1894–95 American ice hockey season

This was the 1894-95 American ice hockey season:

American Tour of Canada

The American team in Ottawa. Left-Right, Front-Back: Matteson, Meikeljohn, Larned, Foote - Pope, Clarkson, Chace, Jones, Wright.

A group of American collegians toured Canada around the new year of 1895, facing Canadian opponents in Montreal, Toronto, Kingston, and Ottawa, in games played under both ice hockey and ice polo rules. The New York Tribune described the tour as a challenge from the previous summer, when a group of college tennis players, led by Yale’s Malcolm Chace [1875-1955] and Arthur Foote [b. 1874], had played in Canada. “You can beat us at tennis," the Canadians remarked, "but come over during the winter, and we will show you how to play hockey." Chace was game for the challenge, and assembled a picked “hockey” team comprised of well-known American athletes. The tour was managed and backed by sporting goods entrepreneur and former baseball player, George Wright [1847-1937]. Charles M. Pope from the Associated Press also traveled with the team. He later managed the St. Nicholas Rink in New York.

The following players were on the team: Chace, Foote, William A. Larned, William Jones, Alexander Meikeljohn, F.H. Clarkson, and George Matteson.

A New York Times correspondent wrote that the “Canadians anticipate the result of the American visit will probably be the adoption of the Canadian game.” The tour garnered significant attention in Canada, with the Toronto Globe noting that it was “arousing great excitement and interest in society, and sporting circles.”

Newspapers from both countries discussed the differences between polo and hockey, with the Globe stating that the American game differed in that a ball was used instead of a puck, the goals were only 18 inches high, the face off consisted of a mass charge from either goal line toward the ball at centre ice, there was no offside rule, and “unwarrantable interference” was not allowed. The New York Tribune described the Canadian game as follows: “The Canadian teams consist of seven instead of five or six men, as in this country… The Canadian stick is longer and larger than the American, and is especially marked by a thick body. The ‘ball’ employed is a long cylindrical-shaped block of rubber, an inch long and with a diameter of two and one-half inches.”

The Americans arrived in Montreal on December 27, 1894. They were scheduled to play their first game as part of the grand opening of Montreal’s new Beaver Rink in a match against the Shamrocks, “under the patronage of the Governor-General.” A snow storm forced the cancellation of the match, so the Americans began the tour at Montreal’s Victoria Rink. Playing each half under different rules, the Americans achieved a 1-1 tie in polo but were handily defeated by a margin of 5-1 in hockey. After the game, the Toronto Globe wrote that “the Canadian game seemed infinitely more scientific than that played in the United States.”

After playing in Montreal, the Americans took part in five more contests in Toronto, Kingston, and Ottawa, playing two full games under the different sets of rules and one split affair. Throughout the tour, both sides struggled adapting to the offside rule, which was part of the Canadian game but not the American. In a total of eight games (counting the two split games as four matches total), the Americans earned two ties and two close wins in ice polo, but were soundly beaten in all four games of Canadian hockey, getting outscored by a margin of 32-2.

Many years later, a member of the American team, Alexander Meikeljohn, reflected that “It was pretty well-agreed among us, as a result of the trip that the Canadian game was better than ours. Having learned the rudiments of play, we brought back with us the flat skates and pucks and sticks and proceeded to forget old habits and take on new ones.” The Canadians’ confidence in the superiority of their game was well-placed. Before long, Canadian hockey was being propagated and soon replaced ice polo throughout the United States.

Tour game results

• 12/28: Montreal Victorias - US College Hockey Team 6:2 (1:1, 5:1) - first half played under American rules, second under Canadian
• 12/30: US College Hockey Team - University of Toronto/Toronto Victorias 6:4 - played under American rules
• 12/31: Toronto All-Star Team - US College Hockey Team 6:0 (3:0, 3:0) - played under Canadian rules
• 1/1: Kingston Limestones - US College Hockey Team 9:3 (3:3, 6:0) - first half played under American rules, second under Canadian
• 1/2: US College Hockey Team - Ottawa Hockey Club 5:3 - played under American rules
• 1/3: Ottawa Hockey Club - US College Hockey Team 15:1 - played under Canadian rules

