Origins of Hockey - A Cornucopia from the 16th~19th Centuries in the US & Canada

[James Laverance]

Here's an early painting of a skating scene on Jamaica Pond West Roxbury Mass in 1859.
Notice that several skaters with hockey sticks and a ball.

Click to read more...

 

[Oscar Acosta]

Don't seem so much as sticks as much as some weird 1800s ice canes.

 

[Evileye]

I am curious, what is the purpose of this posting?
There are plenty of examples of stick and ball or 'hockey like' (could also be called golf like) activities on ice dating back into the 1700's (and earlier) so it wouldn't be much of a surprise if some of the people depicted in that painting were doing something similar.

 

[James Laverance]

Early Shinny at Harvard 1840's

I found references to shinny being played at harvard as far back as the 1840's.

It states He(George Broadhead) was on the original Knickerbocker practice club in 1845.

"He studied at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard, but left school after losing an
eye while playing shinny with his friend Benjamin F. Butler (later a Civil War
general, congressman, and the governor of Massachusetts).No doubt
this injury also accounted for his limited involvement with the Knickerbockers."

Base Ball Founders: The Clubs, Players and Cities of the Northeast ...
https://books.google.ca/books?isbn=1476603782

 

[James Laverance]

Early Shinny at Harvard 1840's

I found references to shinny being played at harvard as far back as the 1840's.

It states He(George Broadhead) was on the original Knickerbocker practice club in 1845.

"He studied at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard, but left school after losing an
eye while playing shinny with his friend Benjamin F. Butler (later a Civil War
general, congressman, and the governor of Massachusetts).No doubt
this injury also accounted for his limited involvement with the Knickerbockers."

Base Ball Founders: The Clubs, Players and Cities of the Northeast ...
https://books.google.ca/books?isbn=1476603782

 

[James Laverance]

Princeton Hawkey

Hi I've found more references to hockey being played at Princeton in 1786 when it was called Shinny Hawkey or Hurley.

"Princeton, however, was more fond of "shinny," known also as "hawkey" and
hurley," played with a hard ball and sticks having curved ends. The goals
consisted of North College and the fence on the south side of the "campus."

"The diary of 1786 contains several valuable allusions to College sports " hockey on Stony Brook in winter, shinny, quoits, ' ' baste ball, ' ' and *' prison baste " on the campus in the spring and summer.''

"In the winter when the weather was cold and the ice firm the student might tuck *his skates under his arm and set out for Stony Brook or the Millstone River.*If he were from the north and so at home on the ice, he often joined the other boys in a game played with a ball, *possibly hockey."
1786, Princeton Library.

The Deke Quarterly - Volume 51, Issue 2 - Page 73
https://books.google.ca/books?id=qlXnAAAAMAAJ
1933 - ‎Snippet view - ‎

p.206-7. Princeton - Forgotten Books
www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Princeton_1000697762/227


Princeton, 1746-1896 [by] Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker - Page 194
http://books.google.ca/books?id=JMEQAQAAMAAJ

 

[James Laverance]

Princeton Hawkey

Hi I've found more references to hockey being played at Princeton in 1786 when it was called Shinny Hawkey or Hurley.

"Princeton, however, was more fond of "shinny," known also as "hawkey" and
hurley," played with a hard ball and sticks having curved ends. The goals
consisted of North College and the fence on the south side of the "campus."

"The diary of 1786 contains several valuable allusions to College sports " hockey on Stony Brook in winter, shinny, quoits, ' ' baste ball, ' ' and *' prison baste " on the campus in the spring and summer.''

"In the winter when the weather was cold and the ice firm the student might tuck *his skates under his arm and set out for Stony Brook or the Millstone River.*If he were from the north and so at home on the ice, he often joined the other boys in a game played with a ball, *possibly hockey."
1786, Princeton Library.

The Deke Quarterly - Volume 51, Issue 2 - Page 73
https://books.google.ca/books?id=qlXnAAAAMAAJ
1933 - ‎Snippet view - ‎

p.206-7. Princeton - Forgotten Books
www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Princeton_1000697762/227


Princeton, 1746-1896 [by] Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker - Page 194
http://books.google.ca/books?id=JMEQAQAAMAAJ

 

[Killion]

... huh, very interesting laverance, thanks for the links....

 

[tony d]

Nice, thanks for sharing this. Always nice to read about the history of the game.

 

[James Laverance]

Hockey in Missouri 1848?

Did you know shinny was played in Missouri in 1848.

I was reading an old book called Sam Clemens of Hannibal and found this page.

