History of Amateur Hockey in Ontario

67Leafs67

Registered User
Nov 8, 2014
773
630
I've grown quite curious about the history of amateur hockey in Ontario. Obviously the OHA would be at the centre of all of this, but I'd really like to get a clear picture of the different amateur leagues, levels, and teams operating in Ontario over the last 120 years or so.

So, in 1890 it would appear that the OHA was founded with the purpose of governing amateur hockey in the province of Ontario. As far as I can tell it began with a single senior league, consisting of teams in Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, and London, and competed for the Cosby Cup, until 1899. From 1893 until 1908 it seems that OHA senior teams could also challenge for the Stanley Cup, which they did. After 1908, the Allan Cup was introduced, and since then senior teams have competed for this prize.

However, beyond senior hockey, the picture is a little more foggy to me. It seems in 1892 that junior hockey was introduced. In 1933, it seems that there was a split made between Jr. A and Jr. B leagues and teams. Eventually it seems Jr. C, and even at one point Jr. D teams were present...?

Then there is the interesting category of "intermediate". What was this category? Who was allowed to play in it? Was it a junior level, U20 kind of league, or was it just a lower level senior league? Why does it seem that it suddenly ended around 1933-34?

Is there anybody who can give a good history of the development of amateur hockey in the province of Ontario? Even beyond the OHA, what other non-OHA leagues have sprung up? What about independent teams, what would that look like - who would they have played against? I'm interested if anybody has a better insight than what is easily accessible on the internet about the landscape of amateur hockey in Ontario.
 

sr edler

gold is not reality
Mar 20, 2010
11,845
6,290
Researching 1890s OHA is quite a headache because, as C58 said, intermediate hockey was a blended level and teams/players jumped up and down.

I think there’s some stuff available through Kevin Slater though.
 
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Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
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Researching 1890s OHA is quite a headache because, as C58 said, intermediate hockey was a blended level and teams/players jumped up and down.

I think there’s some stuff available through Kevin Slater though.

Indeed so, yes. Fascinating topic requiring no small amount of research in tracing the various leagues. You even had Barnstormers, Commercial & Industrial Legaues, Junior A-D, Metro Junior A & B, Major Junior, Provincial, Intermediate AA, A, B - Senior AAA, AA, A, B, C.... on & on & on.
 

BadgerBruce

Registered User
Aug 8, 2013
1,552
2,174
I've grown quite curious about the history of amateur hockey in Ontario. Obviously the OHA would be at the centre of all of this, but I'd really like to get a clear picture of the different amateur leagues, levels, and teams operating in Ontario over the last 120 years or so.

So, in 1890 it would appear that the OHA was founded with the purpose of governing amateur hockey in the province of Ontario. As far as I can tell it began with a single senior league, consisting of teams in Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, and London, and competed for the Cosby Cup, until 1899. From 1893 until 1908 it seems that OHA senior teams could also challenge for the Stanley Cup, which they did. After 1908, the Allan Cup was introduced, and since then senior teams have competed for this prize.

However, beyond senior hockey, the picture is a little more foggy to me. It seems in 1892 that junior hockey was introduced. In 1933, it seems that there was a split made between Jr. A and Jr. B leagues and teams. Eventually it seems Jr. C, and even at one point Jr. D teams were present...?

Then there is the interesting category of "intermediate". What was this category? Who was allowed to play in it? Was it a junior level, U20 kind of league, or was it just a lower level senior league? Why does it seem that it suddenly ended around 1933-34?

Is there anybody who can give a good history of the development of amateur hockey in the province of Ontario? Even beyond the OHA, what other non-OHA leagues have sprung up? What about independent teams, what would that look like - who would they have played against? I'm interested if anybody has a better insight than what is easily accessible on the internet about the landscape of amateur hockey in Ontario.

One of the better places to start is Alan Metcalfe’s scholarly work entitled “Power: A Case Study of the Ontario Hockey Association, 1890-1936. If you google the title you’ll find the article is available online in .pdf format. Also, don’t overlook the source material listed in the fairly extensive footnotes.

