Pre NHL Challenge Cup years

[PEIslander]

The pre NHL days must have been amazing to see. Small rosters, hardly any pads and no salaries. Just groups of guys who were putting their all into winning the cup and being the national champions. With smaller cities like Glace Bay, Sydney, Victoria, Brandon, Kenora, Smith's Falls and Dawson City challenging over the years, it seems like any local team who thought they were good enough and were willing to travel to play the champions had a real chance of competing for the Stanley Cup. It must have been the thrill of a lifetime to have been on one of those teams. The guys on those teams must have been tough as nails in those days and the pride of their towns. Wish I could have seen them in action.

Click to read more...

 

[Killion]

...Wish I could have seen them in action.

Yes, as do I... According to a lot of Oldtimers long since past, one of the greatest players of the early years was Tommy "Nibs" Phillips of Kenora. He attended McGill University and played for their team as well as the Montreal AAA's, signing with them in 1902 before then moving on to Toronto where he was carrying on with his education, signing with the Marlborough Athletic Club as it was then called, winning the OHA Sr Cup in 1904. Returning to Kenora in 1905, playing for & Captaining the Thistles who in 1905 & 1907 Challenged for the Stanley Cup, losing to Ottawa the first time, but beating the Montreal Wanderers the second time, Phillips absolutely outstanding. Two months later however, Montreal in a re-match reclaimed the Cup in a return Challenge. Thereafter, 1907-08 he moved on to Ottawa playing for the Senators, playing in 4 more Stanley Cup Challenges, but only that one winner with his hometown Thistles. He'd played Centre but was converted to RW in Ottawa, scoring 26G's over 10G's one season. A smart & savvy player, a sort of early version of a Dave Keon, Henri Richard, Doug Gilmour, Phillips had speed to burn, excellent stickhandler & noted particularly for his 2 way play & backchecking.... oh, and welcome to hf Boards DawsonCity, have fun!.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Would be cool to see for sure. I know video cameras weren't mainstream by any means, but they did exist. Wonder if there is some old footage of a game being played 100 years ago out there somewhere.

You're incorrect about the "no salaries" part though. Those guys were getting paid handsome sums of money by the turn of the 19th century. The appropriately named Renfrew Millionaires paying outrageous sums to mercenaries like Cyclone Taylor in an ill-fated attempt at buying the Stanley Cup back in about 1910.

Not sure about how much money was in it for the guys on some of those small town challenge teams though. I think for the most part the money was in Ottawa and Montreal with the famous clubs like the Wanderers and Senators. South of the border as well; the first openly professional hockey league was in the United States, believe it or not.

 

[mbhhofr]

Here's a history of the Rat Portage Thistles now known as the Kenora Thistles. You can also read the profiles of the players. One story about them winning the Stanley Cup, that I heard many years ago, was that one of the players on the team kicked the Cup into a water filled ditch.

http://hobokin.net/history.html

 

[Killion]

Here's a history of the Rat Portage Thistles now known as the Kenora Thistles. http://hobokin.net/history.html

What a fascinating read, thanks for the link mbh. Looks like its still a work in progress, coming to an abrupt halt in 1905 & the first Ottawa Challenge. The story that follows as equally edifying and entertaining.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Yes, as do I... According to a lot of Oldtimers long since past, one of the greatest players of the early years was Tommy "Nibs" Phillips of Kenora. He attended McGill University and played for their team as well as the Montreal AAA's, signing with them in 1902 before then moving on to Toronto where he was carrying on with his education, signing with the Marlborough Athletic Club as it was then called, winning the OHA Sr Cup in 1904. Returning to Kenora in 1905, playing for & Captaining the Thistles who in 1905 & 1907 Challenged for the Stanley Cup, losing to Ottawa the first time, but beating the Montreal Wanderers the second time, Phillips absolutely outstanding. Two months later however, Montreal in a re-match reclaimed the Cup in a return Challenge. Thereafter, 1907-08 he moved on to Ottawa playing for the Senators, playing in 4 more Stanley Cup Challenges, but only that one winner with his hometown Thistles. He'd played Centre but was converted to RW in Ottawa, scoring 26G's over 10G's one season. A smart & savvy player, a sort of early version of a Dave Keon, Henri Richard, Doug Gilmour, Phillips had speed to burn, excellent stickhandler & noted particularly for his 2 way play & backchecking.... oh, and welcome to hf Boards DawsonCity, have fun!.

Thanks for the eyewitness account Killion.

 

[mbhhofr]

I have to correct myself. It wasn't a member of the Thistles that kicked the Stanley Cup into a ditch.

The January 1905 challenge is likely the most famous between Ottawa and the Dawson City Nuggets, in which Frank McGee scored a still-record 14 times in a 23-2 romp, the highest scoring Stanley Cup game ever. The Dawson City team had travelled for twenty four days to reach Ottawa. The Stanley Cup was famously drop-kicked by Harvey Pulford into the Rideau Canal, after a banquet following the game at the Ottawa Amateur Athletic Club which was located nearby at Laurier and Elgin.

 

[Killion]

Thanks for the eyewitness account Killion.

Your quite welcome... and oh ya, forgot; after Kenora had won and then lost the Stanley Cup back to the Montreal Wanderers, the Wanderers trooped on down to a photographers studio to get their pictures taken, forgetting the cup when they leave. The photographers Mom decided if the team didnt care enough about the thing, it would make for a decent flower pot, so she fills it with dirt, plants petunias. Two months later, one of the Brainiac executives with the Wanderers starts wondering where the Cups at, goes & reclaims it.

The Stanley Cup was famously drop-kicked by Harvey Pulford into the Rideau Canal, after a banquet following the game at the Ottawa Amateur Athletic Club which was located nearby at Laurier and Elgin.

Thats right, and it wasnt retrieved until the next day. Spent the night in the drink....
and yes, I was eye witness to that sorry episode as well Papa Joe. mbhh as well apparently.