone against us, although we had been strengthened by F.H. Broder, A.W. MacKenzie and A.B. (Arthur) Wright.

Repeated attempts to form an Intercollegiate Union were

unsuccessful, the financial situation and the long railway trips being a deterrent factor.

In 1898 William T. Jennings, an eminent civil engineer, presented a cup to the School of Practical Science for competition in hockey. While not a member of the Faculty he was chairman of the Board of Examiners for Professional Degrees in Engineering and took a great interest in the students. He was a firm believer in outdoor life and athletics for young men and particularly for engineering students. The trophy was handed over to the Athletic Association for Interfaculty Competition. The Varsity of January 11, 1899, said "the scientists (S.P.S.), good sports that they are, have placed the cup at the disposal of the University Hockey Club to be competed for after the manner of the Mulock Cup". It is worthy of record that Mr. Jennings was at one time city engineer for Toronto and chief engineer on the first power transmission line from Niagara Falls to Toronto. It was under him that T.R. Loudon (B.A.Sc. 1906) gained his first experience when he worked as chain and pole man.

Interfaculty games, stimulated no doubt by the Jennings Cup, which was doing for hockey what the Mulock Cup had done for rugby, were on the increase, the Dental College and Wycliffe College entering the lists, (The Varsity, February 14, 1900, comments, "Monday saw the first entrance of our plucky Wycliffe Athletes".).

A new skating rink 324' by 70', with a hockey area 172' by 90' adjoining it, was laid out on the campus north of the University building and provided facilities hitherto unknown for practice as well as for the inter-year Hockey matches, thanks to the enterprise of the Athletic Directorate.

With the turn of the century we see evidence of progress. A 1901 team consisting of Arthur Wright (Captain), W. Hanley, Wilkie Evans, Art Snell, F.H. Broder, Gibson, McArthur and Trees, and managed by "Billy" Ross (Dr. G.W. Ross, Med. '03) proved superior to the veteran Osgoode team in a game at the Mutual Street rink; following this up later by "trimming" a Bank of Toronto team.

In 1902 three teams were entered in the O.H.A. and made

a good showing. The Senior team, under Captain Arthur Wright, defeated McGill in an exhibition game. This ultimately resulted in the formation of the Intercollegiate Hockey Union, the Directorate at a meeting on November 19, 1902, empowering the Hockey Club to enter the proposed Union with Queen's and McGill. The first Intercollegiate game was played at Kingston, January 16, 1903, when the Rev. Dr. Gordon, Principal of Queen's, skated down the ice and placed the puck, thus starting the first Senior game of the Intercollegiate series. Score 7 to 1 for Queen's. In this connection it is remembered that the Queen's University Hockey Club on that occasion presented the handsome silver trophy known as "The Queen's Cup" for annual competition in Senior Intercollegiate Hockey. McGill won the first championship of the new Union but the playing did not meet with the commendation of the reporter of The Varsity who said "the features usually looked for in Intercollegiate sports, team work, speed and clean play were conspicuously absent". The star of the first McGill game was "Doc" Wright who scored the majority of Varsity's goals. He also starred again in the Queen's game a week later "as usual scoring from mid-ice". The team: Jack Lash, '06, W.W. Evans (Captain), A.B. Wright, Jakey Brown, W.L. Gilbert, Dillabough, W.G. Wood, and Jack McLean. The Royal Military College, McMaster, Varsity and Queen's also entered teams in an Intermediate Intercollegiate group.

In 1904 Queen's proved superior in Senior competition.

The Jennings Cup series (1903) saw twelve teams in operation, four from Arts (University College), two from Meds., two from School of Science and one each from Dentistry, Knox, Victoria and Wycliffe. The Dentals won the Cup. The following year the College of Pharmacy was admitted.