"On Glasscock's Island(Hannibal, Missouri) across from the
mouth of Bear Creek, rechristened Jackson's Island''

"Robinson Crusoe, fiction has discovered no more blissful isle than
Jackson's, and in the 1840's — before the insatiable river devoured it — the
fantasy was true.Sometimes, as in the severe winter of 1848-49, the river froze solid, and with
shouts the boys skated from shore to shore or played "shinny" on the ice. "

Sam Clemens of Hannibal - Page 167
https://books.google.ca/books?id=e16kBDVp32EC
Dixon Wector - 1952 -

 

[James Laverance]

Hockey in Missouri 1848?

Did you know shinny was played in Missouri in 1848.

I was reading an old book called Sam Clemens of Hannibal and found this page.

"On Glasscock's Island(Hannibal, Missouri) across from the
mouth of Bear Creek, rechristened Jackson's Island''

"Robinson Crusoe, fiction has discovered no more blissful isle than
Jackson's, and in the 1840's — before the insatiable river devoured it — the
fantasy was true.Sometimes, as in the severe winter of 1848-49, the river froze solid, and with
shouts the boys skated from shore to shore or played "shinny" on the ice. "

Sam Clemens of Hannibal - Page 167
https://books.google.ca/books?id=e16kBDVp32EC
Dixon Wector - 1952 -

 

[James Laverance]

Shinny Being Played During The Civil War

Also found a reference to shinny being played during the Civil War in 1862.

"Along the central Mississippi River valley, only the rebel forts at New Madrid and
Island No. 10 continued to defy the Union juggernaut.''(page 24)

"Friday, February 7. Having no bed-fellow and but two blankets,
I was "frozen out" last night — a few minutes before midnight and spent the rest of
the night sitting by a fire.Today we had skirmish drill. In the afternoon, we had a good game of "shinny" on the ice."
January 31-Apr1l
16, 1862.

The Union Must Stand: The Civil War Diary of John Quincy ...
https://books.google.ca/books?isbn=1572330694

 

[James Laverance]

Shinny Being Played During The Civil War

Also found a reference to shinny being played during the Civil War in 1862.

"Along the central Mississippi River valley, only the rebel forts at New Madrid and
Island No. 10 continued to defy the Union juggernaut.''(page 24)

"Friday, February 7. Having no bed-fellow and but two blankets,
I was "frozen out" last night — a few minutes before midnight and spent the rest of
the night sitting by a fire.Today we had skirmish drill. In the afternoon, we had a good game of "shinny" on the ice."
January 31-Apr1l
16, 1862.

The Union Must Stand: The Civil War Diary of John Quincy ...
https://books.google.ca/books?isbn=1572330694

 

[cupcrazyman]

 

[James Laverance]

Also this print of shinny on ice from New York State in 1879!

 

[James Laverance]

Also this print of shinny on ice from New York State in 1879!

 

[Theokritos]

That's a detail from a 17th century painting from the Netherlands. Nothing to do with America. (Except for the coincidental fact that the extract posted here happens to be from a book published in New York. No problem finding similar extracts published in books on art history from Tangier to Tokyo.)

Also this print of shinny on ice from New York State in 1879!

It would be helpful if you could provide sources/references (like you did in your earlier posts).

 

[James Laverance]

That's a detail from a 17th century painting from the Netherlands. Nothing to do with America. (Except for the coincidental fact that the extract posted here happens to be from a book published in New York. No problem finding similar extracts published in books on art history from Tangier to Tokyo.)



It would be helpful if you could provide sources/references (like you did in your earlier posts).

so sorry here you go.

early boys playing ice hockey winter sports antique print 1879 - eBay
www.m.ebay.ie/itm/351314268293?nav=SEARCH

 

[James Laverance]

That's a detail from a 17th century painting from the Netherlands. Nothing to do with America. (Except for the coincidental fact that the extract posted here happens to be from a book published in New York. No problem finding similar extracts published in books on art history from Tangier to Tokyo.)



It would be helpful if you could provide sources/references (like you did in your earlier posts).

so sorry here you go.

early boys playing ice hockey winter sports antique print 1879 - eBay
www.m.ebay.ie/itm/351314268293?nav=SEARCH

 

[James Laverance]

Hi...
I Found these excerpts from The Old Sturbridge Village archives:

"Gliding along a pristine frozen lake on a clear brisk day is arguably one of the most delightful benefits of a New England winter. Prolific observer of New England life (and Yale College President) Timothy Dwight noted while traveling in New Hampshire in 1797 that "in the winter" boys and young men "are peculiarly fond of skating." William Davis recalled of his own boyhood in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the 1820s and '30s, that "with skating and its accompaniment hockey, the winter passed away ."

