Pre-1895 American ice hockey
1894
Massachusetts
“The ice polo game, scheduled between Brown University and the Cambridge Polo club, on Thursday [Jan. 25], was not played, owing to the non-appearance of the Brown club. A game will be arranged for next week. The Cambridge club played a practice game with the Cambridge High and Latin school, which resulted in a victory for the former. Score, 3 to 0. The Wakefield and Cambridge clubs play this afternoon on Fresh pond. The Cambridge club claims to be the champions of Massachusetts and want to hear from any other team.”[1]
It was noted that the Cambridge High and Latin School had won the interscholastic ice polo championship for the fourth consecutive year.[2] A Suburban Polo League was also setup, with Winchester, Melrose, Medford, and Malden participating.
The planned playing schedule for the 1894 Interscholastic Ice Polo League.
- Game results
- December 30: Highlandville - Needham 3:1
- January 20: Cambridge Polo Club - Wakefield 2:1
- January 25: Cambridge Polo Club - Cambridge High and Latin 3:0
- Interscholastic Ice Polo League results
- January 9: Melrose High School - Hopkinson 12:0
- January 18: Cambridge High and Latin - Somerville High School 4:1
- January 20: Hopkinson - Cambridge Manual Training School 1:1 - Hopkinson won as CMTS committed a foul
Minnesota
On December 31, 1893, the Henriettes and Summits played to a 1-1 tie on the Central Skating rink.[3]
On January 7, 1894, the St. Paul Henriettes beat the Centrals 2-1. Rosters: Henriettes: W.B. Egan (first rush), E.S. Sheehan (second rush), C.J. Stause (half back), T.E. Pfeiffer (center front), E.J. Mugley (cover goal), William Kieber (goal). Centrals: P.E. Barron (first rush), F.K. Barron (second rush), F.E. Barron (half back), Jack Murphy (center front), E.J. Murphy (cover goal), E.J. Murphy (goal).[4]
Two weeks later, the Summits and the Centrals tied 1-1. Lineups: Summits: O.H. Raddatz (goal), Fr. Miller (cover), Charles Stans (first rush), R.E. Barron (second rush), Ed Schafer (center), C.A. Weber (halfback). Centrals: Billy Odell (goal), Ed J. Murphy (cover), F.K. Barron (first rush), B. Haggenmiller (second rush), Charles Clow (center), Willie Barron, N. Grinblot (half backs). [5]
In January 1894, the Duluth Ice Polo Club exacted revenge on the Henriettes for their 1893 State title, winning a three-game series 2-1 for the state title. Duluth won the first game, played on January 19, but St. Paul rebounded with a 3-1 win in the opening game contested on the 20th. Duluth won the final game that night 1-0 to clinch the championship.[6] The games were played at the Glen Avon rink in Duluth.
On January 27, the Barron family beat the Murphy family 2-1 in a challenge game at the Central skating rink. The lineups were as follows: Barrons: F.K. Barron (Capt.) (half back), R.E. Barron (first rush), W.C. Barron (goal), N. Griubhol (second rush), T. Miller (cover goal), C.B. Clow (center). Murphys: Eddie Murphy (half back), Ed Murphy (first rush), Jim Murphy (goal), B. Haggenmiller (second rush), Thomas Newson (cover goal), Billy O’Dell (center).[7]
The next day, the Centrals edged the Summits 1-0 at the Central rink.[8] On February 4, the Henriettes defeated the Centrals 3-1 in a game that lasted only 30 minutes.[9]
The Spauldings beat the Interurbans 3-1 at the Victoria rink on February 10.[10] The Spauldings lined up as follows: Beecher (first rush), Sxertle (second rush), Manhart (cover), Meade (cover goal), Pfeiffer (goal), Campbell (half-back), Ogan (center). A day later, the Henriettes trimmed the Summits 2-1 at the Central rink.[11] On February 18, the Henriettes met the Centrals, in a game that resulted in a 3-2 victory for the former side.[12] The Henriettes beat a picked team 1-0 on the 22nd.[13]
San Francisco, California
The Mechanics’ Industrial Fair Building (also called the Mechanics’ Pavilion) featured a “real ice skating floor” by 1894. The Natural Ice Skating Rink, as it was called, opened on February 3. On February 17, there was an ice polo game played at the rink between the San Franciscos and the Chicagos. “Ten men in sides of five each, armed with hickory crooks, batted and knocked a soft leather ball about on the iced floor for half an hour and wound up with a score of 2-1. The instructors of the rink formed one team, clothed in red, and a picked team of old Easterners, now sojourning in the nalmy West, formed the second five, clad in white and blue. They were dubbed respectively the San Franciscos and Chicagos.”
