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History of the Kenora Thistles
This is the one game That short anecdote gives an indication of the importance of hockey in our town. And it was through this sport that Rat Portage/Kenora gained its great prestige as a sporting town. The Beginnings of Hockey It was around 1891 or 1892 that the first Rat Portage hockey team was formed. The first recorded (circa 1894) line –up for the team was:
When the Hardisty family moved from Winnipeg to Rat Portage, they brought with them the enthusiasm over hockey which was spreading at an amazing rate across the country. At that time, there were only a few teams scattered across Canada, but the sport was spreading like a contagion and competition was getting tougher each year. With the formation of the hockey team came the necessity for the selection of a name. A contest followed and Bill Dunsmore, a local carpenter, submitted the winning entry--- the Thistles. With his entry, Mr. Dunsmore submitted a colored drawing of a thistle. Both the name and emblem were adopted. The uniform of the Thistles was a white sweater, trimmed with red around the neck, arm cuffs, and waistband, with a pair of crossed thistles across the chest in red. The pants were white and the socks red. In 1894, the favorite sport of the school children was naturally hockey. At this time, the senior Thistle team was having only mediocre success in their games, while a team organized among the youngsters could not find enough competition to keep them satisfied. So in 1895, a challenge was sent to the seniors from the juniors. It was enthusiastically accepted by the senior Thistles and the first meeting of the two teams was played in the Princess Rink. The challenge game took place and certainly put the seniors in their place! Wellington McCannon (Duke), the Secretary-Treasurer of the Junior Thistle Hockey Club, recalled... "We trimmed them that they handed is over their sticks and pads, and I don’t believe they ever laced on a skate afterwards". This game is marked the birth of the future Stanley Cup winners. The line-up for the seniors was: George Dulmage (goal), Tom Hardisty, Don Hardisty, Robert Blake, Abe Donnelly, Lowry Johnson, Ernie Burrage, John McMahon. The line-up for the juniors was: Fred Dulmage (goal), “Tuff” Bellefeuille, Herman Sharpe, Wellington McCannon, Robert Bearsto, Tom Hooper, Tom Philips, Billy McGimsie, Matt Brown, Bill Martin, Roxy Beaudro, Silas Griffis. League Play The Thistles played in an intermediate league against teams from Brandon, Portage la Prairie, and Winnipeg (the Victorias and Winnipegs). When a special hockey game was being played in Winnipeg, special trains with reduced rates would make the run from Rat Portage to the city to accommodate the local hockey fans. In 1899, there was evidently a tendency towards rough play in the games and a reporter for the Miner made a point of letting it be known where he stood on the issue. If hockey is to retain its present position in the estimation of the people as a winter sport, everything pertaining to rowdyism must be carefully eliminated from the game. It is the easiest thing in the world to smash a man with a stick, but hockey is what one goes to see at a hockey match, and not a series of caddish scraps. Any man is liable to lose his temper in the course of a hot game, but he should be taught that it is not good form to do so; and the sooner he gets himself under control, and the keener he realizes that he has made a mistake the better it will be for himself, the game, and the other players. If a man appears to glory in his smashing abilities, he should be retired to the fence and kept there for the rest of his natural life. By 1901, the Thistles were really getting down to business and completed the season with 9 wins, and 2 losses to win the Western Hockey Association’s Intermediate Championship. Hockey fans in Rat Portage, toted them as the Intermediate Champions of the World, claiming there was certainly little competition in the east which the westerners could not take care of. In fact, many felt that Rat Portage could defeat a lot of the eastern teams who were in the senior league. Entrance into Senior League In January of 1902, with the fine showing of the Thistles the previous season in mind, a decision was made by Thistle Hockey Club executive to apply to the council of the Northwest Hockey Association for admission of the Rat Portage Thistles into the senior league. An exhibition game between the Thistles and the Victorias Stanley Cup team was played as a sort of trial for the local team. A report from the Free Press clearly indicates that the play of the Rat Portage team was head and shoulders above that of the city team. The Manitoba and Northwest Hockey Association executive met and the question of the admission of the Thistles to the senior league was discussed. Brandon and Portage la Prairie had representatives at the meeting who opposed the claims of the Thistles