Winnipeg Victorias

This article is about the hockey team. For the football team, see Winnipeg Victorias Rugby Club.
Winnipeg Victorias
CityWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
LeagueManitoba Hockey Association
ColoursRed, Yellow
   
Team portrait in 1900

The Winnipeg Victorias were a former amateur senior-level men's amateur ice hockey team in Winnipeg, Manitoba, organized in 1889.[1] They played in the Manitoba Hockey Association (MHA) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Victorias won the Stanley Cup in February 1896, 1901 and January 1902 while losing the Cup in December 1896, February 1899, February 1900, March 1902, and February 1903. After the Stanley Cup became the professional championship, the Victorias continued in senior-level amateur play, winning the Allan Cup in 1911 and 1912.

Victorias hockey team, champions of Manitoba and Northwest Territories, 1892–1893
Team picture, 1899

History

1899 to 1902

The Victoria Hockey Club, and the first rink they played in, took their name from the then-reigning monarch of Canada, Queen Victoria. From 1889 until 1892, the Victorias played exhibitions and played against other Winnipeg teams. The Victorias played in the first match in Western Canada between organized hockey clubs on December 20, 1890, against the Winnipeg Hockey Club at the Street Railway Rink in Winnipeg. The players were:

Victorias Winnipegs
  • A. B. Clark (goal)
  • F. L. Patton (back)
  • Claude Denison, McDonald (wings)
  • Frank Beckett, Harry Beckett, John R. Waghorn (forwards)

Source: "In the Early Days". The Globe. December 28, 1910. p. 11.

The Victorias helped to found the Manitoba Hockey Association in 1893. In February 1893, players from the Victorias joined players from the Winnipeg Dragoons and the Winnipeg Hockey Club on a tour of Eastern Canada to demonstrate the quality of ice hockey in Western Canada.[2] Tour schedule

Source: Montreal Gazette[14]

The Victorias first won the Stanley Cup in 1896, defeated the Montreal Victorias in a single-game challenge 2–0 on February 14, 1896, in Montreal. In the rematch, Winnipeg lost to Montreal in a single-game challenge 5–6 on December 30, 1896, in Winnipeg.

In 1898, the team moved to the new Winnipeg Auditorium, built to hold 2000 spectators for hockey. In February 1899, the Victorias would lose a two-game total goals series 5–3 against Montreal. In their next chance, the Victorias defeated Montreal Shamrocks in a two-game, total goals series 4–3, 2–1 (6–4) on January 29 and 31, 1901 in Montreal. The Victorias held the trophy, winning the Manitoba championship, and successfully defended the Stanley Cup against the Toronto Wellingtons in a two-game, total goals series 5–3, 5–3 (10–6) on January 21 and 23, 1902 in Winnipeg at the Auditorium. The Victorias run as champion ended in a loss to Montreal Hockey Club in a best two-of-three 1–0, 0–5 and 1–2 on March 13, 15 and 17, 1902 in Winnipeg.

1904 to 1912

The Victorias subsequently operated teams at the senior ice hockey and intermediate levels. The Victorias won the intermediate league during the 1904–05 season, with Claude C. Robinson as the captain.[15][16][17] After 1906, the Victorias no longer challenged for the Stanley Cup, and remained an amateur team, playing in the Manitoba Association.[18][19] Robinson coached the Victorias to a Manitoba Hockey League senior championship for the 1908–09 season, and felt that his team could have competed for the newly established Allan Cup,[20][21] although challenges from senior teams were accepted only from Eastern Canada at the time.[21]

Allan Cup trustees accepted the challenge from Robinson and the Victorias, to play the Toronto St. Michael's Majors for the trophy, in Winnipeg from February 20–25, 1911.[22][23] When the Majors refused to play by the deadline given, trustees awarded the 1911 Allan Cup to the Victorias by default.[24][25] The Winnipeg Tribune wrote that the Majors had refused since the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) executive wanted the games to be played in March,[25] and that the OHA initially refused to surrender the trophy despite instructions from the trustees.[26]

Black and white photo of a hockey team seated behind two large trophies
The Winnipeg Victorias with the Allan Cup in 1911

Robinson was asked by Allan Cup trustee William Northey, to schedule dates and referees to defend a challenge by the Kenora Thistles.[24] The Victorias defeated Kenora by a combined score of 16–10 in a two-game series.[27] The series profited approximately CA$1,500, which were donated by cup trustees to charities in Winnipeg chosen by Robinson.[28] No further Allan Cup challenges were arranged for the season,[27] despite proposals to play the Calgary Athletic Club[29] and the Ottawa New Edinburghs.[28]

The Victorias won the 1911–12 Manitoba Hockey League regular season, then defended the Allan Cup in three challenges.[30] Robinson's team defeated the Calgary Athletic Club by 11–0 and 8–6 scores in a two-game series, defeated Toronto Eaton's by 8–4 and 16–1 scores in a two-game series, and the Regina Capitals by a 9–3 score in a one-game challenge.[27] In 1942, Robinson described the victory versus Toronto Eaton's as redemption for winning the trophy by default from the OHA.[21]

Honours

Winnipeg Victorias 1901

The 1896 and 1901 Stanley Cup champions, and the 1911[31] and 1912 Allan Cup[32] champions Winnipeg Victorias are inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in the team category.[33]

Notable players

Hall of Fame members

NHL alumni

Championship rosters

1896 Stanley Cup

Awarded February 14, 1896
George Merritt (goal), Rod Flett (point), Fred Higginbotham (cover point), Charles Johnstone (cover point), Dan Bain (center), Jack Armytage (rover - Captain), Colin "Tote" Campbell (left wing), Tom "Attie" Howard (right wing), Bobby R. Benson (spare-left-right wing), Jack Sheppard (goal-played 1 regular season game), E.B. Nixon (President), Able Code (Vice President/Manager), J. Carter (Mascot/Trainer).

