Owen Sound Hockey History

Owen Sound hockey history is rich with stories of championship teams, star hockey players, and community support.

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The Great Lakes Raconteur

Sports have always been a large part of life in this area. Early editions of the newspaper reported the results of regattas, baseball games and other competitions which were usually held in conjunction with other events such as Dominion Day picnics and the celebrations on the 12th of July. Later, the newspaper reported on the exploits of the local high school in rugby, baseball and other sports. After the turn of the century more coverage appeared as local teams competed with other area communities for honours in sports such as hockey.

First National Championship
in Owen Sound Hockey History

In the 1920s sports became a larger part of the Owen Sound Sun Times as sports were becoming more and more a part of life in the community. Through the efforts of groups like the Crescent Club many more athletes were participating in sports and teams were representing the city in many leagues. 1924 marked a new high point for the community in the world of sports, and especially in Owen Sound hockey history, as the junior hockey team, the Greys, defeated all opposition and headed west to play for the Memorial Cup, emblematic of the Canadian Junior Hockey Championships!

The whole city, and the surrounding area, was caught up in the frenzy about a national hockey championship being claimed by a local team. The Greys played Calgary for the Memorial Cup on March 28, 1924. As game time approached fans started gathering outside the office of the Sun Times waiting for news about the game. The newspaper set up a lantern projector and as the game progressed, telegraphed information about penalties and goals were flashed on the wall of the building across the street. Each goal or penalty brought cheers or groans from the assembled throng in the street. By the end of the game it was estimated that more than five thousand area residents were in the street outside the Sun Times office.

When the game ended, Owen Sound had its first national hockey championship and pandemonium back out. Bands played, people danced, and the partying lasted well into the night. Owen Sound had not seen a celebration that compared since the news of the end of World War One!

During this era the front of the Sun Times office was a common meeting place in the community. You never knew when late breaking news might occur, and the front of the newspaper office was the place to hear it first!

In 1927 the street in front of the Sun Times was once more the site of a mass of anxious hockey fans as the local heroes, the Greys, were once again doing battle for the Memorial Cup. A hush would fall over the crowd as the lantern flashed the latest events of the game, then there would be a collective cheer or groan depending upon the news. At one point, it was announced that the Greys’ goaltender, Benny Grant, had received a penalty. His father was so disheartened by this that he went home, convinced that his son’s penalty had cost the team the game and the championship. However, the Greys killed the penalty and went on to victory! Once again, the streets of Owen Sound were the scene of wild jubilation!

Another highlight in Owen Sound hockey history occurred in October 1938 when a new arena with the first artificial ice surface in the area was opened in Owen Sound. The Sun Times marked the occasion by publishing a special sports edition. In that edition the newspaper featured not only the rich hockey heritage of the community, but also highlighted the careers of many local heroes who had gone on to play professional hockey. Ironically, the sports editor of the day may have known something about the future as he published a picture of a local school hockey team. There alongside stories about Butch Keeling, Benny Grant and others was the picture of a young boy, named Harry Lumley, who only a few years later would star in the NHL and become perhaps the Greatest hockey player ever from the Owen Sound area!

In the 1940's the Sun Times provided coverage of the Orphans, Mercurys, Greys, Crescents and other teams representing the area in many sports. Now hockey and lacrosse games could be heard on the radio and the voice that detailed the play-by-play action as the Mercurys won an Allan Cup as the Canadian Senior Hockey Champions and the Crescents won the Canadian Lacrosse Mann Cup Championship was Bill Dane a Sun Times sports reporter!

Sports, especially hockey are an important part of life in this area and Sun Times has long been an important source of information about the successes of our local heroes.

A version of this story first appeared in my Local Sports History column in the Owen Sound Sun Times.

More Great Information Pages
About Owen Sound Hockey History

The 1920s Owen Sound Hockey Stars made there mark in amateur ranks and then many of them went on to careers in the NHL and other professional hockey leagues.

The 1927 Owen Sound Greys with a priest serving as coach named Jack Spratt and not one experienced defenseman were an unlikely Canadian National Hockey Championship team.

Benny Grant: Memorial Cup Champ grew up in Owen Sound and enjoyed a hockey career, which included a surprising turn of events that led to a stint in the NHL.

"Buck" Jones, like most Canadian boys, dreamed of playing in the NHL. Little did he realize that one day he would wear the sweater of an NHL club and would be the idol of youngsters like himself!