and took the stand that the action of the team was very abnormal. Mr. Code, on behalf of the Victorias, stated that the Thistles were certainly fast enough for the senior league but thought it inadvisable to admit them at such a late date. With these opinions, the Association decided against the Thistles’ application. The Rat Portage people were, needless to say, furious over the decision, claiming the Victorias to be unsportsmanlike in refusing to allow an obviously worthy team to compete in a league for the Stanley Cup. The Rat Portagers accused the Victorias of “(crawling) behind a trivial technicality rather than take chances with our team”, and further, considered this technicality to be rather flimsy anyway. The Thistle Hockey team had their application in for admission to the senior ranks before the first senior match of the season had been played, and two weeks before their exhibition game with the Victorias. The Winnipeg hockey fans were also in sympathy with the Thistle team. One gentleman said: "If the Rat Portage boys can play exhibition games with the senior Victorias they had every right to play for the senior championship. They certainly showed that they were in a separate class from the other intermediate teams and gave the Victorias a hard rustle for victory. They are a hard working team and have been coming along to get into the game with the seniors and now when they are turned away. The public will resent the action of the council in not allowing them to play and I think that the attendance at the senior game on Thursday night was a strong indication of the feeling and I think attendance at future games will be small unless reparation is made". By December of 1902, these reparations had been made. The Rat Portage Thistles and Portage la Prairie had been admitted to the senior league. However, upon hearing this, the two Winnipeg teams, the Victorias and the Winnipeg Rowing Club, decided to withdraw from the Manitoba and Northwestern Hockey Association and from their own league, to be known as the Western Canada Hockey Association. The reason given for the action was that they considered “that the course pursued by the Association in admitting intermediate teams without qualifications to senior rank is detrimental to the best interests of the game of hockey”. The new association invited Brandon, who had won the Intermediate Championship the year before, to play in their senior league. The two Winnipeg teams felt that a criterion should be established for movement of a team from the intermediate to the senior league – the team had to win the Intermediate Championship before admittance into the senior ranks. A lot depended on Brandon’s decision. If the team decided to join the new association, the old one would gall flat with only Rat Portage and Portage la Prairie left to compete. Fortunately, Brandon decided to stay with the old association to form a three-team senior league. The 1903 season was an exciting one and culminated in the Thistles winning the league championship and challenging the Ottawa Silver Seven for the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately the Thistles were not able to secure enough goals to bring the Stanley Cup home, but coming so near to the Cup made the Rat Portage boys only hungrier to have a chance at it again. In 1904, the two western associations amalgamated to form an extremely competitive senior league. The newspaper accounts for the next few years were evidence of the fast-improving Thistle players. A typical report of a game: ...Game of whirlwind speed, nerve-wracking in the intensity of its excitement and a conclusion which sent the great majority of the wildly enthusiastic spectators away with delightful memories, was provided the big crowd that jammed the Auditorium to its utmost capacity last night when the Rowing Club played Rat Portage... The Challenge for the Stanley Cup At the end of the 1904-05 season, the Manitoba Hockey League sent the trustees of the Stanley Cup a challenge on behalf of the ultimate winners of the league. It was apparent by the end of the season, that the Rat Portage Thistles were the “best in the west” and it was they who went to Ottawa in March of 1905 to try and bring the Stanley Cup home. The players on the team were: Geroux, Brown, Bellefeuille, Griffis, McGimsie, Hooper, Philips, and Beaudro. Mr. L. Johnson, Mr. R.Rose, and Dr. Schnarr went with the team as management committee. The Rat Portage fans that could not travel to Ottawa for the games congregated in the Victoria Rink, where a special wire had been installed. The Thistles won the first game easily with a score of 10-2. But the second match was won by Ottawa (4-2) in an exceedingly rough game, in which the ice was so soft that the players were reportedly skating around in an inch of water. The Miner and News reported: ...There was no judge of play and this fact made it easier for the Ottawas to get their well-known rough tactics. They are not the accomplished