The San Franciscos took the lead in the first half, but the Chicagos drew even in the second session, before Captain Box scored the winning goal for the former side. The sides were as follows: Chicagos: Chas. F. Oliver (center), R.W. Curtis (goal), H. McCue (half back), Gus. Gentry (left rush), R. Burns (right rush). San Franciscos: E.F. Box (center), W.E. Rosemond (goal), C.B. Yates (half back), H.L. Gibbs (left rush), W.F. Cary (right rush).[14]
“Popular Ice Polo. The third game of the polo series was played at the ice-skating rink last night [Feb. 24] and resulted in a score of San Franciscos 2, Chicagos 0. The home scores were made by Yates and Cary. The team work of both sides was exceptionally good.”[15]
On March 26, it was reported that “Polo on ice at the Pavilion is growing in popular favor. An exciting novelty it appears to have peculiar fascination for both sexes. For instances, to-day two teams from the Boys’ High School go there and practice. In the afternoon the Olympic Club will be there to practice. On Saturday night there will be a game between a club organized by the Berkeley University boys against a club of Stanford students. They are all organizing tournaments which promise to be very interesting and exciting. Some gentlemen from the University Club have stated that they want to form a polo club among their club members and play a club from the Pacific-Union or the Bohemian Club. And so it goes. The interest is growing every day.”[16]
Stanford, attired in red sweaters, defeated Berkeley 2-0 on the evening of March 31. The former side scored twice in the first half, while the second resulted in no goals for either side. The Stanford team had been selected by the manager of the rink as the five best Stanford skaters among those who had played in the preliminary contest, a victory over the Olympic Club that morning.
Stanford roster: Dart, ‘97, goal; H. Reynolds, ‘96, half back; Davey, ‘96, Vanderveer, ‘96’, and De Wolf, ‘97’, rushers.
Ice polo in California was said to somewhat resemble Canadian hockey, but the ice polo teams only consisted of five players, whereas at the time, hockey was played seven-on-seven in Canada. Of course, a ball and curved sticks were used in ice polo as well.
- Series results
- February 17: San Franciscos - Chicagos 2:1
- February 21: Chicagos - San Franciscos 4:0
- February 24: San Franciscos - Chicagos 2:0
- February 28: San Franciscos - Chicagos 0:0
- March 3: Chicagos - San Franciscos 3:2
There was a five-game series between the San Franciscos and the Chicagos. The Chicagos won, 8 goals to 6.
- Other game results
- March 7: Canadians - San Franciscos 2:1
Canadians roster: Lloyd (first rush), Dunlap (halfback), Rheil (second rush), Webster (fullback), Duncan (goal). San Franciscos roster: Gouin (first rush), Box (halfback), Yates (second rush), Cary (fullback), Kahn (goal).
- March 8: Canadians - San Franciscos 0:0 - game lasted a half-hour
- March 9: San Franciscos - Canadians 4:0
- March 10: San Franciscos - Kalamazoo 2:1
- March 13: San Franciscos - Chicagos 2:0
- March 22: San Franciscos - Canadians 2:1
- March 23: Chicagos - Canadians 4:1
On April 6, it was reported that Stanford was going to be among the six participants in the local California Ice Polo League. Kennedy, ‘95, captain; Davey, ‘96, vice-captain; and Hicks, ‘96, manager, were chosen to lead the team. Half the proceeds made on ticket sales were to be turned over to the league treasury and divided equally among the six teams. The other five squads were Olympic, Canada, Chicago, San Francisco, and the University of California-Berkeley. Stanford played their first game on April 14, defeating the Olympic Club 4-0. At the conclusion of the league schedule, it was written that the Canadians were “easy victors and carried off the pennant”.[17]
- California Ice Polo League results
- April 4: Canadians - Chicagos 1:0 - or 2:0
- April 6: Chicagos - Olympic 6:2
- April 7: Berkeley - Olympic 4:0
- April 11: Chicagos - San Franciscos 5:0 - protested by latter team
- April 13: San Francisco - Olympic 5:1
- April 14: Stanford - Olympic 4:0
- April 18: Berkeley - San Francisco
- April 20: Berkeley - Canada
- April 21: San Franciscos - Stanford 2:1
- April 25: San Francisco - Canada
- April 27: Berkeley - Chicago
- April 28: Stanford - Chicago
- May 2: Olympic - Canada
- May 4: Stanford - Canada
- May 5: Stanford - Berkeley 2:0
A sketch of an ice polo game at the Mechanics' Rink.
