The Origins and Development of the International
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THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE SPORT OF PROFESSIONAL ICE HOCKEY IN NORTH AMERICA by DANIEL SCOTT MASON B.P.E., The University of British Columbia, 1992 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES School of Human Kinetics We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA August 1994 © Daniel Scott Mason, 1994 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. (Signature) Department of or’ i4tJM4J kifl cç The University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada Date 9/,79y DE-6 (2/88) ABSTRACT This study examined the development of the first professional ice hockey league, the International Hockey League, and its relationships with amateur and professional leagues and ideals, in both Canada and the United States, during the first decade of the twentieth century. Following the historical method, relying primarily on newspapers reports from the towns involved with the League during that period, a chronological-thematic narrative was written to analyze the following hypotheses: a) the League played an important role in the development of professional hockey in Canada, b) the League and its members reflected and affected attitudes toward professional hockey in Canada and the U.S., c) the operations and play levels of the League were the direct result of several influential individuals and events. The study was arranged into three distinct parts: an examination of background conditions existing in eastern Canada and ice hockey prior to the formation of the l.H.L.; a descriptive narrative of the l.H.L.s towns, operations and influential individuals; and an interpretation of selected issues. The study revealed that the formation and operations of the l.H.L. provided a significant influence on the trend toward the acceptance of professionalism in the Canadian senior hockey leagues. It was also determined that the factors associated with that acceptance led to the demise of the l.H.L. .TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii TABLE OF CONTENTS iii LIST OF PLATES ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS x GLOSSARY xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xiv Chapter I. INTRODUCTION 1 Review of Relevant Literature 4 Statement of the Problem 6 Justification for the Study 7 Delimitations 8 Limitations 8 Hypotheses 9 Sources of Information 9 Definition of Terms 10 Methodology 10 II. BACKGROUND CONDITIONS RELATED TO THE STUDY Eastern Canada and Sport During the Late Nineteenth Century 1 2 The Emergence of Amateurism and Professionalism in Canadian Sport... 16 The Origins and Development of Ice Hockey 22 Rules 25 Equipment 28 Facilities 33 The Regulation and Formation of Associations 34 Amateurism and Professionalism in Ice Hockey 38 III Chapter Ill. THE INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE A. Early Ice Hockey in the United States 41 Michigan 43 Houghton, Houghton County, Michigan 44 B. The Portage Lakes Hockey Club Early Team Success 48 The Amphidrome 50 The Organization and Success of the First Professional Hockey Team: The Portage Lakes Hockey club of 1 903-04 54 C. The Formation of the International Hockey League 62 D. International Hockey League Innovations and Rule Changes: 1904-1907 65 E. The Organization and Success of the International Hockey League Teams: 1904-1907 70 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan (Michigan Soo) 71 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (Canadian Soo) 76 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 86 Calumet, Michigan 91 Houghton, Michigan (The Portage Lakes Hockey Club) 98 F. Potential League Expansions: 1904-1 907 106 G. The Conclusion of I.H.L. Operations 111 H. The Influence of Selected Individuals 118 Administrators 119 James R. Dee 1 20 Edwin S. “Chaucer” Elliott 121 Dr. John L. “Doc” Gibson 124 John T. McNamara 1 27 Important Players 128 iv Chapter . Roy Brown 129 Lorne Campbell 130 James Henry “Jimmy” Gardner 132 Joe Hall 132 “Riley” Hem 135 “Chief” Jones 136 Edouard “Newsy” Lalonde 137 Jean Baptiste uJack Laviolette 140 Ken Mallen 141 Didier Pitre 142 Bruce Stuart 146 William Hodgson “Hod” Stuart 147 Fred Taylor 1 51 William “Lady Bill” Taylor 1 54 Jack Ward 155 Jack Winchester 156 IV. AN ANALYSIS OF THE INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE A. Impact on Host Towns 157 Spectators 1 58 Business and Commerce 1 61 Participation in Ice Hockey 1 63 B. League Competition 1 64 The Advantages of Pittsburgh 165 Managerial Rivalries 1 66 Team Rivalries and Competition 1 69 C. Exhibition Games 171 V Chapter Canadian Exhibition Games 1 72 Stanley Cup Challenges 175 0. Referees 1 76 Administrative Problems 177 Referee Incompetence 1 84 