hockey players that our local boys are, but they are masters of tripping and stick punching. Our fellows have not found it necessary to practice these despicable tricks, for they rely solely on their science of hockey. Despite these misfortunes, the Thistles put on an admirable show, playing hockey that was clean, fast, and clever. Nevertheless, the Ottawa Silver Seven won and retained ownership of the Stanley Cup. With the exception of Ottawa, eastern newspapers were unanimous in their condemnation of the tactics of the Ottawa team. A Toronto News Special Correspondent told the story of the match: Comparing the teams, Rat Portage seven was far superior to the Ottawa outfit. They were better skaters, better stick handlers, and every man is a good shot – yet they were the beaten team. The Rat Portage team has had the best chance of any in a long time to lift the Cup, and they could not do it. If this team could not, there is not another that can. The western city has got together one of the finest seven that has ever represented any club playing at the capital. They all play on the style of Tom Philips and their speed and easy way of skating is a marvel. In November 1905, new regulations to govern the contests for the Stanley Cup were issued. In previous years, two out of three games had to be won, but a change was made to have either one or two matches played with the majority of goals to count. Where the challengers were residents within a reasonable distance of where the Cup was held, only one game would be played. In the case of clubs that had to travel quite a distance (e.g. the clubs of the Manitoba Hockey Association) two games were to be played. The adoption of these new regulations was done in order to accommodate all the challenges that were issued. The raves about the Rat Portage Thistles continued to appear in print: … For playing the game on its merits and for maintaining the highest standards not only of hockey but of true sport this team stands without a peer. The Thistles aggregation is strong, fearless and a beautifully balanced organization. Their skating, maneuvering and stick work was a sight beautiful to see… The defense is almost impregnable and to offset the rushes of the forwards any opposing team requires a defense entirely impregnable. After the Thistles won the 1906 Manitoba Championship their fame was well established. To give an indication of the strength of the team, here follows an article outlining the strengths of each member of the hockey club. March 13, 1906
Certainly of the forward line, Tom Philips is the most brilliant constellation and the most dangerous man to an opposing team. To see Nibs shoot; reaching away back with his body for the right weight to get on the puck is to see the best in the business. He is a fast, fearless player, yet never overworks himself and will not waste strength checking back… Working hard in hand with Philips all through, Billy McGimsie has shown forcibly the value of a centre man who plays position and plays it as he does, Billy has been in great form, and has taken all the hard knocks that come inevitably to all centre men with good courage. He is an invaluable man in the line-up. Speedy, a good dribbler, as well as skater, and cool headed, McGimsie has proven his worth this season as in others. His record in goals is 28 just one more than Phillips. On the right wing we have Roxy Beaudro that is for most of the season… When he caught his place, Roxy started in against a hard proposition – he had to play a game as good as Nibs, Sox, and McGimsie and now that the season is closed, it may be said of him he has succeeded well in his task. At first, he was inclined to lack confidence to himself, but in every succeeding game he was shown improvement….. Roxy has grit, good dribbling abilities, is not a hard shot, but never tires, and is the best check back on the whole line-up. As rover, we have had Griffis, versatile as of old, skilled in every wrinkle of the game, a fast skater, and a good check, he has thoroughly lived up to his old reputation…The rover position is a solitary one and has to be pretty well played by oneself—alone, and Sox has played it as few others can. As a right wingman, Hooper was always considered one of the best, but at cover point, he is no longer one of them—he is the best, that is, leastways up this way. Well built with a happy faculty of using his weight to good advantage, clever with stick and head. Tommy has well demonstrated that he is a better cover than a forward. He is frightened of nothing and few rushes go past him unbroken and has rendered valuable assistance to the forward line with his well-timed rushed throughout the season. Both Matt Brown and Billy Brown have shared the honors of point position, though the former has played most games. Matt has played point with the team now for years as a cool, calculating player, is not often surpassed. This year he has played sterling hockey all through and has been a hard proposition for any forward line to swing in on and pass. He uses his stick well and stops a large number of shots on goal. Billy Brown, who has shared the point position, is a young player, but a coming one. Sturdy all through with lots of determination, he is a bad rock to run into and has shown up well in the few games he has played in. He played in both the Ottawa matches. Between the flags, Eddie Geroux held his old custom place and throughout the long season has donned the pads with distinction. Quick, a sure catch, and gifted with the quality of steadiness, Geroux has added another winter of fame to his already lengthy roll.As can be seen from the above article, the team was composed of seven players in the following positions:
