Portland Buckaroos

The Portland Buckaroos was the name of several professional ice hockey teams based in Portland, Oregon.

PCHL/NWHL era (1928-1941)

The first incarnation of Portland Buckaroos played their home games at the Portland Ice Arena. The Buckaroos initially played in the four-team Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHL) from 1928 to 1931.cite web| title =Minor Professional Hockey Leagues| publisher =History of North American Hockey| url =http://www.hockeyleaguehistory.com/minor_professional_hockey_leagues.htm| accessdate =2007-04-23 ] The PCHL folded in 1931, and in 1933, the Buckaroos joined the new North West Hockey League.cite web| title =North West Hockey League| publisher =History of North American Hockey| url =http://www.hockeyleaguehistory.com/North_West_Hockey_League_1933.htm| accessdate =2007-04-23 ] In 1936, the Buckaroos rejoined the reconstituted four-team PCHL, and won league championships in 1937 and 1939.cite web| title =Pacific Coast Hockey League (1936-41)| publisher =History of North American Hockey| url =http://www.hockeyleaguehistory.com/Pacific_Coast_Hockey_League_1936.htm| accessdate =2007-04-23 ]

With the onset of World War II, the PCHL folded again in 1941. In 1944, it was again resurrected, but this time, Portland's team was the Portland Eagles (known as the Portland Penguins for one season).cite web| title =Pacific Coast Hockey League (1944-52)| publisher =History of North American Hockey| url =http://www.hockeyleaguehistory.com/Pacific_Coast_Hockey_League_1944.htm| accessdate =2007-04-23 ]

WHL era (1960-1975)

In 1960, Portland was granted a franchise in the minor league Western Hockey League (WHL) for its newly-built 10,500 seat Memorial Coliseum, and the Buckaroos name was reincarnated. The new Buckaroos were composed mostly of players and coaches from the New Westminster Royals, including its head coach Hal Laycoe. The Buckaroos went on to beat the Seattle Totems in the league championship and win the Lester Patrick Cup in its first season of existence.cite web| title =Portland Buckaroos & Western Hockey League History and Memorabilia| publisher =PortlandBuckaroos.com| url =http://www.portlandbuckaroos.com/index.shtml | accessdate =2007-04-23 ] cite web
title =Historic Trophies: The Lester Patrick Cup| publisher =Hockey Hall of Fame| url =http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/silver_splashlesterpatrickcup.htm| accessdate =2007-04-23 ] That 1960-61 Buckaroos team was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.cite web| title =Oregon Sports Hall of Fame: Teams|publisher =Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and Museum| url =http://www.oregonsportshall.org/inductee/roll/teams.htm| accessdate =2007-04-23 ]

The Buckaroos won another league championship under Laycoe in 1964-65, and a third in 1970-71 under coach and former team captain Gord Fashoway.

In 1974, the WHL folded and the Buckaroos moved to the semi-pro Western International Hockey League for the 1974-75 season,cite web
title =1974-75 Western International Hockey League| publisher =hockeyDB.com| url =http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/wihl19611975.html| accessdate =2007-04-23 ] and to the startup Pacific Northwest Hockey League the next year, but that league did not last a full season.cite web
title =Pacific Northwest Hockey League| publisher =OGP Enterprises| url =http://www.officialgamepuck.com/Pacific%20Northwest%20Hockey%20League/PNHLhistory.htm| accessdate =2007-04-23 ]

Notable Buckaroos

An incomplete list of noted Buckaroos players:

PCHL/NWHL era

* Andy Aitkenhead (goalie; 1987 Oregon Sports Hall of Fame inductee)

WHL era

*Marv Edwards (Outstanding WHL Goalkeeper Award winner)
*Art Jones (two-time George Leader Cup for most valuable player; six-time Leading Scorer Award winner; 1984 Oregon Sports Hall of Fame inductee)
*Gord Fashoway (1960-61 team captain; 1960-61 Fred Hume Cup for sportsmanship winner; coach from 1969-1973)
*Don Head (1960-61 WHL Rookie of the Year; three-time Outstanding Goalkeeper Award winner; 1993 Oregon Sports Hall of Fame inductee)
*Andy Hebenton (five-time Fred Hume Cup for sportsmanship winner)
*Jimmy McLeod (four-time WHL Outstanding Goalkeeper Award winner)
*Connie Madigan (Hal Laycoe Cup for outstanding WHL defenseman winner)
*Cliff Schmautz (1965-66 Leading Scorer Award winner)
*Pat Stapleton (Hal Laycoe Cup for outstanding WHL defenseman winner)
*Dave Kelly (1963-64 WHL Rookie of the Year; two-time Outstanding WHL Goalkeeper Award winner)

References

External links

* [http://www.portlandbuckaroos.com/ Portland Buckaroos & Western Hockey League History and Memorabilia]
* [http://www.geocities.com/texliebmann/hockey/buckaroo/buckaroo.htm Unofficial Homepage of the Old Portland Buckaroos]
* [http://www.hockeydb.com The Internet Hockey Database]
* [http://www.hockeyleaguehistory.com/index.html History of North American Hockey Leagues]