The Chin Brothers dominated in their hockey league which drew attention from the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Ralph "Cooney" Weiland skated from a Memorial Cup championship in Owen Sound, to a Stanley Cup in Boston to fame as a U.S. college hockey coach.

The Crescent Club has a long history of sponsoring sports teams and leagues in Owen Sound providing consistent management and financial assistance to athletics.

"Cyclone" Taylor was hockey's first superstar. Born in Tara Ontario, he was involved in a controversy in Ottawa which still has not been resolved.

Doug Brindley: From Maple Draft Choice to a role in Slap Shot: a Memorial Cup champ; coached by Don Cherry; and he played in the WHA; what more could a Walkerton Ontario native ask for in a hockey career?

The Durham Yellowjackets hockey team was a force to be reckoned with in Ontario Intermediate hockey in the 1930s.

Goalie "Red" Henry: An All-Star Netminder: Another great Owen Sound goalie who played for the love of the game.

"Hap" Day was a Hall of Fame hockey player, coach and general manager as well as a life-long Toronto Maple Leaf.

Norm Locking Chicago Black Hawks & Former Owen Sound Grey was known for his hard and deadly shot in Al Capone's Chicago.

Harry Lumley spent his Hall of Fame hockey career tending the nets for four NHL clubs and he spent one period of a hockey game goaltending for a fifth NHL team.

Henry Kelso: Owen Sound Sports Legend not only contributed to the sporting life of his students, he also had a significant influence on the rest of their lives.

Junior Hockey Commentary: Should there be controversy about the use of non-local hockey players? This article was written in 1998 in response to a letter to the editor in the Owen Sound Sun Times.

Meaford Knights Hockey: The 1953-54 Championship Knights' line-up had of several pairs of brothers. Many felt that the brothers made a winning difference.

Newspaper Sports: Owen Sound Hockey History was detailed in the pages of the Owen Sound Sun Times in detail in the days before the radio and television eras.

Owen Sound Hockey's early history some references suggest started in the 1880s. However there are records of organized hockey teams beginning in the early 1900s.

Owen Sound was a Hockey Hotbed in 1950-51: Their fans were hockey crazy during this OHA Senior A Championship season as their star-studded team marched to an Allan Cup victory.

The 1959-60 Owen Sound Greys: A Tough Act to Follow: Tragedy struck this hockey team of young men, yet they persevered.

The 1960s Owen Sound Greys Stars who went on to NHL action including Brian Perry, Doug Brindley, Jim Schoenfeld, and Jack Lynch brought Owen Sound a reputation as a hockey hotbed!

Owen Sound Attack: The arrival of this new OHL team is the latest chapter in the Owen Sound region's rich hockey history.

Owen Sound Goalies: Why does Owen Sound produce so many fine goaltenders? There must be something in the water!

Some Great Owen Sound Greys. The history of this hockey team is a story of players who were not only local boys, but came from many locations to hone their skills.

Owen Sound Hockey Heritage stretches from rural farmhouses on Saturday night to backyard rinks to cheering for local hockey successes and hockey heroes.

Owen Sound Junior Hockey History began almost one hundred and twenty years ago and is rich with championship teams, great players, and dedicated fans.

Owen Sound's New Arena in 1938 opened a new era in Grey and Bruce counties with the first artificial ice making machine in western Ontario north of Kitchener.

Owen Sound Platers: Ray McKelvie the quiet and knowledgeable leader behind the success of the 1999 hockey team.

Pat McReavy enjoyed a long hockey career which brought him three championships, the Stanley Cup, the Allan Cup and a World Hockey Title.

Paul MacDermid, born in Chesley Ontario, through hard work and determination enjoyed a 12 year NHL career, before keeping junior hockey alive in Owen Sound by working with a group citizens to purchase the Attack OHL franchise.

"Red" Armstrong, a fiery spirited hockey player, known more for his fierce checking than his scoring prowess surprised even himself on his first NHL shift.

Red Leckie was more than a good hockey player. He played for the team, not for himself. Outside hockey, he responded when he saw a need in his community.

Southampton hockey history in the early years featured a distinct line of defense in the local arena, and stories of interesting "road" trips.

Tommy Burlington: the Greatest North American Never to Play in the NHL captured scoring titles in every league that he played, bringing comparisons to NHL greats.

Owen Sound Hockey History is rich with stories of championship teams, star hockey players, and community support.