The Stanley Cup Champions In March of 1906, the Montreal Wanderers won the Stanley Cup form Ottawa and retained it until they met with the Thistles hockey team in January of 1907. The Thistles traveled to Montreal and cleanly beat the Wanderers, winning the first game by a score of 4-2, and the second 8-6. Members of the winning hockey team were: E.Geroux (goal), A.H. Ross (point), Si Griffis (cover point), T. Hooper (rover), W. McGimsie (centre), R.Beaudro (right wing), T.Philips (captain and left wing). Coach and trainer of the club was J.A. Link, and the manager was Fred Hudson. Kenora was the smallest town ever to win the Cup. The Kenora people were ecstatic! People all across the country were awed by the performance of the small – town boys. Interest over the Stanley Cup series was widespread. The following articles are excerpts from various newspapers on their impressions of the series and the Thistles. Eastern Cities on Stanley Cup Hockey Ottawa Citizen
Twice have these same westerners traveled afar east after the bowl. Once they fought Ottawa. One cannot dare to draw comparisons to the extent of saying they are the best that ever came out of the west. They are the finest type of hockey, fast and clean, looking for the puck, not the man aiming at the goal and not with vicious intent to hurt or maim. The visitors are simply great on skates. They do not seem to be trying hard. There isn’t a slow man on the challengers’ team. Every other player in turn showed his ability in skating and stick handling, and the cheers that greeted each effort of the visitors showed that these stirring efforts were being appreciated. Wanderer men seemed speedy in matches in league and against New Glasgow, but last night their speed was not sufficient. Even Pud Glass, thought to be the lively man of the champion’s line was fairly offset. A notable merit of the Thistle playing is their eagerness to get the puck, and to do this there is no slashing, but a snappy poke which is far more effective. Montreal Star
Speed won. It wasn’t a question of superior hockey, superior courage, superior combination, but it was simply a question of speed. Rough play, dirty plays were unknown factors. Speed and graceful skating are, as far as could be judged from their performance last night, the two principal talents they possess, but it will be well to make allowance for the possibility that they may display others. In fact, taking everything together there was a good deal in favor of the Wanderers in the first half. Throughout the second half, Kenora seemed to cover twice the distance of the local men and out-skated them at every turn. They were mot only always at the heels of the Wanderer forwards, but often in advance of them, and the result was that when the Wanderer quartette come down the ice they found a septet of Thistles protecting the goal- keeper, some of whom would either directly steal the puck or bewilder them so by their tactics that they would not know which way to turn. Phillips was nothing short of magnificent. He seemed in perfect condition and kept Stuart and Kennedy hustling. His shooting was splendid. Beaudro is every bit as fast as Phillips, and won his spars shortly after the start. He was away with every rush, and figured in some dazzling combination with Phillips. Hooper and McGimsie in the centre of the ice also did grand work, while Ross and Griffis comprised a remarkably strong defense. Montreal Herald The Thistles are the fastest hockey players seen on local ice for many seasons. Some of the work last night was simply marvelous. The west is noted for its fast hockey teams, but this present aggregation of the Thistles has all previous sensations in that line beaten to a standstill. Team work—at least, real good teamwork—was rather scarce, but the speed of the western bunch is simply marvelous. With such speed, teamwork is almost unnecessary…. Fort William Times-Journal The unexpected has occurred, and the Stanley Cup comes west to Kenora. Never has a victory been more popular, even in eastern hockey circles, where the loss of the trophy might cause a keen regret. In the west, where the Kenora boys have been the acknowledged champions for two years, nothing but enthusiasm will be felt over