Old Tyme Hockey Rail Tales

[Killion]

Some wonderful stories here.... www.freewebs.com/hockeyrailroader/hockeyrailtales.htm ..... various teams & individuals experiences traveling by train through the early & mid 20th century... most amusing.

Click to read more...

 

[sr edler]

Yeah, I've checked some on the Canadian Railway League before. Ottawa H/C and the Montreal Crystals appeared with players/teams (but under different team names I guess).

 

[Killion]

Yeah, I've checked some on the Canadian Railway League before. Ottawa H/C and the Montreal Crystals appeared with players/teams (but under different team names I guess).

"Railway League"?.... Wasnt aware of such a thing.... the blog linked dealing with anecdotal stories of travel by rail, mention of the first metal nets fabricated by rail shop employee's & so on.... was aware that Canadian Ntl Railways radio or "telegraph" the first to broadcast & transmit hockey games, fore-runners to CBC & HNIC.

 

[Canadiens1958]

"Railway League"?.... Wasnt aware of such a thing.... the blog linked dealing with anecdotal stories of travel by rail, mention of the first metal nets fabricated by rail shop employee's & so on.... was aware that Canadian Ntl Railways radio or "telegraph" the first to broadcast & transmit hockey games, fore-runners to CBC & HNIC.

CPR at least in Montreal via the CPRAAA used to offer extensive sport programs -hockey, soccer, individual sports, etc. Hockey included house leagues and an elite team that played in a local league just below the NHL level.

 

[sr edler]

"Railway League"?.... Wasnt aware of such a thing....

It's in your link, in the menu to the left.

 

[Killion]

Ah... Thanks guys.... thats seriously interesting stuff. Wasnt aware of those chapters in the history of sport, the game.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Ah... Thanks guys.... thats seriously interesting stuff. Wasnt aware of those chapters in the history of sport, the game.

The rosters for the league in Montreal - MRTAHL 1925-1932 are provided in the link. Good quality hockey. Easily 15 past and future NHLers. Inc Marty Barry.

 

[JMCx4]

Does anyone here know the sources and/or author of these materials? I couldn't find any citations or attributions in the web content.

 

[Killion]

The rosters for the league in Montreal - MRTAHL 1925-1932 are provided in the link. Good quality hockey. Easily 15 past and future NHLers. Inc Marty Barry.

Yeah I did bit more exploring there on that site... incredible.... Railway League yes... but then there was also the Telephone League... Northern Electric Team's & so on.... much of it Montreal-centric.... and absolutely was top tier hockey running from about 1902 through the 20's only breaking for the War. Played at the Montreal Forum, clearly a big deal & popular. Guys like Joe Malone involved in addition more than a dozen others as you mention....

One of my favorite stories being the player (name escapes me) who played in the NHL and off-season worked as a Stoker for CNR, shoveling coal into the fire box in the locomotive car that fueled the boiler.... and when he got hungry.... fry up a steak on his shovel.......... something he then carried over to his playing days as a Senior... doing the same on the pot bellied wood burning stoves that heated the shacks & pavilions adjacent to outdoor rinks back in the day used as dressing rooms, keep-warm rooms.... unreal. Guys having his pre-game meal IN the dressing room.... steak on a shovel.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Yeah I did bit more exploring there on that site... incredible.... Railway League yes... but then there was also the Telephone League... Northern Electric Team's & so on.... much of it Montreal-centric.... and absolutely was top tier hockey running from about 1902 through the 20's only breaking for the War. Played at the Montreal Forum, clearly a big deal & popular. Guys like Joe Malone involved in addition more than a dozen others as you mention....

One of my favorite stories being the player (name escapes me) who played in the NHL and off-season worked as a Stoker for CNR, shoveling coal into the fire box in the locomotive car that fueled the boiler.... and when he got hungry.... fry up a steak on his shovel.......... something he then carried over to his playing days as a Senior... doing the same on the pot bellied wood burning stoves that heated the shacks & pavilions adjacent to outdoor rinks back in the day used as dressing rooms, keep-warm rooms.... unreal. Guys having his pre-game meal IN the dressing room.... steak on a shovel.

Player who fried steaks was Harry Mummery. Used a clean shovel.

During WWI the players drifted to the MCHL, war restrictions, etc. Joe Matte was one the best players.

Joe Matte Stats | Hockey-Reference.com

League played out of the Jubilee Arena, right by the Angus Shops(south) easy access to both the CPR and CNR tracks.

Bit of a scandal about residency issues since teams would import players from Ottawa and Ontario for war effort employment.

 

[Killion]

Player who fried steaks was Harry Mummery. Used a clean shovel.

During WWI the players drifted to the MCHL, war restrictions, etc. Joe Matte was one the best players.

Joe Matte Stats | Hockey-Reference.com

League played out of the Jubilee Arena, right by the Angus Shops(south) easy access to both the CPR and CNR tracks.

Bit of a scandal about residency issues since teams would import players from Ottawa and Ontario for war effort employment.

... that was it, Harry Mummery.... hard name to forget but forget it I did..... thats an old Miners trick... using a shovel (of course clean C58... whatre ya thinkin? ) to fry up steaks, even to bake peasants pies, bread & so on over an open fire... goes way back... in the UK, Europe, roving itinerant agrarian workers, natural coal producers producing coal from wood for the iron & metallurgy sectors, for blacksmiths & farmers... whole crews of them, families living camp-camp doing same from the middle ages right through the Great Depression. Soldiers, Cowboys, Hobo's, Gypsies.... Multi-purpose tool the shovel.