On January 8, 1895, the Boston Evening Transcript published a lengthy article discussing the tour: “The American College Ice Polo Team, just returned from its recent Christmas visit to the Canadian rinks, regrets that the chances for repaying the many courtesies enjoyed up north are decidedly poor. The Canadians would be glad to visit the States at any time with two teams, and agree to play exhibition matches every night for a week, but there is never any dependence to be placed in the ice in this locality. Suppose arrangements had been made during the zero weather of last week for the Canadians to visit the country the present week! A wretched disappointment would most certainly have resulted. The American team expected to be defeated and the members were not disappointed in this, but they were amply repaid for their heroism. They not only had a ‘good time,’ but they learned something of value about ice polo. It is the general opinion of the American team that the Canadian game is superior in every way to that played here. They recommend that the rubber ‘puck’ used in Canada be substituted for the ball, as it allows for more science in the play and manoeuvring. The trip was one of ten days, and in that time eight games were played, four under American and four under Canadian rules. All the Canadian games were lost, but at the States games the visitors won two and tied two. A game under each set of rules was played in Montreal, Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa... At Montreal they were looked after by Messrs. Jack and Paton, at Montreal by Messrs. Hewston, Griffin and Warren, the latter being an old Princeton man, and at Ottawa by Messrs. Moore and Murphy. At Kingston they only stayed long enough to play their matches, but the club of that place met them on the road with a special car and took them away again in the same sumptuous fashion. Their Sunday away was passed in Toronto, when the Toronto Athletic Club looked after them. The next morning ex-champion oarsman Hanlon took the party out to the golf club, some twelve miles from the city, for a try at golf. At Ottawa they found the first snow of the trip and went on a sleigh ride. Two four-horse sleighs were provided, and during the afternoon one of the teams ran away and spilled the freight, but no one was hurt. Dinners and receptions were given in the honor of the visitors everywhere and it is a pity that the Americans should not be able in some measure to show their appreciation of such royal feting.”

After the tour, there was a long piece written by Earle H. Eaton, which appeared in several newspapers, discussing “A Canadian Invasion” - ice hockey coming to the United States, while also covering the history of stick and ball games in the country. “Hockey has long been one of the most popular winter sports in Canada, but it has never flourished to any extent in the United States. Shinney, roller polo and rink polo, however, have been quite the rage at different times and In various parts of the country, and as there is very little difference between these games and hockey the American college athletes will probably become expert hockey players in a very short time. Hockey is a variation of the old Scotch game of shinty, which is called shinney in the United States. It gets its name from the pleasing custom the players practice of whacking their opponents over the shins if these worthies are indiscreet enough to attempt to strike at the ball when they are off side. The well known warning cry of ‘Shinney on your own side!’ from a player on one team is usually the forerunner of black and blue shins in the opposing aggregation. Shinney is played on the ice in the open air, and the opposing teams are made up of two disorderly mobs of unlimited numbers of players, who use little system and have but a single object in view—the driving of the ball across the goal line or between the goal posts of the opposing team. The ball is placed midway between the rival goals, the players line up on their side of the ball, and the ball is put in play by two rival players who scramble for it with their crude curved clubs, each player endeavoring to send it toward the enemy's goal. The moment the ball is in play a player may go anywhere he desires regardless of the fact that he is ahead of the ball, but when he strikes it the ball his body must be to the left of it and well out of the way, or a player coming from the opposite direction may rap him across the legs with his club. When the roller skating craze swept over the country seven or eight years ago and every town had from one to half a dozen rinks, roller polo, a sort of shinney on roller skates, became very popular. Owing to the limited space of the rinks, roller polo and its offshoot, ice polo, call but for five men on a side—viz, goal tend, half back, center rush, right rush and left rush. The game is really scientific shinney, with regulation clubs, well established rules and small cages instead of goal posts. Hundreds of towns throughout the country at this time possessed roller polo teams of great merit, but the game reached its highest state of development in New England, and ice polo is still very popular in Boston, Providence and other cities. In cities farther south the lack of ice has prevented the game from securing the public favor that is its just due. Team play and adroit passing make the game a very scientific sport, and an expert player can perform feats that seem Impossible to the uninitiated.”

Baltimore, Maryland

The North Avenue Ice Palace

The North Avenue Ice Palace in Baltimore became the indoor artificial ice rink in North America when it opened on December 26, 1894. It was located on North Avenue between Charles Street and Lovegrove Alley and extended north to 20th Street. The rink was constructed by the Arctic Skating Company, managed by Gerald T. Hopkins, Jr.

Prior to the rink’s opening, plans to play ice hockey at the venue were already under way. The Baltimore Athletic Club formed a hockey team that was managed by Mr. Henry B. Clarke and coached by Mr. W.A. Bisnaw, a Canadian who was studying medicine at the University of Baltimore.

The Baltimore Sun noted that Bisnaw was “thoroughly conversant with the rules and tactics of the game and says it is all the rage in Canada… Mr. Bisnaw has sent to Canada for samples of hockey sticks to be used in match games here. He was captain of the Brockville team, in Canada.”

Students at Johns Hopkins also made arrangements to form varsity and scrub hockey teams. The All Baltimore Team was another ice hockey club that was established.

When the ice rink opened on December 26, a seven-aside game of ice hockey - the first to be played on a sheet of artificial ice in the world - was contested between a team of Johns Hopkins University students and the Baltimore Athletic Club. The game, which consisted of two halves of 30 minutes, ended in a 2–2 tie. Attendance for the opening and game was recorded as about 2,500.

On January 12, 1895, the Baltimore Athletic Club defeated the Johns Hopkins regular hockey team 2-1. A large crowd was present for the match.

The Baltimore Hockey League was established on January 21. The Baltimore Sun’s report on this development is below: “Hockey on the ice has the call just now, and last night the league to govern this pastime in the city eas given a fine start in the Fidelity Building, rooms 210 and 211.