the fact that they have at last been able to make good. The hard luck which followed them in former years will only add to the joy of victory today. The town of Kenora has a special right to be proud of there hockey team. They have not been gathered together at great expense from outside and kept for hockey purposes. They are a home grown bunch: the same gang who has lifted the Stanley Cup use to play shinny together on the streets of old Rat Portage when they all went to school in knee pants. They grew up into sportsmen and gentlemen, and no one has ever accused the whirlwind Kenora team of dirty or unfair play. They win or lose as gentlemen. Kenora may also be proud of their loyalty. Time and again, Phillips, Hooper, and Griffis and all the rest of the bunch could have yielded to the temptation of a princely salary to leave their hometown, but they would never quit. They had a mission to perform, and like Knights of the Round Table, had sworn to bring the Cup to Kenora. Having accomplished this they will doubtless stay to defend it. The whole west will join in the applause for the pluckiest, swiftest, and cleanest hockey team in Canada. Winnipeg Telegram
Congratulations to the Kenora boys for lifting the Stanley Cup in such splendid style. They not only gained the Championship of Canada, but they give to the noble game of hockey a great impetus in the west for now that the Cup comes here again, every effort will be made to retain it. Best of all these games have shown that winning hockey can be played without any of that brutality which in times past has considerably weakened the enthusiasm of the public towards what is otherwise the fastest and most exciting of sports. The members of the team will be given a great reception on their return and they deserve it. Such a victory is not won without enormous energy and self sacrifice, by the individual players, and the fact that Kenora has been able to bring the coveted trophy so far, will stimulate the clubs still further west in their endeavors to keep it moving towards the Rockies. The Cup Goes East But Kenora was not to bask in its glory for long. In late March of 1907, hardly having time tot get off “Cloud Nine”, the Kenora Thistles were challenged by the Montreal Wanderers for the Cup. Two games were played, the Montreal team winning the first by demonstrating that “they were the better team in such an unmistakable manner that they received a rousing ovation as they left the ice”. “In a whirlwind exhibition of hockey” the Thistles succeeded in defeating the Wanderers in the second game. However, they were unable to make up the margin of goals necessary to retain the Cup so the Montreal Wanderers returned east with it. In the following years, most of the members of the champion hockey team left Kenora, some to play in the National Hockey League or other leagues, and others to take up jobs in their cities. Another Thistles Hockey Club had been formed but had been confined to playing in the intermediate leagues. In 1912, Kenora applied, for the third time, for admission into the Winnipeg City League, but the officials there expressed doubts over the team’s ability to contend on a senior league and advised the Thistles to stick with the intermediates. However, Kenora was adamant about their request for entry into the league, making it clear that they would not be put off so easily, because they knew they were capable of competing in this league. On November 12, 1912, this report appeared in the Kenora Miner and News: Well the question is definitely settled, and per expectation, Kenora has been refused admission to the Winnipeg league. The writer has no desire to appear harsh in the matter, particularly as it could do little good so far as the present season is concerned. But the time is propitious for some strenuous action looking to convincing the Winnipeg executive of the selfish and generally asinine character of their present attitude toward outside clubs in amateur hockey. For a number of years this town has given her best efforts to the cause; has always been ready to assume her share, and more than her share, in development work. In fact, we may fairly claim that we have played no inconsiderable part in producing the present high standard of western amateur hockey. When our help was needed to keep the game alive, we did not have to sue for admission to any western league, but now that Winnipeg thinks that she is once more sufficient unto herself, we must stoop to beg that which common justice and fair play gives is a right to demand. The same question occupies the belated attention of a sporting editor in the Winnipeg Telegram, whom we quote without, further comment than that his action might have been timelier:
