Hockey History

Hamilton team termed “Champion Hockeyists” in 1894 newspaper account
Locals beat Niagara Falls in scientific hockey match

Hockey matches were regularly reported during the sport’s formative years in Hamilton. The only media outlet before the year 1900 was, of course, newspapers. The daily broadsheets rarely featured photography before the coming of the 20th century, but the prose that went into a report on a hockey game provided a strong mental picture for the reader.

A good example of early hockey reporting appeared in the February 19, 1894 issue of the Hamilton Times, in a game between the Hamilton Victorias and Niagara Falls.

Entitled “The Champion Hockeyists,” and printed in among reports of curling, boxing, and horse racing, the seven-player lineups of each team was presented, last name only and their positions. Also making the program were the time-keepers, goal judges, and referee, listed with their hometown.

The writer was concerned with watching “scientific” hockey, and mentioned this several times in his report:

“The largest crowd of spectators of the season saw the match and greatly enjoyed it, for although it was not nearly as scientific as might have been, it was very exciting and very fast,” read the newspaper account. This term was used to describe play at the start of the second half. “The first part of the second half saw scientific hockey, the combinations of Marshall, McCarthy, Southam and Martin being very pretty.”

The Niagara Falls team was strong in the early going of the game, scoring two early goals in the first four minutes, but Hamilton answered back with four goals before the end of the period.
Then Hamilton went on a tear, scoring another five goals, while Niagara Falls managed only one more, giving the hometown a 9-3 victory.

“Marshall did grand work,” according to the report about the Hamilton success. “Southam was particularly sure with the puck and Martin was sure also. The back division did good work too.” Marshall scored four of the Hamilton goals.

Penalties and tired players kept the Niagara Falls team from scoring more said the account.
“The Niagaras had tired themselves out in the first half. Cole, the lightning and sure Niagara Falls forward, was twice ruled off for foul checking, and Stephens, of the same team, suffered similarly, while Glassco and Wylie, of the Hamiltons, were also punished.”

While the defeated Niagara Falls team headed back to the railroad station for the trip home, Hamilton geared up to take on its next opponent, Osgoode, the next evening.

There is no mention of where this game took place, but possible locations include the James Street Armouries and the Thistle Club.

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