The league organized by the All-Baltimores, the Baltimore Athletic Club and Johns Hopkins University had already attracted much attention, and many other clubs expressed a desire to join. Fifteen clubs have been formed or are in process of formation, and each of these sent representatives to last night’s meeting. Its object was to consolidate all the local clubs, and a senior and junior league is to be formed.

The officers elected last night are Henry B. Clark of the B.A.C., president; James Piper, J.H.U, vice-president; L.M. Reitz, Ariel Boat Club, secretary, and F.N. Clotworthy, M.B.C., treasurer. The executive committee is composed of H. Penniman, unattached; W.A. Bisnaw, B.A.C., and W. Lilly, J.H.U.

Following are the names of the representatives of the different schools and athletic clubs who applied for admission to the senior league. Messrs. Lilly and Charles Clarke, Johns Hopkins University; H.B. Clarke and Bisnaw, Baltimore Athletic Club; Grimes and Reilly, Baltimore City College; Reitz and Bonds, Ariel Boat Club; Clotworthy, Maryland Cycle Club; Albaugh and French, Baltimore Cycle Club; Whitehurst and Ehrlich, Boltons.

The representatives who applied for admission to the junior league are Poe and Ingram, Carey’s school; Spillman and Denmead, Deichman’s School; Cowan and Reese, Lamb’s School; Byrne, Iroquois Athletic Club; Gurley and Cronhardt, Clifton Athletic Club; Allan and Register, Rugby Athletic Club; Norton, Peabody Athletic Club. Marston’s School is undecided as to which league it shall enter.

The executive committee will decide in a few days which team shall enter either and will draw up a constitution. This committee will also arrange matches.”

The first game of the senior championship of the Baltimore Hockey League was played between the Maryland Bicycle Club and the Ariel Rowing Club on January 26. The Bicycle Club won, 4-2.

On February 2, there was a game between All-Baltimore and the All-New England team, comprised of players from Yale, Harvard, and Brown Universities. Baltimore: Browne (goal), Bagg (point), Hilies (1st D), Harrison (2nd D), Bisnaw (LW), Clarke (RW), Parmely (CF), J. Fleming, C. Corning, J. Piper (substitutes). New England: Matteson (goal), Jones (point), Chace (1st D), Foote (2nd D), Larned (LW), Clarkson (RW), Trudeau (CF).

The All-Baltimore Club won 2-1, and claimed the championship of the United States on the strength of their win, but New England stated that they had not relinquished their claim to the honor, and wanted another game to decide the dispute, saying they would cede the title if they lost. It was planned for the teams to meet again in early March, but this did not materialize.

There were plans for the Sherbrooke (Quebec) Hockey Club to play a game in Baltimore under Canadian rules on February 12. It did not come off.

Princeton University paid a visit to Baltimore and defeated the Baltimore Club 5-0 at the North Avenue Rink on March 2. The Princeton players far outclassed the local men, with the play being centered around the Baltimore goal for most of the game. The Tigers’ players also showed the ability to elevate the puck when shooting, a technique the Baltimoreans were not familiar with.

On March 6, the Baltimore Athletic Club clinched the Baltimore Hockey League title and were declared champions of Maryland with a 7-0 victory over Johns Hopkins University. “The Baltimore Athletic Club boys were congratulated at the conclusion of the game. W.A. Bisnaw came in for an especial lot of the praise. Bisnaw is captain of the team, and is a student at the University of Maryland. The team was raw material when he took the men in charge.”

The Quebec Hockey Club from Canada visited Baltimore in April, facing the Baltimore Athletic Club. Quebec defeated the BAC 5-2 on April 11 and 6-1 the following day. After the games, Captain A.E. Swift of Quebec was quote as saying “The Baltimore team is the best I have seen in the United States. Chicago claims the championship of the States, but Baltimore plays a much better game. We beat Chicago 20-0. I believe the Baltimore team can defeat many of the so-called first-class Canadian teams, to judge from their play against us.”

1894-95 Game Results

• December 26: Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore Athletic Club 2:2 (1:2, 2:1)

JHU roster: Crenshaw (Goal), Hill (Point), Hilles (2nd Def), Nelson (1st Def), Piper (Capt.) (Centre), Bagg (LW), S. Browne (RW). BAC roster: Haughton (Goal), Corning (Point), Jenkins (2nd Def), Thelin (1st Def), Whitman (Centre), Clarke (LW), Bisnaw (RW). Official: Thomas Symington.

• January 5: Baltimore Hockey Club - Baltimore Athletic Club 1:1
• January 11: Johns Hopkins University II - Baltimore Athletic Club II 2:1
• January 12: Baltimore Athletic Club - Johns Hopkins University 2:1

BAC roster: Parmely, Corning, Bisnaw, Harrison, Clarke, Bonsal, Haughton. JHU roster: Browne, Bogg, Piper, Nelson, Hilles, Fill, Stevens.

