Timiskaming Professional League

[WhiteTiger]

Hi, does anyone have champions, results, and standings from the Timiskaming Professional League in the 1906, 1907, and 1911 seasons?

I have the winners and tables from 1908 and 1909, but nothing from the other years.

Hope someone can help. Thanks.

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[sr edler]

This league, the TPHL, is a whole nut to crack even for the nerdiest of nerds.

The reason is, I heard, that some local newspapers disappeared in a fire.

I don't even know if 1910–11 was a season, so to speak, because both Cobalt and Haileybury joined the NHA for the 1910 campaign. But it's possible they teamed off for a meeting or two, yeah?

So the seasons should be 1906–07, 1907–08, 1908–09 & 1909–10.

If you find some old papers this league is a potential goldmine for exquisite research.

Then post your excavations here.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Témiscamingue/Témiscaming

Brief outline here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timiskaming_Professional_Hockey_League

Might advance things somewhat by also using the two acceptable French spellings for Timiscaming:

Témiscamingue or Témiscaming.

 

[James Laverance]

TPHL Arena's

I know of the arena's for this one...

1.Colbalt Sports Palace Arena
2.Haileybury Arena
3.New Liskeard Skating Rink
4.Latchford Pro's used all three above rinks to play their games

Also the Cobalt and Haileybury teams joined the NHA for the 1909-10 season then returned for the TPHL in 1910-11.

 

[sr edler]

Latchford Pro's used all three above rinks played as away games

This team was mainly made out of Renfrew players such as Nelson Kimpton, Larry Gilmour, Bert Lindsay, Haddo Black, Bobby Rowe and Steve Vair.


Could there not be some papers left from surrounding cities or areas?

 

[James Laverance]

This team was mainly made out of Renfrew players such as Nelson Kimpton, Larry Gilmour, Bert Lindsay, Haddo Black, Bobby Rowe and Steve Vair.

Wow! you really know your stuff thank you.Apparently Bert Lindsay was a goaltender and father of the great Ted Lindsay.

 

[Iain Fyffe]

The SIHR database has some dribs and drabs of information on the missing seasons, some of the players who played in the league, as well as some scattered stats, at least for 06/07. This suggests that someone may have the stats for that season, and just hasn't inputted them yet.

For example it looks like Colbat went 4-0-0 in 06/07, and included Newsy Lalonde, George McNamara, Didier Pitre, Bruce Ridpath, Chief Jones and Hugh Lehman on its roster at various times.

 

[James Laverance]

Thanks Iain for this information I do appreciate it.As you know Hugh Lehman was the goalkeeper for the Vancouver Millionaires winning the cup in 1915.Thanks again

 

[Sanf]

As some of you know Chief Jones is one of my favourite players from that era and I have done bit research about him. I know that he was put in charge to build the Cobalt team for 1911 TPHL season. I have only few tidbits about the season. I don´t know when the season ended because there is mixed info about it. These are mostly "side material" from Chief Jones research.

Board elected in meeting in early January.Three teams were joining to league.

Honorary Presidents
Mr. R.T. Shillington, T.W. Haynes, C.A. Richardson

President Chief Jones
Vice-President W.C. Nicholson
Secretary-Treasurer W.A. Taylor

Commitee
A.Throop Haileybury
Harry Smith Cobalt
Chas. Clarke New Liskeard

Cobalt and New Liskeard played in Jan 6.

The Winnipeg Tribune, 1911 Jan 10.

Cobalt. Jan 9. - Professional and semi-professional hockey in Cobalt is dead and will not be resurrected this winter. The Cobalt team was badly defeated last week by both Haileybury and New Liskeard and will disband. Delay of signing good players is given as the reason for the club´s collapse, while those who backed the club last year refused to put up the cash this season.

But then Vancouver Daily World (Jan 26, 1911) writes about Harry Smith (Cobalt) scoring six goals against New Liskeard in 9-5 win. So I don´t know if the Winnipeg Tribune was right about Cobalt folding...