Another sketch.
Advertisements for ice polo games scheduled to be played on April 27 and 28, respectively (left-right).
The Mechanics' Industrial Fair Building, which housed the rink.
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College ice polo
On January 13, 1894, a picked polo team from Brown faced Worcester Tech at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester. Three 20-minute periods were played, and Brown succeeded in scoring six goals, to their opponents three. About 400 spectators attended the game. The Brown team was composed as follows: Rushers, W.D. Brownell and C.D. Owen; Centre: G.A. Matteson; Half-back: W.A. Jones; Goal: I.B. Merriman.[18]
Four days later, Brown faced a picked polo team from Newport, who called themselves the “Pride of Newport”, on the Ten Mile River and defeated them by the hefty score of 18-1. Two 30-minute halves were played, in each of which the home team scored nine goals. The teams lined up as follows: Brown-Rushers: Brownell, Matteson; Centre: Meiklejohn; Half-back: Chase; Goal: Watson. Newport-Rushers: Whipple, Wilbur; Centre: Gladding; Half-back: Bennett; Goal: Bridgman.
On February 19, Brown visited East Greenwich and defeated the Academy 4-2. The Brown team consisted of Mathewson, Chase, Watson, Owen, and Merriman.[19] Three days later, Brown played two twenty-minute halves against the Cambridge Polo Team, which was comprised mostly of Harvard men and considered the champion amateur team of Massachusetts, at the Ten Mile River, and defeated them 4-0.[20]
Brown faced Cambridge again at Spy Pond on February 24 and scored seven goals over the course of four 20-minute periods. After this game, the Brown Daily Herald wrote that “The establishment of a polo club at Brown has proved a very fortunate move.”[21]
Other locales
- Pennsylvania
The Factoryville Polo Club went to Benton to face the local team on January 9, and defeated them 3-1 on Lake Bassett. The next day, Factoryville beat the Keystone Academy club 3-0 in 18 minutes on Lake Nokonus.[22] On January 20, Factoryville blanked Glenburn 3-0 in a game that lasted one hour and six minutes.[23]
- Lewiston, Maine
It was reported that the two Lewiston hockey clubs held a match game on Wright's Pond on January 13. Captain Charles Marsh's team beat Mr. E. Drury Prayment's side by two goals.[24]
- Madison, Wisconsin
“An ice polo team has been formed at the University of Wisconsin.”[25]
- Meriden, Connecticut
“The vigilant ice polo team of this city [Meriden] has challenged the Hartford Skating club’s team to a match game of ice polo and the challenge has been accepted. Efforts will be made to play the game some time this week.”[26]
References
- ↑ Cambridge Tribune, Volume XVI, Number 44 1894-01-27
- ↑ Boston Evening Transcript, 1894-03-03
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-01-01
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-01-08
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-01-22
- ↑ Star Tribune, 1894-01-21
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-01-28
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-01-29
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-02-05
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-02-11
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-02-12
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-02-19
- ↑ St. Paul Daily Globe, 1894-02-23
- ↑ San Francisco Call, 1894-02-18
- ↑ San Francisco Call, 1894-02-25
- ↑ San Francisco Call, 1894-03-26
- ↑ San Francisco Call, 1894-05-07
- ↑ Brown Daily Herald, 1894-01-16
- ↑ Brown Daily Herald, 1894-02-23
- ↑ Brown Daily Herald, 1894-02-24
- ↑ Brown Daily Herald, 1894-02-27
- ↑ The Tribune, 1894-01-17
- ↑ The Tribune, 1894-01-24
- ↑ Buffalo Morning Express and Illustrated Buffalo Express, 1894-01-16
- ↑ The Stanford Daily, Volume IV, Issue 13 1894-01-24
- ↑ Meriden Daily Republican, 1894-02-01
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