• January 17: Baltimore Hockey Club - Maryland Athletic Club 2:0
• January 19: Johns Hopkins University II - Baltimore Athletic Club II 1:0
• January 24: Baltimore Hockey Club - Maryland Athletic Club 2:0

Baltimore roster: H.P.C. Wilson, Jr. (CF), G.S. Andrews (RW), J.L. Conrad (LW), C.M. Howard (1st Def), Alfred Riggs (2nd Def), Yates Pennington (CP), R.L. Chamberlain (Goal). Maryland roster: G.T. Hopkins, Jr. (CF), J. McHenry (RW), J.M. Thompson (LW), James McShane (1st Def), Joseph Bartlett (2nd Def), B. Hayward (CP), C.R. Spence (Goal). Official: W.A. Bisnaw.

• February 2: Baltimore All-Star Team - Yale University (All-New England) 2:1

Baltimore roster: Browne (Goal), Bagg (Point), Hilles (1st D), Harrison (2nd D), Bisnaw (LW), Clarke (RW), Parmely (CF). Yale roster: Matteson (Goal), Jones (Point), Chace (1st D), Foote (2nd D), Larned (LW), Clarkson (RW), Trudeau (CF).

• March 2: Princeton University - Baltimore Hockey Club 5:0 (2:0, 3:0)

Princeton roster: Wheeler (Centre), Blair (LW), Hoagland (RW), Colby (1st D), Brooks (2nd D), Allen (Point), Derr (Goal). Baltimore roster: Wilson (Centre), Conrad (LW), Thompson (RW), Clotworthy (1st D), Pennington (2nd D), Andrews (Point), Riggs (Goal). Goals: Hoagland, Brooks, Blair (2), Allen. Official: W.A. Bisnaw.

• April 11: Quebec Hockey Club - Baltimore Athletic Club 5:2 (4:1, 1:1)

Quebec roster: F. Stocking (Goal), C. Scott (Point), C. Cahill (CP), A.H. Panet (CP), R.J. Davidson (FW), A.E. Swift (FW), A.D. Scott (FW). Baltimore roster: Harry Jenkins (Goal), H.B. Clarke (Point), T. Owens (CP), C.F. Corning (CP), E. Parmely (FW), W.A. Bisnaw (FW), R.M. Bagg (FW). Goals: A.D. Scott (2), Davidson, Swift (2) - Parmely, Scott. Official: H.G. Penniman.

• April 12: Quebec Hockey Club - Baltimore Athletic Club 6:1 (1:0, 5:1)

Goals: Davidson (3), Scott (2), Swift - Bagg. Official: J.K. Leonard

Baltimore Hockey League results

• January 26: Maryland Bicycle Club - Ariel Rowing Club 4:1
• January 30: Baltimore Athletic Club - Johns Hopkins University 3:1
• February 6: Johns Hopkins University - Maryland Bicycle Club 10:0
• February 13: Baltimore Athletic Club - Ariel Rowing Club 2:0

BAC roster: H. Haughton (Goal), C.F. Corning (Centre), W. Bisnaw (LW), F. Harrison (RW), F. Parmely, Jr. (CP), H. Jenkins (1st Def), G. Thelin (2nd Def). Ariel roster: H. Krebs (Goal), C. Curley (Centre), F. Focke (LW), W. Dulaney (RW), F. Woodroof (CP), T. Owens (1st Def), S. Barnes (2nd Def). Official: H.G. Penniman.

• February 20: Johns Hopkins University - Ariel Rowing Club 5:0
• February 27: Baltimore Athletic Club - Maryland Bicycle Club 5:0

BAC roster: H. Haughton (Goal), J. Myers (2nd Def), G. Thelin (1st Def), T. Owens (CP), C.F. Corning (CF), W.A. Bisnaw (LW), E. Parmley, Jr. (RW). MBC roster: C. Curley (Goal), F. Falk (2nd Def), L. Corning (1st Def), C.B. Clotworthy (CP), F. Clotworthy (CF), J. Reese (LW), H.E. Perry (RW). Official: H.G. Penniman

• March 7: Baltimore Athletic Club - Johns Hopkins University 7:0 (2:0, 5:0)

BAC roster: Parmely (RW), Bisnaw (LW), Corning (Centre), Harrison (1st D), Horton (2nd D), Clarke (Point), Jenkins (Goal). JHU roster: Bagg (RW), Reese (LW), Piper (Centre), Nelson (1st D), Williams (2nd D), Hill (Point), Stevens (Goal). Goals: 1st half: Clarke (4 minutes), Parmely (10 minutes). 2nd half: Harrison (5 minutes), Parmely (6 minutes), Harrison (7 minutes), Bisnaw (8 minutes), Parmely (9 minutes). Official: H.S. Gane.

Baltimore Junior Hockey League results

• February 4: Deichmann’s School - Clifton Wheelmen 6:0
• March 13: Baltimore City College - Baltimore Cycle Club 6:0
• March 19: Baltimore City College - Bolton Hockey Club 0:0
• March 21: Baltimore City College - Deichmann’s School 6:1
• March 26: Bolton Hockey Club - Baltimore City College 0:0

Chicago, Illinois

A sketch of the 1895 Chicago Spaldings.

The first game of the season was played at Tattersall's rink on January 11, 1895, with the Chicago Spaldings blanking the Chicago polo team 4-0.