In 1905 the Varsity Seconds won the Intermediate Intercollegiate Championship but the Senior honours again went to McGill. Varsity had to rebuild with almost all junior material, but on the whole made a fair showing. Queen's was superior in 1906, but the following year Varsity came into its own, winning the Intercollegiate and the City Champion-

ships. The players for Varsity were Herbert Clarke, Ap.Sc. '09 (Captain), Wm. Martin, '08, Gordon Southam, '07, Chas. G. (Chad) Toms, Ap.Sc. '10,, W.W. ("Boolah") Davidson, '12, R.A. (Bob) Laidlaw, '08, R.R. (Tony) Evans, '10, and Norman Keith, '09.

The 1907-08 team with practically the same players was described as the most brilliant aggregation of amateurs in Canada. They won the City Championship, the Intercollegiate, and the Amateur Championship of North America. Bob Laidlaw, '08, was the efficient manager.

The following year they failed to defend the championship, principally on account of lack of practice due to the mild weather. The team was strengthened by Roy Thomas, Med. '09, in goal, "one of the best in the game", and Ivan McSloy. Dr. W. E. Gallie, the President of the club assisted in the coaching and this added prestige to the team.

In 1909-10 the second team was entered in the O.H.A. and a third team in the Junior Intercollegiate series, both of which reached the finals in their respective groups. The first team had R.R. (Tony) Evans for Captain, Ivan McSloy, J.B. Hanley, B.M. Frith, A.G. Code, Gordon Gallie, with C.E. ("Punk") Richardson in goal. Coached by Dr. W.E. Gallie they were a formidable aggregation but due to an unfortunate misunderstanding they withdrew from the Senior Intercollegiate which was won by Queen's.

The Interfaculty Series was notable, fifteen teams participating. Fifty games were played, Victoria winning the Jennings Cup.

In 1910-11 there was a general rejuvenation in Hockey around Varsity. As a result the three Intercollegiate Championships came to Toronto, but the lateness of the season prevented the Seniors going on to the O.H.A. and C.A.H.A. finals. The games were played on natural ice in the old Caledonian Rink on Mutual Street, the last year of that venerable structure. The results were also favourable financially, the usual deficit being the lowest in years. The Dentals won the Jennings Cup. The success of the season caused The Varsity to say "We deserve and should have an

arena of our own", a wish that was not to have its fulfilment for another fifteen years.

The next year produced only moderate results at Varsity, the Intercollegiate Championship going to the fine McGill team. But the new Arena Gardens and the experience gained on the Christmas holiday trip to the States, when the Seniors played the Crescents of Brooklyn and the Boston Amateur Athletic Club, gave an impetus that resulted in the Senior Intercollegiate Championship in 1913, and, for the first time, a financial surplus. The players on the 1913 team were an outstanding aggregation, viz., W.C. Laird, E.H. Jupp, N.B. Caldwell, Geo. Clarkson, W.C. Parker, Frank Knight, Hugh Aird, C.E. Sinclair, I.R. Strome, Howard Webster, J.B. Hanley, A.M. (Pete) German and B.M. Frith, Captain. Dr. W.E. Gallie was the Coach.

Queen's won the Intercollegiate in 1914. Varsity had a lot of brilliant individual players but the team work was poor. Thain MacDowell² appeared on the team which was captained by J.B. Hanley, coached by Dr. Roy Thomas and managed by A.E. Cuzner,³ four names that will always be on the "honour roll" of Varsity.

A smart Junior team, however, made amends for the Seniors' failure and after a brilliant season were runners-up for the Junior O.H.A. Championship. In smooth fast hockey and concerted team work the team composed of several freshmen took their more experienced opponents by surprise and in the play-downs eliminated the Berlin "Union Jacks" before succumbing to Orillia the former champions who won 13 to 7 on the round. The Varsity in its columns referred to

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2 - Thain Wendell MacDowell, Vic. '15, is deserving of more than passing notice. He was also on the Senior Rugby Team of 1913. Like all his associates he was presently engaged in the greater game of War, enlisting in January, 1915. He was in France through many engagements, wounded at the Somme, Nov., 1916 (D.S.O.), Vimy, 9 April, 1917, winning there the Victoria Cross. "For most conspicuous bravery and indomitable resolution. This officer with two runners captured two guns, two officers and seventy-five men. Although wounded he continued to hold the position gained for five days until eventually relieved." (Citation from Official Record)

3 - Eddie Cuzner '16, also a Rugby player (1st Colour '14) was killed flying over Vimy Ridge, April, 1917.