Also, take a look at John Wong’s
“Inter organizational Power: A Case Study of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association's Involvement in the 1936 Winter Olympics, “ which is a fine follow-up to Metcalfe’s work. Also available online.

While it is often bone dry, Stephen Harper’s “The Rise of Professional Hockey in Toronto” is thorough and balanced. The bibliography could keep you busy for years.

Oh, and Bruce Kidd also wrote some detailed scholarship on the rise of organized sport in Canada.

Hope this helps a bit.
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,211
One of the better places to start is Alan Metcalfe’s scholarly work entitled “Power: A Case Study of the Ontario Hockey Association, 1890-1936. If you google the title you’ll find the article is available online in .pdf format. Also, don’t overlook the source material listed in the fairly extensive footnotes.

Also, take a look at John Wong’s
“Inter organizational Power: A Case Study of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association's Involvement in the 1936 Winter Olympics, “ which is a fine follow-up to Metcalfe’s work. Also available online.

While it is often bone dry, Stephen Harper’s “The Rise of Professional Hockey in Toronto” is thorough and balanced. The bibliography could keep you busy for years.

Oh, and Bruce Kidd also wrote some detailed scholarship on the rise of organized sport in Canada.

Hope this helps a bit.

Very interesting Badger. You know of sources, of what you speak & absolutely, those would be the correct road maps.... Now, Son, are you just being lazy? Can ye' nay give the op the Reader Digest?... You of course realize he'll hefta look all this up, wade through ebay etc, on-line insanity... library, micro-fiche.... honestly can you not spare the grief in a few paras' or is it a moral issue with you?
 

BadgerBruce

Registered User
Aug 8, 2013
1,552
2,174
Very interesting Badger. You know of sources, of what you speak & absolutely, those would be the correct road maps.... Now, Son, are you just being lazy? Can ye' nay give the op the Reader Digest?... You of course realize he'll hefta look all this up, wade through ebay etc, on-line insanity... library, micro-fiche.... honestly can you not spare the grief in a few paras' or is it a moral issue with you?

It’s a health issue — I’m not well these last few days and just poking my nose here to pass some time and keep my mind occupied. But I flat out don’t have the energy to provide a history of the growth and development of amateur hockey in Ontario from 1890 onwards. Maybe in a few days or so.
 
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Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,211
It’s a health issue — I’m not well these last few days and just poking my nose here to pass some time and keep my mind occupied. But I flat out don’t have the energy to provide a history of the growth and development of amateur hockey in Ontario from 1890 onwards. Maybe in a few days or so.

... :laugh: oh my... just ribbin ya.... but... my sympathies Badger... had no idea... why would I...hope your feeling better soon.
 
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NorthStar

Registered User
Dec 24, 2004
338
33
Winnipeg, MB
I gotta say this.. I am trying to piece together the history and stats of the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) but I was told by someone that there is a stat book that shows the OHL and the years back toward the early times of the OHA (later that was OMJHL and then OHL afterways).. I need some solid proof of the current OHL teams that have been in the league while in the OHA but I cannot find anything other than the Wiki stuff.. for example I need stats on the Erie Otters who started out as the original Windsor Spitfires 1.0 then Hamilton Tiger Cubs/Red Wings/Fincups then Brantford Alexanders and then back to Hamilton as the Steelhawks then onto Niagara Falls as the Thunder before playing in Erie currently.. the Otters history stretch back to 1946-47 I think and need to confirm the W-L-T in regular season as well as the playoffs.. same for other teams in the OHL ... that project is the only one I have not completed at all as I have done the WHL and QMJHL (both Word and Excel databases)... would love to get my hands on some good solid info...
 

BadgerBruce

Registered User
Aug 8, 2013
1,552
2,174
I gotta say this.. I am trying to piece together the history and stats of the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) but I was told by someone that there is a stat book that shows the OHL and the years back toward the early times of the OHA (later that was OMJHL and then OHL afterways).. I need some solid proof of the current OHL teams that have been in the league while in the OHA but I cannot find anything other than the Wiki stuff.. for example I need stats on the Erie Otters who started out as the original Windsor Spitfires 1.0 then Hamilton Tiger Cubs/Red Wings/Fincups then Brantford Alexanders and then back to Hamilton as the Steelhawks then onto Niagara Falls as the Thunder before playing in Erie currently.. the Otters history stretch back to 1946-47 I think and need to confirm the W-L-T in regular season as well as the playoffs.. same for other teams in the OHL ... that project is the only one I have not completed at all as I have done the WHL and QMJHL (both Word and Excel databases)... would love to get my hands on some good solid info...