On January 27, 1895, a lengthy article appeared in The Inter Ocean newspaper, published in Chicago, which noted the growing popularity of ice polo in the city.

“For the past four years Chicago has seen very little of the game until this winter, when the Spalding team was organized at Tattersall’s ice rink. Since its organization numerous other teams have sprung up, and among the best are the Mascots, the Thorsen & Cassidy’s, and the reorganized Chicagos. The Spaldings have played all the best teams in the West and defeated them with ease. The club is managed by Mr. Rudolph Goetz who, being a professional skater and polo player, appreciates the unexcelled facilities for reviving polo, and, with the assistance of Mr. A.E. Reynolds, he organized the Spalding polo team.”

Two weeks later, the newspaper reported that the Spaldings were about to embark on a three-week tour of Canada, where they were going to play ice hockey games against various local teams.

“The Spaldings this winter have played some good games of ice polo but have never played the Canadian game of hockey as a team, although in the team there are five players who, until the past year, figured as members of the best Canadian hockey teams, but with the careful coaching that Captain Reynolds and his assistant, Mr. Miller, have given the team the past thirty days, it is to be hoped that they will give a good account of themselves to the crack teams across the line and bring back the championship.

The Spaldings on tour will line up as follows: Forwards, Dick Moore, Bert Hill, A.K. Reynolds (captain), Ed. Taylor; point, E.S. Woods; cover point, A.P. Miller; goal, George Emerson; subs, W.G. McHardy, W. Dill.

The team is scheduled to play at the following places, opening with a game at London tomorrow night:

Feb. 11, London; Feb. 12, Woodstock; Feb. 13, Brantford; Feb. 14, St. Catherines; Feb. 15 and 16, Toronto; Feb 18, Peterboro; Feb. 19, Kingston; Feb. 20, Brockville; Feb. 21, Ottawa; Feb. 22, Sherbrooke; Feb. 23, Quebec; Feb. 25 and 26, Montreal.

Returning March 1 they will play the Duluths at Tattersall’s.”

The schedule of the tour wound up being a bit different from what was printed above. It appears the Quebec portion did not take place and some of the dates and locations of the games in Ontario were changed. The Spaldings finished the tour with a record of two wins and 10 losses.

1894-95 Game results

• January 11: Chicago Spaldings - Chicago 4:0

Spaldings roster: Miller (rush), Moore (point), Reynolds (rush), Davidson (center), Woods (halfback), McHardy (goal). Chicago roster: Gilmore (rush), Phitorick (point), Reed (rush), Wallace (center), Oram (halfback), Brakenian (goal).

• January 31: Chicago Spaldings - Thorsen's team 2:0

Spaldings roster: Reynolds (first rush), Miller (second rush), Moore (point), McHardy (center), Woods (halfback), Nathan (goal). Thorsen's roster: Gilmore (first rush), Holmes (second rush), Reed (point), Dill (center), Smith (halfback), Emerson (goal).

• February 8: Chicago Spaldings - Thorsen's team - not played as the lights went out just before play was set to commence

Chicago Spalding’s Canadian Tour game results

• February 11: London Princess Hockey Club - Chicago Spaldings 8:1
• February 12: Ingersoll/Woodstock Hockey Team - Chicago Spaldings 6:1
• February 13: Chicago Spaldings - St. Thomas Hockey Club 5:0
• February 14: Brantford Hockey Club - Chicago Spaldings 8:3
• February 15: Toronto Osgoode Hall - Chicago Spaldings 6:2
• February 16: Toronto Victorias - Chicago Spaldings 5:1
• February 16: Sarnia Hockey Club - Chicago Spaldings 2:0
• February 18: Chicago Spaldings - Brampton Hockey Club 7:4
• February 18: Brampton Hockey Club - Chicago Spaldings 7:5
• February 19: Galt Hockey Club - Chicago Spaldings 11:8
• February 20: Ayr Hockey Club - Chicago Spaldings 14:4
• February 21: Berlin Hockey Club - Chicago Spaldings 8:1

Colorado

The origins of hockey in Leadville dated back a few years. On December 17, 1890, it was noted by Mr. M.A. Morland that there were a number of good skaters in the city, and that "There used to be a hockey club here and I cannot see why one should not be gotten up now." However, no further developments were reported until 1894.

On December 8, 1894, a team captained by Eddie Erb defeated a side led by Billy Niblock 6-4 in a game of ice polo at Ellesmere in Leadville. Two thirty-minute halves were played. The score was 4-4 at halftime. The Columbians defeated the Ellesmeres 4-3 in another ice polo matchup on December 23. The teams played with nine players on each side. Columbians roster: Warne Jones (right end rush), John Parry (right center rush), W. Epps (center rush), P. Powers (left center rush), Ed Thomas (left end rush), Eddie Erb (drive; captain), Gibbons (left goal cover), Blatt (right goal cover), J. Murphy (goal). Ellesmeres roster: A. Riggs (right end rush), H. Harris (right center rush), I. Oakley (center rush), F. Simmonds (left center rush), J. Robinson (left end rush), I. Christman (drive), Richards (left goal cover), E. Stevens (right goal cover), Billy Niblock (goal; captain).