"little Conn Smythe" at centre, the two Bills, Dafoe and Milne (Captain) whose effective playing was notable, and the strong defence put up by Jim Mathers, Les Saunders and Maurice Malone in goal. Of the captain of this team, W. C. Milne, a colleague has paid tribute to his sterling character as an athlete, sportsman and gentleman.

With the outbreak of the Great War it was inevitable that sports would suffer and while the teams were held together until the spring of 1915 and the Varsity Seniors regained the Intercollegiate Championship, it marked the end of activities for a period of four years. A fine Junior team, many of whom were already in uniform and captained by a young S.P.S. student, Conn Smythe by name, won the O.H.A. Junior Championship (the first time in 23 years) in a brilliant final game against the "Union Jacks" of Berlin (now Kitchener).

For the first time in Varsity history first team colours were awarded a Junior team which consisted of Maurice Malone, Beattie Ramsay, Mac. Sheldon, Roper Gouinlock, "Gamey" Stratton, Les. Saunders, G. Davis and Conn Smythe (Captain). Actually all these men enlisted by the spring of 1915 and upheld the honour of the "Blue and White" in the sterner game of war. Maurice Malone made the supreme sacrifice at Zillibeke in June 1916.

3. HOCKEY IN THE UNIVERSITY 1919-1940.

The resumption of sport after the Armistice marked a brilliant decade in Hockey. For ten years Varsity dominated the Senior Intercollegiate. Players such as Beattie Ramsay, Jack Langtry, Bill Carson, the Sullivan Brothers (Joe and "pinch-hitter" Frank), and Bill Dafoe brought strength to the Club.

There was a large influx of fine hockey players, some of whom had seen overseas service. The 1919-20 team captained by W. J. Carson were Intercollegiate Champions and Allan Cup defenders. They were defeated in the finals for the Allan Cup by the Winnipeg Falcons in Toronto.

The season of 1920-21 was probably the most outstanding in hockey achievement up to that time in the athletic history

of the University. The team went through the regular season without a defeat to win the Intercollegiate Championship, then through the O.H.A. playdowns to meet McGill again as the winners of the Quebec Hockey Association. Defeating them by a score of 11 to 0, they journeyed to Winnipeg to meet Brandon in two games, finally winning the Allan Cup and the C.A.H.A. crown by a score of 8 to 3. To young Dr. W.A. Dafoe, a recent player and graduate, went the credit

"BRINGING HOME THE ALLAN CUP," 1921
The Tally-ho on Bay Street, March 26. Drawn by S.P.S. Students
On the Box: Beattie Ramsay (Captain); the Cup; Dr. W. A. Dafoe (Coach),
T. A. Reed

for his brilliant coaching with a team that played as one man. The team consisted of Beattie Ramsay (Captain), Stan Brown, Bill Carson, Jack Langtry, Pete McIntyre, Ned Wright, G. F. Evans, Joe Sullivan, Frank Sullivan, George Westman, Joe Olson and Bruce West, Manager.

In 1921-22 the team won the Intercollegiate hands-down and making an up-hill fight for the O.H.A. were put out of the

running by the Granites' brilliant team coached by Harry Watson. Said Lou Marsh, The Toronto Star's sports writer, "When Varsity went down last night one of the cleanest teams of sportsmen that ever represented a Club or College in amateur hockey in Canada was submerged in the sea of defeat and they went down fighting gallantly to the last."

In 1922-23 the coaching job was taken over by Beattie Ramsay who had the task of rebuilding the team. The season was one of the best in the history of Varsity. The University of Montreal, admitted to the Intercollegiate Union, was a welcome addition to the Senior series. Varsity won both the Senior and Intermediate titles while the Juniors, coached for the first time by Conn Smythe, reached the finals in the O.H.A. In the Interfaculty there were seventeen teams entered, Senior Dents winning the Jennings Cup.