I can’t vouch for the book, but Scott Young wrote “100 Years of Dropping the Puck: A History of the OHA,” published in 1989. I’ve not read it but there’s a chance it will contain at least some leads for you.

Edit: I just did an online search and found a copy for $12 in Ontario (Kijiji). 365 pages. I’ve contacted the seller to see if I can acquire it.
 
Last edited:
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kruezer

Registered User
Apr 21, 2002
6,718
274
North Bay
One of the better places to start is Alan Metcalfe’s scholarly work entitled “Power: A Case Study of the Ontario Hockey Association, 1890-1936. If you google the title you’ll find the article is available online in .pdf format. Also, don’t overlook the source material listed in the fairly extensive footnotes.

Also, take a look at John Wong’s
“Inter organizational Power: A Case Study of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association's Involvement in the 1936 Winter Olympics, “ which is a fine follow-up to Metcalfe’s work. Also available online.

While it is often bone dry, Stephen Harper’s “The Rise of Professional Hockey in Toronto” is thorough and balanced. The bibliography could keep you busy for years.

Oh, and Bruce Kidd also wrote some detailed scholarship on the rise of organized sport in Canada.

Hope this helps a bit.

I've finally got around to reading Harper's book and its dry no doubt, but you're right its very thorough and its fascinating, I'm only about a 1/3rd of the way thru but the relationship between the paper's and the leadership of the OHA really opened my eyes about how to view some of the older newspaper accounts on a deeper level than simply 'home team bias'. It got me to dig into the Marlboroughs challenge to the Silver Seven in 1904, very enlightening.
 

BadgerBruce

Registered User
Aug 8, 2013
1,552
2,174
I've finally got around to reading Harper's book and its dry no doubt, but you're right its very thorough and its fascinating, I'm only about a 1/3rd of the way thru but the relationship between the paper's and the leadership of the OHA really opened my eyes about how to view some of the older newspaper accounts on a deeper level than simply 'home team bias'. It got me to dig into the Marlboroughs challenge to the Silver Seven in 1904, very enlightening.

Good observation — the number of “newspaper men” involved with the OHA is mind boggling, a virtual “Who’s Who” of turn of the century Toronto area press.
 

sr edler

gold is not reality
Mar 20, 2010
11,845
6,290
I've grown quite curious about the history of amateur hockey in Ontario. Obviously the OHA would be at the centre of all of this, but I'd really like to get a clear picture of the different amateur leagues, levels, and teams operating in Ontario over the last 120 years or so.

So, in 1890 it would appear that the OHA was founded with the purpose of governing amateur hockey in the province of Ontario. As far as I can tell it began with a single senior league, consisting of teams in Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, and London, and competed for the Cosby Cup, until 1899. From 1893 until 1908 it seems that OHA senior teams could also challenge for the Stanley Cup, which they did. After 1908, the Allan Cup was introduced, and since then senior teams have competed for this prize.

However, beyond senior hockey, the picture is a little more foggy to me. It seems in 1892 that junior hockey was introduced. In 1933, it seems that there was a split made between Jr. A and Jr. B leagues and teams. Eventually it seems Jr. C, and even at one point Jr. D teams were present...?

Then there is the interesting category of "intermediate". What was this category? Who was allowed to play in it? Was it a junior level, U20 kind of league, or was it just a lower level senior league? Why does it seem that it suddenly ended around 1933-34?

Is there anybody who can give a good history of the development of amateur hockey in the province of Ontario? Even beyond the OHA, what other non-OHA leagues have sprung up? What about independent teams, what would that look like - who would they have played against? I'm interested if anybody has a better insight than what is easily accessible on the internet about the landscape of amateur hockey in Ontario.

Here's some early stuff.

cihm_11520

ontariohockeyass00onta
 

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