E. Inappropriate Behavior 187 Administrative Behavior 1 87 Player Behavior 190 Newspaper Reporting 193 F. Violence in the International Hockey League 1 95 Hockey and Manly” Sports 196 Acts of Brutality During l.H.L. Games 1 98 Bad” Joe Hall 204 Spectator Violence 207 A Comparison of l.H.L. and Canadian Hockey League Violence 208 G. Finances 211 Attendance 211 Profits 21 4 Competition for Spectators 217 Socio-economic Trends 218 Player Salaries 220 V. INTER-LEAGUE RIVALRY AND TRENDS IN PROFESSIONALISM IN ICE HOCKEY A. Inter-league Rivalries and Influences 224 The Western Pennsylvania Hockey League 224 The Ontario Hockey Association 227 The Attempts of the O.H.A. to Discipline Professionals 229 vi Chapter Attempts to Thwart Professional Clubs 234 The War Against the l.H.L. and Professionalism 240 Maintaining the Power of the Association 245 The Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association 246 B. Changes in Professionalism in Hockey in Canada 250 Commercialism in Spectator Sport and Perceived American Influences 250 Amateur Hockey Organizations and Hidden Professionalism 254 Amateurism in Senior Canadian Hockey 256 C. Professionalism During the I.H.L.s Operating Years 257 Hypocrisy in Canadian Amateur Hockey 258 Resistance to Professionalism 260 Anticipation of Professional Hockey 262 D. Professional Ice Hockey in Canada 264 E. The International Hockey League and Canadian Professional Hockey.267 The Influence of American Ideals on Ice Hockey 267 Reactions of Canadian Teams and Associations to I.H.L. Success.. .272 Anti-professional Policy in Canadian Associations 274 Professional Hockey in Canada and the Disbanding of the l.H.L 275 VI. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary 278 Conclusions 281 Recommendations 284 Recommendations for Further Study 284 Final Recommendations 285 BIBLIOGRAPHY 286 APPENDICES 291 vi’ A. The Rules of Hockey - As Written by Arthur Farrell, Shamrock Hockey Club, 1899 292 B. The Portage Lakes Hockey Club - Player, Team, and Referee Records, 1903-04 294 C. International Hockey League Rules - 1904-05 298 D. Rules Governing Play in the International Hockey League - 1 904-05 299 E. International Hockey League Officers, 1 904-1 907 301 F. International Hockey league Team Uniforms 303 G. International Hockey League All-Star Teams, 1904-1 907 304 H. International Hockey League Team Records, 1 904-1 907 307 I. International Hockey League Player and Team Records, 1904-05 308 J. International Hockey League Player and Team Records, 1905-06 313 K. International Hockey League Player and Team Records, 1906-07 31 8 L. International Hockey League Scoring Leaders By Year 323 M. International Hockey League Referees 324 N. Complete International Hockey League Player Records 1904-1 907 325 0. International Hockey League Career Leaders 331 P. “Hockey By Si Plunkins” 332 Q. Recorded Attendance at I.H.L. Games 335 VIII LIST OF PLATES Plate I. Skate Advertisement - 1900 29 II. Hockey Equipment Advertisement, 1900 31 Ill. Dr. John L. “Doc” Gibson 47 IV. The Amphidrome Rink, Houghton, Michigan 51 V. The Portage Lakes Hockey Club, Team Photo - 1903-04 57 VI. The Portage Lakes Hockey Club and Montreal Wanderers - Series Advertisement, 1904 60 VII. Fire Insurance Map of the Ridge Street Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 73 VIII. Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 87 IX. Fire Insurance Map of The Palestra, Calumet, Michigan 93 X. The Calumet Hockey Club - I.H.L. Champions, 1904-05 96 XI. a) Edwin “Chaucer Elliott b) James R. Dee 122 XII. Joe Hall 134 XII. a) Edouard “Newsy” Lalonde b) “Jack” Laviolette 139 XIII. a) Didier Pitre b) Bruce Stuart 145 XIV. a) “Hod” Stuart b) Fred Taylor 152 XV. John Ross Robertson, O.H.A. President, 1899-1905 230 ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS A.A.A.C. Amateur Athletic Association of Canada A.A.I-l.L. American Amateur Hockey League A.H.A.C. Amateur Hockey Association of Canada C.A.A.U. Canadian Amateur Athletic Union C.A.H.L. Canadian Amateur Hockey League E.C.A.H.A. Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association E.C.H.A. Eastern Canada Hockey Association F.A.H.L. Federal Amateur Hockey League l.H.L. International Hockey League M.H.L. Manitoba Hockey League N.H.A. National Hockey Association N.H.L. National Hockey League O.H.A. Ontario Hockey Association O.P.H.L. Ontario Professional Hockey League P.C.H.A. Pacific Coast Hockey Association W.C.H.L. Western Canada Hockey League WP.H.L. Western Pennsylvania Hockey League x GLOSSARY HOCKEY AND SPORT-RELATED TERMS All-star. All-stars were those players who were determined to be exceptionally talented. All- star teams were usually determined following the conclusion of a specific hockey season, where athletes at each playing position were recognized from a specific league.