Edit2. Also Chief Jones and Harry Smith was said to jumped their contract in January 19. to play in Waterloo.

edit. Great to see that someone is intrested about the old leagues

 

[Iain Fyffe]

If you're into Chief Jones, here's something you might not know, since I've never seen it reported anywhere but I came across it when researching early Minnesota hockey.

Chief Jones played senior hockey in St. Paul in 1901 for the St. Paul Saints, which played (and lost) a series against the Minneapolis Millers team. The following season, in 1902, the Portage Lakers were touring the US, and played a match against the St. Paul Virginias, who had Jones in goal. The Lakers only managed two goals in a 2-0 win, and Jones was singled out for his exceptional play.

The following season, he was the goaltender for the Portage Lakers, presumably as a result of his play against them the previous season.

 

[Sanf]

If you're into Chief Jones, here's something you might not know, since I've never seen it reported anywhere but I came across it when researching early Minnesota hockey.

Chief Jones played senior hockey in St. Paul in 1901 for the St. Paul Saints, which played (and lost) a series against the Minneapolis Millers team. The following season, in 1902, the Portage Lakers were touring the US, and played a match against the St. Paul Virginias, who had Jones in goal. The Lakers only managed two goals in a 2-0 win, and Jones was singled out for his exceptional play.

The following season, he was the goaltender for the Portage Lakers, presumably as a result of his play against them the previous season.

I have seen brief mentionings about his St. Paul time, but never done any research of his time in there. I kind of remember that some source mistakenly thought he was American because he played in Minnesota. I believe that before that he was in Port Arthur. And yes he had a quite a reputation in there. "He could stop a bullet in a fog". Was one of the most wanted goalies in the business in his time. Ended up as coach to Detroit after his career.

I love these "mercenary" goalies of the time. Many of them had interesting careers.

The Pittsburgh Press Mar 15, 1903

Jones, goal, formerly of the Port Arthur and St. Paul teams, is without exception the best goal keeper playing in the game. A shot to get by him must be of lightning speed and at very close quarters. Jones style of playing is the reason of his success. He seldom waits for the puck but goes out to meet it.

March 30, 1903 Winnipeg Tribune

J.H Jones of Port Arthur, gold miner is one of the best men playing in the position and it hass been apply said of him that he could stop a bullet in a fog.

January 14, 1904

The bright individual star of the two teams was Chief Jones in goal, and even the most enthusiastic Portage Lake supporter admitd that while Riley Hern is great there are none the peers of Chief Jones.

Detroit Free Press - Dec 10, 1914

HOCKEY FAN, this is to introduce "Chief" Joseph Jones, coach of the new Detroit Hockey club, and one of the greatest goaltends who ever guarded a cage.

 

[Iain Fyffe]

Yes I've definitely seen articles saying that he was American. But the SIHR database says he was born in Kenora, and he did play in Port Arthur as you say.

 

[sr edler]

Herb Clarke who played for the Cobalt Silver Kings in both the TPHL and the NHA, and who is also listed as a member with New Liskeard in the TPHL in the SIHR database, for the 1907–08 season, although without stats, is an interesting player. Scored tons of goals, per ratio, in a very short career. Quit hockey at 23 years old after a single season in the NHA in 1910.

When I did some research on another league I came across this player when he was a member of the University of Toronto team. I don't have the exact quotes here at my hands for the moment, although they are available online in New York papers, but Herb Clarke was described as a fantastic skater.

Herb Clarke had two older brothers who also played hockey, Charlie and Hal Clarke. Both of them actually played hockey in New York with the winged footed New York Athletic Club, although not at the same time. Charlie Clark was a big forward with a hard shot and Hal "Doc" Clarke was a cover point defence–forward hybrid type of player.