“The Manitoba branch of the amateur athletic association of Canada has done very little to boom sport in the province. Winnipeg has received the lion’s share of their attention and the country cities and towns have good cause to refer to the city as hogging all the honors”. “Take the Hockey Association as instance. For three years Kenora has been trying to get into the senior league, but somehow or other they have not succeeded. Two winters ago they broke into the second league that was formed in the province and carried off the championship and wound up the season by giving the Vics a great battle for the Allan Cup. They proved in the series that they had the goods, but they are still out of the senior league and now the local association wants them to join the intermediate league and make good”. “This request is a joke. Kenora has been in the habit of making things interesting for Winnipeg hockey circles. The Thistles usually managed to win a game or two, while the Kenora kids were certainly a great little organization. They still have some good men down there and would no doubt put a good team in the senior series”.The reason given for the Thistles’ exclusion form the senior ranks was that it was contrary to the constitution to admit any team to the senior league who had not won the Intermediate Championship first. However, it was also understood that if the Winnipeg Monarchs had not rejoined the league, the Kenora team would have been invited to come to the rescue. Obviously not much attention would have been paid to the constitution then. Having been refused a spot in the Winnipeg Senior league, Kenora joined an Independent Hockey League which included two other teams, St. Boniface and Strathcona. It was decided to run a triangular schedule among them and then at the end of the season compete with the winners in the “B” division, which was considered senior class. The winner would have the right to challenge for the Allen Cup. The Allan Cup With the growth of the professional game, the Stanley Cup was removed from the amateur circles, and was placed as the trophy among the professional teams. In 1909, Sir Montague Allen, in an effort to promote and encourage amateur hockey, offered a trophy bearing his name for competition as being emblematic of the Amateur Championship of Canada. The Cup was won by the Winnipeg Victorias in 1912 and then taken over by the Winnipeg Hockey Club the following year. When Kenora won its league championship in 1913, it issued a challenge for the Allen Cup, but the Winnipeg Hockey Club refused to accept this challenge. In the 1913-14 seasons, four teams were to play in the senior division of the Independent Hockey League – Kenora, Strathcona, St. Boniface, and the Falcons. Brandon was refused admittance into the senior league and so Kenora decided to withdraw from the Independent League after several futile attempts to get the other teams to accept Brandon. “The Winnipeg clubs, with their customary dominance and unwillingness to go away from their own fireside, voted down the proposition”. From a monetary point of view it would have been more advantageous to Kenora to remain in the Independent League, but the local club members felt that the general welfare of hockey in the west was more important. It is unfortunate that the Winnipeg clubs did not share this sentiment. And so a new hockey league was organized, consisting of Kenora, Brandon, St. Boniface, and the Winnipeg Civics. It was known as the Manitoba and Western Ontario Hockey Association. The Thistles won that league championship and challenged the Winnipeg Monarchs for the Allen Cup but were unsuccessful in bringing it back home with them. Hockey continued to thrive in Kenora; the Thistles competing in the Manitoba leagues for some years. But by 1925, Kenora had become a member of the Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association and was playing with the senior teams from Port Arthur, Fort William, and Winnipeg. In reviewing the hockey situation after the 1927 season, the Miner and News said: "Kenora always lacked that smooth finish of the visitors, fast combination plays of Fort William, and that machine like combination and systematic defense of the Ports. But their faster skating always made them a dangerous aggregation". With senior hockey flagging somewhat because of financial restraints, a junior hockey league was organized. Initially in 1926, the league consisted of only Kenora, Keewatin, and Norman, but in 1927. Kenora joined the Thunder Bay Junior League and competed against the Port Arthur Juniors, Port Arthur West Ends, Fort William Juniors, and St. Andrews. By the thirties, the junior Thistles had joined the Manitoba league. In February 1933, the Thistles won the South Division Championship, and hence, it seemed somewhat strange when Kenora’s team was transferred to the North Division to be in a league with Selkirk, Portage la Prairie, and Elmwood Maple Leafs. The Winnipeg’s who had been Champions of the North Division took Kenora’s place in the South Division to compete with the Monarchs, the Columbus Club, the Varsity, and the Falcons. To get an idea of how well this was received by the Kenora people, read on: June 3, 1933