Iowa

There was a hockey game played between the Riverside Boat Club and Sioux City Boat Club on January 30, 1895, which ended in a 1-1 tie. The teams met again on February 3, Riverside winning 3-1 in a game that only lasted 45 minutes, as a Sioux City player got injured.

1894-95 Game Results

• 1/30: Sioux City Boat Club - Riverside Boat Club 1:1
• 2/3: Riverside Boat Club - Sioux City Boat Club 3:1

Massachusetts

The schedule of games in the three leagues.

There were three school ice polo leagues organized for the 1894-95 season - the Interprepatory League, Suburban League, and the Interscholastic League. Participating teams: Interscholastic League - Camridge High and Latin, Cambridge Manual, Melrose High, Somerville High. Suburban League - Melrose High, Winchester High, Malden High, Medford High. Interprepatory League - Malden, Newton High, Waltham High, Roxbury High.

On January 4, the Melrose High School team defeated Malden High School in a game played on Eel Pond in Melrose. It was comprised of two 15-minute hales. On the same day, Grove Halls beat Ashmonts 5-4 on Franklin Field.

The following results were from games played on January 15: Cambridge High and Latin - Waltham High 2-0, Cambridge - Harvard 1-1 (both at Holmes Field), Newton - Cambridge 5-2 (at Fresh Pond), and Waltham High - Roxbury High 2-0 at Spy Pond in the Interprepatory series.

1894-95 Game Results

• 1/4: Grove Halls - Ashmonts 5:4
• 1/5: Newton AC - Cambridge High School 1:0
• 1/15: Cambridge High and Latin - Waltham High School 2:0
• 1/15: Cambridge - Harvard 1:1
• 1/15: Newton - Cambridge 5:2

Interscholastic League

• Melrose High School - Cambridge High and Latin 3:2 - Cambridge protested the game, but the New England Skating Association ruled against them

Interprepatory League

• 1/15: Waltham High School - Roxbury High School 2:0

Suburban League

• 1/4: Melrose High School - Malden High School 6:0
• 1/19: Melrose High School - Winchester High School 3:0
• 1/23: Melrose High School - Medford High School 4:0
• 1/28: Melrose High School - Winchester High School 3:0
• 2/1: Winchester High School - Medford High School 3:0

Michigan

In Kalamazoo, the College defeated the High School 12-1 on January 5, 1895.

On January 17, the Chatham Hockey Club sent a team to Detroit to face the Michigan AA, but two of the players on the home team were sick, so the game was postponed. The AA and Light Infantry clubs were scheduled to meet in late January.

On February 2, College defeated Kalamazoo 5-2 in an ice hockey game. Kalamazoo: C.C. Koehler, H.C. Koehler, Allen, Douglass, Wilson, Duncan, Bannister. College: WG. Warwick, Mac Dougall, Yaple, Johnson, Westnedge, Bullock, Boyden.

The Kalamazoo Gazette wrote the following about the game: “The game was very exciting and hotly contested. In the second half there was a great deal of quarreling and squabbling about rules. The college feel as though they were greatly handicapped by the crowd who were all in favor of the Kalamazoo team. The Kalamazoo team claims that the College had some advantage in having the regulation hockey sticks. The last half was very rough and fouls on both sides were the order of the day. The college seemed to have the strongest side, although their opponents made a number of brilliant runs down the ice. The Koehler boys and Wilson for the Kazoos put up a brilliant game, while Warwick, Yaple and Johnson won honors for the college. A return match will be played in the near future, when the defeated ones expect to turn the tables and will come provided with the regular hockey sticks.”

Minnesota

There were several reports in the Star Tribune discussing the possible creation of an ice hockey team at the University of Minnesota.

“There is talk of organizing at the institution a hockey club. Hockey is an English game, played also in Canada, closely resembling the old time shinny. Each player, however, has a play of his own and the object is to carry a block by opposing lines and between goal posts. It is a very interesting and exciting game. To be a successful player one must be a rapid skater, sure sighted and have a cool head. H.A. Parkyn of the dental college, is said to be an expert hockey player, having been director of a club in Canada, and he is anxious to introduce the game at the University of Minnesota. There are several good skaters among the football players, and it would not be difficult to find the requisite number of men. Dr. Parkyn says that several Canadian teams, especially one from Winnipeg, will be glad to match the University in case a team can be trained at the institution.”

“A meeting was held at the University last evening [Dec. 5] for the organization of a hockey club, with a good attendance of students. Dr. W.X. Sudduth was made president, and J. Van Valkenburg secretary. H.A. Parkyn presented the matter before the meeting, showing the advantages to the general athletics of such a club. He thought arrangements could be made with the manager of Athletic Park for use of sufficient ice on that rink, and state that lockers, baths and dressing rooms were provided there. He further stated that games could be arranged at Minneapolis with Canadian clubs, and that a trip to Winnipeg could be counted on for the year. He was unanimously elected director of the club. An executive committee, consisting of H.A. Parkyn, C.D. Wilkinson, C.H. Van Campen, was appointed to assist the manager in making arrangements for the game, and were instructed to canvas the different departments of the University for membership to the club, and to make the necessary steps toward having the club made a branch of the regular athletic association.”

