The Wheat Cities Hockey Team. (March 9th 1904)
3/9/2009 at 2:55 AM
The winter of 1904 was one of the coldest on record and recurring blizzards whipped the snow into large drifts.
These tempestuous days did not affect the support for the Brandon hockyists who defeated the Rat Portage Aggregation, and won the Manitoba and North West Championship to become Stanley Cup Challengers.
On the train that took the contenders to Ottawa were (Manager), Robert Cross, (Captain), J. Brodie, S. B. Lowes, William Hopper, D. Smith, H. Bright, L. Laidlaw, L. Patrick, D. Morrison, H. Breton, F. Wheelan, and Mr. and Mrs. L. Hannay was a special decorated coach.
It was decorated in both sides with yellow streamers and was bearing the legend “Wheat Cities Hockey Team”.
On arrival at Canada’s Capital Brandon M.P. the Honourable Clifford Sifton entertained the team.
The team of the Brandon Senior Club had hours of ice practice before meeting the Ottawa Cup holders, the Ottawa Silver Seven who won the two game series 6-3, 9-3 on March 9, and 11, at the Aberdeen Pavilion.
The games were described as “fast, exciting, and blood thirsty hockey all the time. The Brandon Wheat Cities team are game, fast and brilliant, but team play is lacking.”
Before boarding the west bound train to Brandon the runner up team participated in several exhibition games in Montreal.
Back home large crowds gathered outside the Young man’s Club, the Codville company premises, the Grand View Hotel, the Langham Hotel, and the Imperial Hotel to welcome the Wheat Cities boys.
The Canadian Northern Telegraph summated, “Brandon lost, but gave Champion Ottawa the hottest kind of argument”.
Notes:
1. The Brandon Wheat Cities was a senior level elite armature hockey team that played from 1903 to 1923.
2. In 1903 hockey teams iced seven men, a goalie, three forwards, two defensemen and a rover. (The Rover had no set position and roved around to any position as needed).
3. The 1904 Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL) season lasted from January 2 until February 24. Teams played an eight game schedule.
Source: Brandon a City by G. L. Barker
Daly House Museum Archives.
Note: Daly House Museum has the images of these teams on display in their basement.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_Wheat_Cities