For the next six years Varsity dominated the Senior Intercollegiate, a supremacy which included the ten seasons 1920 to 1929, an unprecedented record.

Teams were also entered in the O.H.A. In 1925 however, in compliance with a new ruling of the Intercollegiate Union, it was decided to seek C.A.H.A. honours through that Union only.

The 1926 team of Intercollegiate champions (they had been Allan Cup finalists in 1925) proved to be one of the strongest University teams that ever played the game and again reached the finals of the Allan Cup. Opposed by Port Arthur, it took four games (and the last one of twenty minutes overtime) to decide the issue when Varsity went down to defeat.

Graduating almost to a man in 1926 there was formed in the fall of that year an Alumni or Grad. team, probably the most powerful hockey aggregation that ever wore the "Blue and White". Each man was not only a star in his own position, but also a perfect cog in the whole machine, coached by Conn Smythe, Ap.Sc. 1920, himself a former player and captain.

During the summer of 1926 the Varsity Arena had been built, thanks to a generous loan from the Board of Governors, and by December the ice was ready. With unlimited opportunities for practice the Grad. team was in good form for the

O.H.A. series which opened on December 22. Playing through the schedule without a defeat they followed on in the play-downs to win the Senior O.H.A. series and the John Ross Robertson Cup. Then, defeating the Ontario and Quebec winners by large margins they were the representatives of Eastern Canada in the finals at Vancouver. Leaving Toronto on March 17, 1927, with a rousing send-off, they met Fort William in four games, winning two, losing one and tieing one. The team consisted of Joe Sullivan in goal, Ross Taylor and Captain Jack Porter defence, Lou Hudson, right wing, Hugh Plaxton, centre, Dave Trottier, left wing, and the following subs, Bert Plaxton, Norbert Mueller (goal), Frank Sullivan (of pinch-hitting fame), Frank Fisher, Chas. Delahey and Grant Gordon.. Conn Smythe was the coach and Joe Carruthers the trainer throughout the season.

The same team of Varsity players represented Canada at the Olympic Games in 1928 held at St. Moritz, Switzerland. During their stay in Europe the Grads gave many exhibitions of hockey as it should be played. Their smooth combination, wonderful defence and speed were an eye-opener to the representatives of other countries.

All Toronto turned out to give the Olympic Champions a royal welcome on their return, when after a colorful parade they were received by the Mayor and Council at the City Hall.

While the Varsity Grads were entered in the O.H.A. and winning the John Ross Robertson and Allan Cups, the Varsity team won the Senior Intercollegiate Championship under the coaching of L. B. (Mike) Pearson in 1927 and again in 1928.⁴ In that year Queen's withdrew from Senior competition and the University of Montreal was admitted. The following year J. C. ("Red") Porter, in his time one of Varsity's most prominent hockey players and a member of the Olympic Champions, assumed the duties of coach. The team won

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4 - Lester B. Pearson, Vic. '19, played Rugby, Basketball (I Colour) and Lacrosse. Coach Rugby (O.R.F.U.) 1925, 1926, 1927; Hockey Senior Team 1927, 1928; Lacrosse 1927, 1928. Secretary External Affairs, 1928. Counsellor High Commissioner's Office, London, England, 1935. Ass't. Under-Secretary of State, Ottawa, 1941. Minister Counsellor at Canadian Embassy, Washington, 1942. Chairman U.N.R.R.A., 1944. Canadian Ambassador to U.S. 1944.

the Intercollegiate and O.H.A. Championships and going through the playdowns defeated Iroquois Falls and Ottawa, but succumbed to St. Francois Xavier (Montreal) in the semi-final. W. Brock MacMurray was the manager.

Commencing with 1930, McGill assumed the leadership in the Senior Intercollegiate, winning the Queen's Cup for the first time in seventeen years. Jack Porter, veteran player on four Varsity Championship teams, was again the coach and W. Brock MacMurray the Manager. McGill retained the Cup in 1931 but bowed to Varsity again in 1932 when Frank Sullivan coached the Senior team.

