South Florida Hockey League

The South Florida Hockey League began play as an amateur competition at the Coral Gables Coliseum in June 1952. An exhibition game was played on the 2nd, the Reds edging the Golds 8-5. The first league game was played a week later. The league folded after the 1953 season. After each period the rink would be covered with an inch of water that had to be swept off, and the league had trouble drawing fans, only 175 turning out for the 1953 final.

Results

1952

• 6/9: Coral Gables Flyers - Miami Rangers 8:7 OT
• 6/16: Miami Beach Eagles - Miami Rangers 10:7
• 6/23: Coral Gables Flyers - Miami Beach Eagles 8:4
• 6/30: Miami Rangers - Coral Gables Flyers 11:6
• 7/7: Miami Beach Eagles - Miami Rangers 7:4
• 7/14: Miami Beach Eagles - Coral Gables Flyers 5:2
• 7/21: Miami Rangers - Coral Gables Flyers 13:3
• 7/28: Miami Rangers - Miami Beach Eagles 5:1
• 8/4: Coral Gables Flyers - Miami Beach Eagles 7:6 OT
• 8/11: Miami Rangers - Coral Gables Flyers 6:5 - final, game one
• 8/13: Miami Rangers - Coral Gables Flyers 2:2 - final, game two

Rangers won.

1953

The University of Miami Hurricane "Independents" were added to the league, and Coral Gables became the Fort Lauderdale Flyers.

• 3/19: Miami Hurricanes - Miami Rangers 9:7
• 3/22: Fort Lauderdale Flyers - Miami Beach Eagles 5:5 OT
• 3/26: Miami Hurricanes - Fort Lauderdale Flyers 8:6
• 3/29: Miami Beach Eagles - Miami Rangers 8:6
• 4/2: Miami Beach Eagles - Miami Hurricanes 9:1
• 4/5: Miami Rangers - Fort Lauderdale Flyers 8:4
• 4/9: Miami Rangers - Miami Hurricanes 7:6
• 4/12: Miami Beach Eagles - Fort Lauderdale Flyers 18:9
• 4/16: Miami Hurricanes - Fort Lauderdale Flyers 7:3 - game was called with 30 seconds left due to brawl
• 4/19: Miami Beach Eagles - Miami Rangers 15:7
• 4/23: Miami Hurricanes - Miami Beach Eagles 8:2
• 4/26: Miami Hurricanes - Miami Rangers 8:7
• 4/30: Miami Rangers - Miami Beach Eagles 8:7
• 5/3: Miami Beach Eagles - Miami Hurricanes 15:11 - the famous Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay of the Detroit Red Wings played the first two periods for the Eagles and Hurricanes, respectively; Howe scored 8 goals, Lindsay got 3
• 5/7: Miami Rangers - Miami Hurricanes 14:9
• 5/10: Miami Rangers - Miami Beach Eagles 11:2
• 5/14: Miami Hurricanes - Miami Beach Eagles 10:7
• 5/17: Miami Rangers - Miami Hurricanes 10:7
• 5/21: Miami Beach Eagles - Miami Rangers
• 5/24: Miami Rangers - Miami Hurricanes 7:5 - final, game one
• 5/28: Miami Rangers beat Miami Hurricanes - final, game two

The Fort Lauderdale Flyers were disbanded for "conduct detrimental to the league". Four members of the team had been suspended indefinitely following their April 16th game, coach Lew Crowdis having punched the referee and pulled his team off the ice.

Sources

• Miami News