Fédération des Patineurs de Belgique

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The club in December 1908.

Fédération des Patineurs de Belgique was the first ice hockey team in Belgium. The club was renamed Club des Patineurs de Bruxelles in 1912, to avoid confusion with the newly-founded national federation, the Ligue Belge des Sports d'Hiver.

History

The club was founded on December 17, 1903, by Victor Boin, a future Olympic athlete, who became its first president at a mere 17 years of age. It was situated in Brussels.

FPB played their first international matches against Club des Patineurs de Paris of France on March 4 and 5, 1905. The Belgian side was victorious both times, winning by scores of 3-0 and 4-2. Ernest Renard, FPB's captain, scored all seven of his teams goals in the two games.

A few days after the games, a new Belgian squad was created: Club des Patineurs de Bruxelles, which was co-founded by Victor Boin. Two forwards from FPB, Gomree and Daniels, left the club to join CPB, thus increasing competition within the city of Brussels.

Both FPB and CPB took part in international matches against Club des Patineurs de Paris in March 1906. Unlike the previous year, FPB was hammered twice by CP Paris, losing by scores of 20-1 and 11-3. CPB fell to Paris 18-2.

In 1908, the team played against the British Princes Ice Hockey Club, which prevailed by a score of 7-2. The following year, FPB participated in the 1909 Coupe de Chamonix. Five clubs from five different nations took part in the event: CP Paris, Princes Club, Club des Patineurs Lausanne, a selection of students from Prague and finally FPB. The club finished in fourth place in the competition by winning one match against the Prague students.

FPB also played in various other international matches against Swiss and French teams in 1909 and 1910.