Indoor Ice-Hockey in Wooster, Ohio 1872

[James Laverance]

Well it seems as though organized Ice-Hockey was played in the Ohio earlier than I thought.

In the first article it mentions that Shinny was played on skates at the Wooster skating rink in 1872 and in the second they talk about how Wooster will be having a Skating rink for the following season of 1871-1872.

Date:Thursday, February 22, 1872
Location:Wooster, Ohio
Paper:Wooster Republican
Article Type:Newspaper Article

Date:Thursday, November 23, 1871
Location:Wooster, Ohio
Paper:Wooster Republican
Article Type:Newspaper Article

Click to read more...

 

[James Laverance]

Lacrosse on Skates in the Brooklyn Skating Rink 1871

Here's another reference to an indoor Hockey Game from 1871 in Brooklyn.

Date: Thursday, January 26, 1871
Location: New York, New York
Paper: New York Herald
Article Type: Newspaper Article

 

[James Laverance]

I found a couple more reference's to indoor Ice-Hockey in the New York area.

The first dated Thursday, March 10, 1870 out of the New York World newspaper

The second being from Monday, January 30, 1871 out of the New York Herald

 

[James Laverance]

It's interesting to see the similarities between Lacrosse and Polo rules (Shinny-Hockey)...

Polo at the Skating Rink
Date: Friday, April 23, 1880 Paper: Portland Daily Press (Portland, Maine)

 

[Canadiens1958]

Outstanding

Outstanding finds James.

Especially the 1855 Boston piece which brings to mind that in 1850 the municipal authorities in Quebec City banned the activity of hockey and related from city streets.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Interesting that the article states they "need not explain" how the game (hockey) is played, and goes on to imply that everyone reading would already know how it's played. It would seem that either the game was a lot more prevalent than given credit for, or the writer is attempting to mask his own ignorance on the subject.

 

[MeHateHe]

Interesting that the article states they "need not explain" how the game (hockey) is played, and goes on to imply that everyone reading would already know how it's played. It would seem that either the game was a lot more prevalent than given credit for, or the writer is attempting to mask his own ignorance on the subject.

Given that he ran down the various iterations of the game (shinny, bandy, etc.) as a way of explanation, it seems likely he was unable to describe it, either due to ignorance or (more likely) due to a lack of space in the column.

 

[James Laverance]

Indoor Lacrosse on Skates Results 1871 Brooklyn

I've managed to dig up this early clipping and results of Indoor Lacrosse played on Skates in Brooklyn from 1871 pre-dating the Montreal game by 4 years.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Brooklyn, New York Friday, January 27, 1871

 

[Canadiens1958]

Excellent

Excellent find. seems that by 1871 there were multiple teams and games, no schedule but challenges. Also early version of rink rats hanging around the rink, even in bad weather.

 

[James Laverance]

Another Earlier Result

This one's even earlier out of the Empire City Skating Rink from 1870.

New-York Tribune, 09 Mar 1870, Wed, Page 8

 

[Robert Gordon Orr]

This one's even earlier out of the Empire City Skating Rink from 1870.

New-York Tribune, 09 Mar 1870, Wed, Page 8

The New York area had a lot of early activities of Lacrosse on skates.
Montreal had it at the same time (1870-71), and in London (Ontario) it was played all the way back in the early 1850s.

 

[Killion]

The New York area had a lot of early activities of Lacrosse on skates.
Montreal had it at the same time (1870-71), and in London (Ontario) it was played all the way back in the early 1850s.

.... huh... learn something new everyday... . I had absolutely no idea they played lacrosse on skates back in the day but sure, makes sense, entirely natural extension to the game though definitely a novelty. Fad. Victorian version of Frisbee Football or whatever. Doesnt take anything away from it as it would have closely resembled hockey in many respects.

 

[James Laverance]

A more in depth recount of the second recorded indoor game on skates from the New York Times on March 11, 1870.

 

[James Laverance]

Originally dated: Monday, January 30, 1871 out of the New York Herald

The match didn't occur until February 4th, 1871 as shown below.

San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Feb 1871, Sun, Page 5