On February 16, the following article appeared in the Minneapolis Ariel: “The University of Minnesota hockey team will play a game for the championship of Minneapolis against the Minneapolis Hockey Club at their rink, at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Eleventh Street South. The game is preparatory to the game to be played Monday afternoon by Winnipeg and the University of Minnesota. Winnipeg is champion of the world. Winnipeg has returned from a rough trip through eastern Canada and has defeated without too much trouble Montréal, Toronto, Victoria, Ottawa, Québec, and the Limestone’s. The University started practice two or three weeks ago and played against a Minneapolis team, being defeated 4-1. A week and one half ago that they defeated the same team 6-4. Tonight they play the tie off for the championship. Dr. H.A. Parkyn has been coaching the boys every afternoon. He has a couple of stars in Willis Walker and Russell. Walker plays point and Russell cover-point, with Van Campen in goal. Parkyn and Albert are center forwards. Dr. Parkyn’s long experience with the Victoria team of Toronto, one of the best, makes him a fine player. Thompson and Head, the other two forwards, are old ice polo players and skate fast and pass well. Van Campen, quarterback on last year's football team, plays goal well. Many tickets have been sold for tonight’s and also Monday's game. Tickets are $.25, ladies come free. The excitement of these games is intense, and surpasses that at a football game.”

The most noteworthy event of the season was Winnipeg’s visit to Minneapolis. “The first international hockey game between Winnipeg and the University of Minnesota was played yesterday, and won by the visitors 11-3. The day was perfect and 300 spectators occupied the grandstand, coeds of the University being well represented. Features of the game was the team play of the Canadians, and individual play of Parkyn, Walker, and Head for the University. Hockey promises to become as popular a sport at the University as football, baseball, and rowing.”

A wooden indoor ice rink was built in the northwestern Minnesota town of Hallock in the fall of 1894 . On January 8, 1895, two Hallock teams played a hockey game in the facility, after the speed skaters who were scheduled to compete did not show up

In 1894-95, the Twin City Ice Polo League featured the Henriettes and Summits of St. Paul, Fort Snelling, and the Acorns and Polo Club of Minneapolis. The Summits and Henriettes shared the championship, after the season ended in controversy. On January 6, the Summits beat Fort Snelling 5-0 at the Athletic park.

On January 20, it was reported that a game was set to take place between the Henriettas and the Snellings. Henriettas - Newsom (right rush), Vance (left rush), Murphy (center point), Ringwald (left back), Mead (right back), Egan (goal cover), Keiffer (goal). Snellings - Moorcroft (right rush), Pratt (left rush), Peterson (center point), Potter (left back), Larson (right back), Clay (goal cover), O'Keefe (goal). The game was postponed due to weather conditions.

The next week, the standings were reported. The Henriettas and Summits were tied for first place, having both won two games and tied one. The Minneapolis Polo Club and Fort Snelling were both 1-2, and the Acorns were 0-2. The tie game between the Henriettas and Summits was set to be played off on January 27, with the lineups as follows: Henriettas - Scharfenberg (right rush), Vance (left rush), Newson (center), Eagan (half-back), Pfeiffer (right cover goal), Ringwald (left cover goal), Kieffer (goal). Summits: Gerber (right rush), Miller (left rush), Henke (center), Strauss (half-back), Muggley (right cover goal), Breau (left cover goal), Mueller (goal).

There was a series played for the Head of the Lakes Championship between the Duluth Polo Club, Duluth YMCA, and the Superior club. The Duluth Polo Club sent letters to Chicago and Milwaukee, hoping to face the local teams.

Polo League game results

• 12/27: Henriettas - Minneapolis Polo Club 2:0
• 1/3: Henriettas - Minneapolis Polo Club 1:0
• 1/6: Summits - Fort Snelling 5:0
• 1/10: Henriettas - Summits 0:0
• 1/13: Summits - Acorns 4:0
• 1/27: Summits - Henriettas 1:0 - Henriettas failed to appear for the game, and it was declared forfeited by John Barnes, who was in charge of the competition, and when the Henriettas protested, he reversed his decision, leading to general protests and both clubs pulling out of the league

Head of the Lakes Polo Championship

• 1/7: Duluth Polo Club - Duluth YMCA 1:0
• 1/17: Duluth Polo Club - Superior (WI) 2:1 @ Superior
• 1/21: Duluth Polo Club - Superior (WI) 3:0 @ Duluth
• 1/24: Duluth YMCA - Superior (WI) 2:0 @ Superior
• 1/28: Duluth Polo Club - Duluth YMCA 3:1
• 2/4: Superior (WI) - Duluth YMCA 2:1 @ Duluth
• 2/14: Superior (WI) - Duluth YMCA 2:1 @ Superior
• 2/18: Duluth YMCA - Superior (WI) 2:1 @ Duluth
• 3/7: Duluth Polo Club - Duluth YMCA 2:0 @ Duluth
• 3/7: Superior (WI) - Duluth Polo Club 1:0 @ Duluth