"One Virginian recorded in his diary in 1709, "slid on skates, notwithstanding there was a thaw," and "took a slide on the ice." In colonial New York, winter brought ice carnivals of racing on skates and hockey, with enterprising merchants selling liquor and sweets from temporary booths."

''Most skaters simply enjoyed gliding effortlessly along the ice with friends and sweethearts, racing, playing hockey, or "cracking the whip."
Explore & Learn | Old Sturbridge Village

Perhaps someone could clue me in as to these early games?

 

[James Laverance]

Hi...
I Found these excerpts from The Old Sturbridge Village archives:

"Gliding along a pristine frozen lake on a clear brisk day is arguably one of the most delightful benefits of a New England winter. Prolific observer of New England life (and Yale College President) Timothy Dwight noted while traveling in New Hampshire in 1797 that "in the winter" boys and young men "are peculiarly fond of skating." William Davis recalled of his own boyhood in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the 1820s and '30s, that "with skating and its accompaniment hockey, the winter passed away … ."

"One Virginian recorded in his diary in 1709, "lid on skates, notwithstanding there was a thaw," and "took a slide on the ice." In colonial New York, winter brought ice carnivals of racing on skates and hockey, with enterprising merchants selling liquor and sweets from temporary booths."

''Most skaters simply enjoyed gliding effortlessly along the ice with friends and sweethearts, racing, playing hockey, or "cracking the whip."
http://resources.osv.org/explore_learn/document_viewer.php?DocID=2083

Perhaps someone could clue me in as to these early games?

 

[Robert Gordon Orr]

Hi...
I Found these excerpts from The Old Sturbridge Village archives:

"Gliding along a pristine frozen lake on a clear brisk day is arguably one of the most delightful benefits of a New England winter. Prolific observer of New England life (and Yale College President) Timothy Dwight noted while traveling in New Hampshire in 1797 that "in the winter" boys and young men "are peculiarly fond of skating." William Davis recalled of his own boyhood in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the 1820s and '30s, that "with skating and its accompaniment hockey, the winter passed away … ."

"One Virginian recorded in his diary in 1709, "lid on skates, notwithstanding there was a thaw," and "took a slide on the ice." In colonial New York, winter brought ice carnivals of racing on skates and hockey, with enterprising merchants selling liquor and sweets from temporary booths."

''Most skaters simply enjoyed gliding effortlessly along the ice with friends and sweethearts, racing, playing hockey, or "cracking the whip."
http://resources.osv.org/explore_learn/document_viewer.php?DocID=2083

Perhaps someone could clue me in as to these early games?

Hockey researchers have found many more instances/evidence of people playing hockey, hurley, shinney, bandy or whatever they called it locally, on ice and with skates in the United States than in Canada. New England was a hotbed for many of these early activities. Davis (1822-1907) is one of several from Massachusetts who described playing various stick and ball games on ice with skates in the 1820s and 30s. (Plymouth memories of an octogenarian - 1906)

I have a copy of an original document from 1657 where it is described how Dutch settlers played Ijskolf in the fur-trading community of Beverwijck, north of Fort Orange on the Hudson River. Beverwijck was later renamed and developed as Albany, New York when the English took control of the colony a few years later. Now that was of course far from a hockey-like activity, more like golf on skates/without skates. But it shows us that early settlers brought their pastimes with them (nothing new of course), Dutch, British, French etc.

If you look at the various stick and ball activities on ice with skates, we find it in Princeton, NJ in the 1780s, Norfolk, VA before the 1810s, Louisville, KY in the 1820s, Philadelphia, PA in the 1820s and Washington DC (Georgetown) in the 1830s just to name a few places. There might be earlier instances, but these were just from the top of my head. I have hundreds of contemporary clips before 1875 from United States with stick and ball game activities on skates, and many are from the New England area.

If you continue to dig, trust me, you will be rewarded. I am eagerly waiting for something new to be found.

 

[James Laverance]

Woa!
I said Woa!

Thank you so much!

 

[James Laverance]

Woa!
I said Woa!

Thank you so much!

 

[Robert Gordon Orr]

Regarding Louisville that you asked about James.
As I told you, the passage was found in the May 1848 edition of The Signet and Mirror (St.Louis).

It said: "We remember the cold days we used to spend in skating and playing bandy on fine large ponds where now stands much of the city of Louisville."

When reading the rest of the text it becomes clear that the person is talking about things that happened approximately in the 1820s.