Their father was Dr. Charles Kirk Clarke, a psychiatrist who was influential in Canadian politics regarding eugenics. At first he was a supporter of eugenics and thought it was a good idea to limit immigration and marriages between the "mentally defective". By 1905 though he had abandoned the movement.

But yeah, Herb Clarke apparently co-led the 1909 TPHL in scoring, with notorious goal getter Harry Smith, with 27 goals in 8 games. Next best scorer, Chad Toms, had 15 goals.

The next season he was sixth in scoring in the NHA with 20 goals in 11 games.

The family came from Kingston, Ontario and Herb Clarke also played junior hockey with the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHA.

^ This here is Herb Clarke with the Cobalt Silver Kings.

 

[Iain Fyffe]

Okay, SIHR member Kevin Slater sent me what he has on this league, which is certainly incomplete due to the spotty nature of available newspapers. Some were certainly lost in fires in Haileybury. But there is some information available.

For 1905/06, I would hesitate to call it a hockey league, exactly. It seems more like a series of games between teams of the area. For many of the games, specific dates aren't even known, and there are likely some missing games. Home team listed last:

1905: New Liskeard 2-5 Haileybury
1905: Haileybury T-T New Liskeard
1905: Haileybury 2-7 New Liskeard
1906: Haileybury L-W New Liskeard
1906: New Liskeard 1-11 Haileybury
Feb 23, 1906: Haileybury 4-11 New Liskeard
Mar 20, 1906: Cobalt 1-10 New Liskeard

For 1906/07, there was a much more regular schedule, but we're still missing a number of games. All games were played in either Haileybury or New Liskeard, but it does not appear that the teams had regular "home" rinks (other than Haileybury or New Liskeard, that is).

Jan 27, 1907: Latchford 5-3 Cobalt (at Haileybury)
Feb 02, 1907: New Liskeard 5-2 Latchford (at Haileybury)
Feb 16, 1907: New Liskeard 4-3 Haileybury (at Haileybury)
Feb 18, 1907: Cobalt 5-3 Haileybury (at New Liskeard)
Feb 20, 1907: Cobalt 7-6 New Liskeard (at New Liskeard)
Feb 23, 1907: Cobalt 7-1 Latchford (at New Liskeard)
Mar 02, 1907: Cobalt 5-1 New Liskeard (at Haileybury)

There was going to be a championship series between Cobalt and New Liskeard, but results are unknown.

 

[Sanf]

It seem that there was bit of speculation in papers in early february of 1911 that Haileybury would issue a Stanley cup challenge. Articles calls Haileybury the Temiskaming champion. Don´t remember reading about this earlier and much more research is needed, but it would seem that Haileybury probably was the 1911 champion.

Vancouver Daily World Feb 8. 1911

...Weldy Young hints that Haileybury, who has clinched the championship in the Temiskamlng League, will endeavor to lift the cup, and will gather together one of the strongest teams in the country in an attempt to do so.

edit. Don´t believe that there was Vancouver Daily Mail

 

[WhiteTiger]

Many thanks to all of you for your efforts in compiling information on this league and sharing interesting stories. I appreciate it greatly.

 

[Larry Elder]

My question is what happened to Chief Jones after his playing days? I know he coached in Detroit after retiring from professional hockey, but did he stay there or move back to Ontario?

 

[Sanf]

My question is what happened to Chief Jones after his playing days? I know he coached in Detroit after retiring from professional hockey, but did he stay there or move back to Ontario?

Sadly do not know. Yes he did coach Detroit Hockey Club, but to my knowledge only one season? 1914-1915. There was talks and speculation about NHA expanding to US (Boston, New York and Detroit). Jones was apparently heavily talking about Detroit Club to there.

Prior to that (1912 to 1914) he was playing some hockey for team in Cochrane and apparently was living there.

He was quite well remembered by those who watched him and his name was sometimes mentioned in the same sentences as Lehman, LeSueur until 40´a and 50´s. But none of the articles I have seen mentions what happened to him after hockey career.

Curious why you are interest in Chief Jones?