After this 2–0 win over the similarly named Montreal Victorias, the very first Stanley Cup parade was held in Winnipeg on Main Street celebrating this victory.

1901 Stanley Cup

Exterior of wooden building with peaked roof and arched windows
Winnipeg Auditorium, c. 1900

Awarded January 31, 1901
Art Brown (goal), Rod Flett (point), Jack Marshall (point), Magnus Flett (cover point), Burke Wood (rover), Dan Bain (center - Captain), Fred Cadham (center), Charles Johnstone (left wing), Tony Gingras (right wing), George A. Carruthers (right wing), Jack Armytage (President), Mark Hooper (Trainer), Ted Robinson (Secretary-treasurer), Walter Pratt (Director).

1902 Stanley Cup

Awarded January 23, 1902
Art Brown (goal), Dan Bain (center - Captain), Fred Cadham (Center), Rod Flett (point), Magnus Flett (cover point), Tony Gingras (right wing), Charles Johnstone (left wing/rover), Fred Scanlan (left wing), Burke Wood (rover), Jack Armytage (President), Mark Hooper (Trainer), Ted Robinson (Secretary-treasurer), Walter Pratt (Director).

See also

Wikisource has original text related to this article:
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References

  1. ^ Farrell, Arthur (1899). Hockey: Canada's Royal Winter Game. p. 63.
  2. ^ Simpson 1989, p. 176.
  3. ^ "Hockey: Winnipegers Win in Toronto". The Gazette. Montreal. February 10, 1893. p. 8.
  4. ^ "Winnipeg Defeats Osgoode Hall". The Gazette. Montreal. February 11, 1893. p. 8.
  5. ^ "Winnipeg Defeats Queen's". The Gazette. Montreal. February 13, 1893. p. 2.
  6. ^ "Ottawa Defeats Winnipeg". The Gazette. Montreal. February 14, 1893. p. 8.
  7. ^ "Winnipegers Play Well". The Gazette. Montreal. February 16, 1893. p. 8.
  8. ^ "Winnipeg Defeats Peterboro". The Gazette. Montreal. February 18, 1893. p. 8.
  9. ^ "Winnipegs and Granites". The Gazette. Montreal. February 21, 1893. p. 8.
  10. ^ "Winnipeg Defeats London". The Gazette. Montreal. February 22, 1893. p. 8.
  11. ^ "Winnipeg Defeats Niagara Falls". The Gazette. Montreal. February 23, 1893. p. 8.
  12. ^ "Winnipeg Backed Out". The Gazette. Montreal. February 24, 1893. p. 8.
  13. ^ "Winnipeg Defeated". The Gazette. Montreal. February 25, 1893. p. 8.
  14. ^ "Tour of the Winnipeg Team". The Gazette. Montreal. February 6, 1893. p. 6.
  15. ^ "Local Hockey Year is Almost Over". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. March 27, 1905. p. 9.Free access icon
  16. ^ "Four College Clubs Again". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. December 22, 1904. p. 16.Free access icon
  17. ^ "Vics In Annual Session". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. November 10, 1905. p. 8.Free access icon
  18. ^ "Hockey League Meets". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. November 12, 1906. p. 6.Free access icon; "A Split Is Impending". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. November 12, 1906. p. 6.Free access icon
  19. ^ "Pass Up Stanley Cup". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. December 11, 1906. p. 6.Free access icon
  20. ^ "Annual of Victorias". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. November 13, 1909. p. 9.Free access icon; "Annual of Victorias (Continued)". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. November 13, 1909. p. 21.Free access icon
  21. ^ a b c Cottrell, Alf (November 17, 1942). "On the Sunbeam". Vancouver Sun. Vancouver, British Columbia. p. 11.Free access icon
  22. ^ "Victorias are Promised Early Dates by Trustees". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. February 9, 1911. p. 11.Free access icon
  23. ^ "Allan Cup Trustees View Favourably Vics' Request". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. February 6, 1911. p. 1.Free access icon
  24. ^ a b "Allan Cup Series Between Victoria and Kenoras Will Likely be Played Next Week". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. February 17, 1911. p. 6.Free access icon
  25. ^ a b "Trustees Award Allan Cup to Victorias; Kenora May Play for Trophy Next Week". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. February 14, 1911. p. 6.Free access icon; "Allan Cup Trustees Award Trophy to Winnipeg Victorias". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. February 14, 1911. p. 15.Free access icon
  26. ^ "Trustees Deny Calgary Right to Play for Allan Cup Owing to Some Men Being Ineligible". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. March 3, 1911. p. 7.Free access icon
  27. ^ a b c "Allan Cup Archives". Allan Cup. September 25, 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-05-15. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  28. ^ a b "Allan Cup Games Net Big Sum for Winnipeg Charities". The Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. March 16, 1911. p. 3.Free access icon
  29. ^ "Trustees Order Victorias To Defend Allan Cup". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. March 11, 1911. p. 33.Free access icon
  30. ^ Shields, Clem (November 30, 1935). "Weekly Whirligig". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. p. 27.Free access icon
  31. ^ "1910/11 Winnipeg Victorias". Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  32. ^ "1911/12 Winnipeg Victorias". Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  33. ^ "1911 & 1912 Winnipeg Victorias". Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. 2004. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  34. ^ "Claude Robinson". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame. 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
General
  • Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Triumph Books, 12, 50. ISBN 1-55168-261-3.