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The Hamilton Red Wings and the 1962 Memorial Cup
Chapter One Solid playing and solid coaching gets the Red Wings to the playoffs After a see-saw battle for first place in the OHA Junior A loop in 1962, the Montreal Junior Canadiens took top spot in the league with 73 points, and the Hamilton Red Wings were next with 70 points. The Saint Catharines Teepees were next in the six-team league with 46 points, far behind the top two teams. The Red Wings were a farm club of the parent Detroit Red Wings, established in 1960 as a replacement for the Hamilton Tiger Cubs. With Coach Eddie Bush, the Red Wings were filled with talent and depth, with players such as Pit Martin, Bud Blom, Lowell MacDonald, Howie Menard, Paul Henderson, Bob Wall, and Wayne Rivers, all (except Blom) who would go on to careers in the NHL.
Coach Bush, who moved up to the Hamilton Junior A squad from the Guelph Biltmores, guided the Wings to a third-place in the standings the season before, noted the differences in players between the present and past years in a February 1962 interview. “We have four or five outstanding players this year although we haven’t got the balance of last year’s club,” he said. “We have a good goalie, fair defence, two high-scoring forwards and some others who will reach their peak next year. What our team lacks in scoring punch it makes up in desire.” But Bush did make mention of some of his more outstanding players, including MacDonald, whom he regarded the smoothest skating attacker he had coached. “Pit Martin has had a good year,” Bush went on to say, “and he still has a couple more left. Paul Henderson is beginning to hit his stride. Howie Menard has developed into my best checking forward. And I would have to include Bob Wall as one of the outstanding Junior A players.” On March 5, Hamilton finished its regular season on a winning note, taking a 2-1 decision over the Peterborough Petes, thanks to goals by Rivers and Henderson. The game, played at the Forum, had no bearing on the final standings. Several Red Wings were honored at the final game. Rivers was awarded as best defenseman-forward, Blom named most popular player, MacDonald most promising player, and Wall best defenseman. In addition, Martin was presented with the Carling Most Valuable Player trophy as well as finishing the regular season with the most points. Martin’s award was picked by Hamilton sportswriters and broadcasters. With the regular season over, the Hamilton Red Wings, the Detroit affiliate, were ready to take on the affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Saint Catharines Teepees, in the first game of the best-of-seven semi-final round, starting the first week in March at the Forum. Next: The Wings lose the opener, but get back on track for the rest of the series.
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