From 1933 to 1939 a brilliant McGill aggregation led the Intercollegiate Senior series and Varsity seemed to slump badly. Perhaps this is best described in Torontonensis of 1936. "This season has done little to improve the dismal conditions with respect to hockey at the University. 'Ace' Bailey, one of the finest coaches in the country was hampered by a scarcity of good players and also by numerous injuries. The team was out of its class in the O.H.A. group while other teams were 'packed' by stars."

The 1936-37 season was one of rebuilding under "Ace" Bailey with results which augured well for the future. For some years efforts had been made to form an International Intercollegiate League, with the leading Eastern American Universities. Great credit should go to the Manager of Athletics at McGill, Major Stuart Forbes, for his untiring efforts and characteristic persistency to attain that end, in spite of many difficulties in the way. At a meeting held at Boston on Saturday, February 29, 1936, the International Intercollegiate Ice Hockey League was formed, composed of Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, McGill, University of Montreal, Queen's and Toronto. Mr. Alexis Thompson, Yale '36, presented a handsome silver and bronze trophy for annual competition in this League in memory of his father David Pearson Thompson, a former Yale graduate. The figure surmounting the trophy was modelled from a famous Yale hockey player.

Our team started the 1937-38 season with the longest trip

yet to be made during a Christmas vacation. First to Minneapolis to play the University of Minnesota, then to New York to play teams from McGill and the University of Montreal in exhibition games and Princeton and Yale in the I.I.I.H.L. In Toronto the team played Dartmouth, Harvard, Montreal, Queen's and McGill. A game with the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ended the season. In all nineteen games were played, seven lost and one tied.

1938-39 saw an even more extensive pre-season trip, taking in Gonzaga University at Spokane, Wash., the New Westminster "Cats", and two games with Loyola College at Los Angeles. Then to New York to play McGill, St. Nicholas, University of Montreal and on to Boston to meet the "Olympics". Between December 18, and January 10, they travelled 8500 miles, played ten games, winning eight, tieing one, with only one loss, but to McGill. The season ended with twenty-two wins out of twenty seven games, but McGill retained the championship.

The 1938-39 senior Hockey team consisted of the following: Captain Cam. MacLachlan, Thor Stephenson, Bob Copp, Tony Cassels, Bill L'Heureux, Jock Maynard, Art Boddington, Johnny Ross, Johnny Taylor, Bing Caswell, M. A. "Dick" Craig, Bill Morison, Bill Hunnisett, George Wood, with Fraser Deacon as Manager.

At long last in 1939-40 the Championship returned to Toronto completing a record since the inception of Intercollegiate Hockey in 1903 of seventeen championships for Toronto, twelve for McGill and five for Queen's. The Senior team that season scored twenty wins out of twenty-one games (seventeen were consecutive), the only defeat being against Toronto Goodyear in an exhibition game for Finnish Relief. The pre-season games were played at Los Angeles against teams from the University of California, Loyola College and Gonzaga University (of Spokane, Washington). Then in New York, they met the McGill Grads and St. Nicholas in exhibition games and Dartmouth and Harvard in the I.I.I.H.L. In the Canadian section victories were scored over both Mc-

Gill and Queen's; and we also won the league games with Princeton and Yale.

The 1939-40 Championship team were: Captain Jock Maynard, Jack Quigley, Don Dunbar, Lloyd McIlquham, Cam. MacLachian, Art Boddington, Thor Stephenson, Paul Pentland, Bob Copp, Tom Callon, John Taylor, Wally Glynn, Bill Hunnisett, Ken Hignall, Doug Marshall, and Ross Campbell, Manager.

"Five years of work and sacrifice on the part of Ace Bailey and Warren Stevens has been finally rewarded and the handsome Thompson Trophy comes to Toronto." (Torontonensis 1940.)

With the serious situation caused by the Great War II, Intercollegiate competition ceased with the 1939-40 season.

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