People’s Forum Dear Sir: It must make the blood of all the old time hockey supporters and enthusiasts boil to read the account of the meeting of the Junior Hockey League officials at Winnipeg recently. The Winnipeg representatives have again shown their outstanding qualifications for membership of the Sports Governing bodies by their actions at the above referred meeting. In heavy type the Winnipeg Free Press came out with the headline, “KENORA THISTLES ARE RELEGATED TO NORTH DIVISION”. I must congratulate the Winnipeg Free Press on their choice of the above heading. If you will look up the Century Dictionary and Encyclopedia you will find the meaning of the word “relegate” – to send sway or out of the way; consign as to some obscure or remote destination”. Nuff said. Read between the lines yourself. How the mighty have fallen. The town of Kenora that had led the world in amateur hockey is dictated to by a lot of selfish, arrogant, would-be sports. And why? Anyone with one eye open a fraction of a decimal point could see what was in the wind as far as Winnipeg is concerned. Last year Portage la Prairie and Kenora had two of the finest junior hockey teams that played the game, and well Winnipeg knows it. The prospects are that they will have equally good teams this year and the present proposed manipulation will put one of these good teams out of the running for junior honors in the North Division league thus making it easier for the Winnipeg City league winner to figure in the play-off. Kenora loves her hockey, but has a certain amount of pride and is certainly entitled to a fair deal on the enviable record she has maintained in the annals of hockey in the West. Ask the manager of the Amphitheatre Rink what team in the past number of years drew the crowds and I am satisfied that the Kenora team will not be relegated to any other rink if he has any say in it. How do the hockey moguls expect the North Division League to be financed with Portage having to make trips to Kenora and Kenora to Portage and Selkirk and Elmwood to both Portage and Kenora. I would dearly love to see Portage in a league with Kenora. They were good sports, good hockey players and gentlemen in the old days and I know they are today, but the distance between Kenora and Portage is too great successfully finance a Junior League of the proposed make-up. Kenora has always had to fight to obtain berth in the Winnipeg League. Why should this be? Have we established such a name in the hockey world that Winnipeg leaders are afraid of us? We have. That is the only answer. Unless Winnipeg can have its own sweet way in everything, and be assured that I Winnipeg team is going to be in the play-off, it is at outs with the outside world. Is this good sportsmanship in a city the size of Winnipeg, with all kinds of material to draw from and the best rink accommodation…? The Kenora people in ordinary times have supported hockey to the last notch and have had teams worthy of their support. I ask the Kenora fans if we are going to stand for the shuffling around of our team to suit the pleasure of some would be Winnipeg hockey leaders. There are a number of real good sports and hockey fans in Winnipeg who have supported and encouraged our Thistles and other outside teams that have displayed hockey ability, and these fans will be disappointed at eth attitude of the league officials, which if carried out will mean the death knell of the N.D.L. Do the Kenora people want Junior Hockey at Winnipeg’s price?Yours Very Truly, THISTLE The situation certainly was not simplified any when the Falcons, Monarchs, and Selkirk withdrew from the league to form their own junior league in affiliation with the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association. They would operate at the Amphitheatre Rink, where the South Division had formerly been stationed. As it ended up, Kenora and Portage la Prairie joined this group to form a division, while the other division was composed of the Winnipegs, Elmwood, the Columbus Club, and Varsity. Kenora was very successful in this league, winning the Western Canada Junior Hockey Championship in 1940. Kenora continued to produce strong teams and develop talented players. However, World War Two put financial limits on the hockey club and it was unable to get a team together for the 1940-41 season. |
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that probably has been dear to the residents of this town that any other. With the old timers it was almost a religion. A new Bank Manager, an unfortunate man, saw no reason why the Bank’s business should be utterly disrupted at the end of the month and he told his accountant, “Certainly, you can’t get off to go to Brandon and play hockey. You are required here.” What was his consternation when a delegation of the leading businessmen waited on him to inform him that he could take his choice of giving the hockey players time off or losing all their accounts? The accountant left that night with the team.