Other polo results

• 12/28: Duluth Polo Club - Duluth Picked Team 1:0
• 2/1: St. Paul High School - Spauldings 3:0
• 2/4: Superior (WI) - Duluth Zeniths 2:0 @ Duluth - 20 minute game
• 2/7: Superior (WI) - Duluth Zeniths 0:0 @ Superior
• 2/22: Duluth Zeniths - Superior (WI) 3:0 @ Superior
• 3/19: Duluth Zeniths - Superior (WI) 2:1 @ Duluth

New York

There were some hockey games played in New York this winter. Active teams included the Staten Island Cricket Club, South Orange Field Club (NJ), New York St. Nicholas, Washington Heights Hockey Club, Harlem Hockey Club, and the Columbia Hockey Club. Teams were also formed in Montclair, Englewood, and Summit, New Jersey. The Jersey City Ice Polo team challenged any ice polo team in Brooklyn, Jersey City or Hoboken to play a match game or a series of games. They had supposedly never suffered a defeat, and were made up of the following players: F.E. Dison, David Catheart, Charles Smith (field players), Tom Longfield (center), William White (half back), Jack Regan (goal).

1894-95 Game results

• January 19: US College Hockey Team - New York St. Nicholas 1:0 @ Tuxedo Park
• January 19: Staten Island Cricket Club - South Orange Field Club (NJ) 5:0
• February 9: New York St. Nicholas - South Orange Hockey Club (NJ) 4:1 @ South Orange
• February 16: Orange Athletic Club (NJ) - South Orange Field Club (NJ) 1:1

Pennsylvania

“The Pittsburg Tennis club is also making arrangements to boom ice polo during the winter, and the A.A.A., too, will be in the field with a team, so that altogether the season promises to be a very lively one, indeed. Work on the Tennis club grounds at Bellefield has already been begun, and the ice will be ready for use about as soon as that of at P.A.C. park. The existence of three or more local teams will induce rivalry and will tend to make the sport much more popular than if only one club was interested. The Tennis club expects to have one of the best teams in the country before the season is over.”

1894-95 Game results (hockey)

• 1/1: Glenburn - Factoryville 2:1 @ Glenburn Lake
• 1/12: Glenburn - Factoryville 3:1 @ Glenburn Lake

Texas

"In Dallas, reports can be found as early as 1895 about skating and hockey being played on Long's Lake and on the banks of the Trinity River, which froze solid in February of 1899."

College ice polo

The 1895 Brown University ice polo team.

It was reported that Harvard University was planning to form an ice polo team for the 1895 season. The following players were listed as being likely to compose the team: F. Goodridge, ‘98 and D. Corbett, ‘94, forwards; J. Dunlop, ‘97, centre; T.S. Elliot, ‘95, half-back, and G.H. Street, Law School, goal tender.

Brown’s 1895 ice polo season began on January 4, with a visit to New Bedford, where they tied the local High School 1-1. Three 15-minute periods and two overtime sessions were played, but the teams remained deadlocked. The Brown squad was composed of Budlong, Hale, Jenks, Merriman, Watson, and a Kilvert (a reserve).

On January 19, Brown traveled to Worcester, where they defeated by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute by the close score of 2-1. The ice was in very poor condition, which made for a poor exhibition of polo. Brown’s lineup was the same as in the previous game (minus Kilvert). They then visited New Bedford on the 21st, and defeated the local Crescents team by the score of 2-1. Brown defeated the Pawtucket ice polo team 3-1 on the 25th.

The Brown polo team visited Cambridge on January 30 and defeated the Harvard squad 2-1. The Harvard men styled themselves as the “Oxfords”, and did not claim to be the varsity team, though all the players were students at the university. Hale scored for Brown and Elliot did for Harvard in the first half, and Matteson notched the winning tally for the visitors in the second half. The teams were as follows: Brown: Matteson, Hale, Meiklejohn, Jones, Kilvert. Harvard: Elliot, Goodridge, Dunlap, Street, Brown.

The Harvard Oxfords tied a scrub team of Harvard men 3-3 at Spy Pond on February 12. The features of the game were the playing of Goodridge and Brown of the Oxfords, and Sharples and Read of the scrub team.

On February 14, the return game between Brown and the Harvard Oxfords was played at Roger Williams Park. Brown defeated the Oxfords 4-2. The visitors led 2-1 at the half, but Brown scored three goals in the second half to take the game. Brown iced the same lineup as they did in the first game, save for Watson replacing Kilvert. Harvard played with Goodrich, Sharpless, Elliot, Street, and Brown.

The Harvard Oxfords beat the Worcester Polytechnic Institute 2-0 at Spy Pond on February 23. The Harvard Daily Crimson noted that the features of the game were the team play of the Harvard backs and the excellent work in goal of Sibley and Harris of the Worcester team. Worcester was noted to have recently beaten Brown 5-1.

Sources: Brown Daily Herald and Harvard Daily Crimson

References

Early American hockey seasons (pre-1920)
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