OHA Senior A League (1929–1979)

The Ontario Hockey Association Senior A League was a top tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league in Ontario from 1929 until 1979. The league was sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and its clubs competed for the Allan Cup.

History

The league was founded in 1929 by the Ontario Hockey Association, but the league's history can be considered retroactive to 1890. At the top tier of Canadian Senior hockey, the league was eligible and often competed for the Allan Cup.

In 1975, the OHA allowed Hockey Northwestern Ontario's Thunder Bay Twins, the defending Allan Cup champions to enter the league. In 1978, the league briefly changed its name to the Canadian International League, possibly to compete with Semi-Pro leagues which were rapidly gaining popularity. The league folded in 1979, when most of its teams vacated to the Continental Senior A Hockey League and Major Intermediate A Hockey League.

Over the course of fifty seasons, the OHA Senior A Hockey League captured 16 Allan Cups in 26 appearances in the National final. If dated back to the beginning of the Allan Cup in 1908, the OHA had 24 champions in 38 appearances over the course of the league's history. The league's tradition was followed by the Continental Senior A Hockey League in 1979, which became the OHA Senior A Hockey League in 1980 and lasted until 1987. The torch was then passed to the Southwestern Senior A Hockey League in 1990, which today is known as Major League Hockey.

The OHA Senior A Hockey League set the groundwork for much of the current Semi-Professional hockey market. The famous International Hockey League that lasted from 1945 until it merged with the American Hockey League in 2001, was founded in part by both the Windsor Bulldogs and Chatham Maroons. Both teams played at least two different stretches in the league. Also, the Sarnia Sailors spent a few seasons in the International Hockey League. As well, the Thunder Bay Twins jumped between Manitoba leagues and the different Ontario Hockey Association leagues until 1991 when the team changed their name to the Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks and joined the Colonial Hockey League as a founding member. The team has since became the Rockford IceHogs of the United Hockey League. The Thunder Bay franchise won 3 Colonial Cups as CoHL champions and in Rockton they won 1 Colonial Cup as United Hockey League champions. In 2007, the UHL has changed its name and the ownership of the Rockford IceHogs has bought the old Cincinnati Mighty Ducks franchise, making the IceHogs a member of the American Hockey League for the 2007-08 season.

Allan Cups

"Champions":"1910": St. Michael's Majors defeated Queen's University and Sherbrooke "in two games":"1917": Toronto Dentals defeated Winnipeg Victorias "13-goals-to-12":"1918": Kitchener Greenshirts defeated Winnipeg Ypres "6-goals-to-4":"1919": Hamilton Tigers defeated Winnipeg Selkirk "7-goals-to-6":"1921": University of Toronto defeated Brandon "8-goals-to-3":"1922": Toronto Granites defeated Regina Victorias "13-goals-to-2":"1923": Toronto Granites defeated University of Saskatchewan "11-goals-to-2":"1927": University of Toronto defeated Fort William Thundering Herd "2-games-to-1 with 1 tie":"1932": Toronto Nationals Sea Fleas defeated Fort William Blues "2-games-to-none":"1950": Toronto Marlboros defeated Calgary Stampeders "4-games-to-1":"1951": Owen Sound Mercurys defeated Fort Frances Canadians "4-games-to-3":"1953": Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen defeated Penticton Vees "4-games-to-1":"1955": Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen defeated Fort William Beavers "4-games-to-1":"1957": Whitby Dunlops defeated Spokane Flyers "4-games-to-none":"1958": Belleville McFarlands defeated Kelowna Packers "4-games-to-3":"1959": Whitby Dunlops defeated Vernon Canadians "4-games-to-1":"1960": Chatham Maroons defeated Trail Smoke Eaters "4-games-to-none with 1 tie":"1961": Galt Terriers defeated Winnipeg Maroons "4-games-to-1":"1963": Windsor Bulldogs defeated Winnipeg Maroons "4-games-to-1":"1969": Galt Hornets defeated Calgary Stampeders "4-games-to-none":"1971": Galt Hornets defeated Calgary Stampeders "4-games-to-none":"1973": Orillia Terriers defeated St. Boniface Mohawks "4-games-to-1":"1974": Barrie Flyers defeated Cranbrook Royals "4-games-to-2":"1977": Brantford Alexanders defeated Spokane Flyers "4-games-to-1""Finalists":"1912": Winnipeg Victorias defeated Toronto Eatons "2-games-to-none":"1920": Winnipeg Falcons defeated Toronto Granites "11-goals-to-5":"1925": Port Arthur Bearcats defeated University of Toronto "2-games-to-none":"1926": Port Arthur Bearcats defeated University of Toronto "2-games-to-1 with 1 tie":"1931": Winnipeg 'pegs defeated Hamilton Tigers "2-games-to-none":"1946": Calgary Stampeders defeated Hamilton Tigers "4-games-to-1":"1952": Fort Frances Canadians defeated Stratford Indians "4-games-to-2":"1956": Vernon Canadians defeated Chatham Maroons "4-games-to-1":"1964": Winnipeg Maroons defeated Woodstock Athletics "4-games-to-none":"1970": Spokane Jets defeated Orillia Terriers "4-games-to-2":"1972": Spokane Jets defeated Barrie Flyers "4-games-to-2":"1975": Thunder Bay Twins defeated Barrie Flyers "4-games-to-2":"1976": Spokane Flyers defeated Barrie Flyers "4-games-to-none":"1978": Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Brantford Alexanders "4-games-to-1"

Olympic Winter Games

The winner of the Allan Cup was named the top "amateur" team in Canada, this made them eligible to compete in the Olympic Winter Games. The list below includes all Ontario Hockey Association representatives from 1924 until 1960.

:"1924": Toronto Granites (6-0-0) "Won Gold":"1928": University of Toronto (3-0-0) "Won Gold":"1956": Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen (6-2-0) "Won Bronze":"1960": Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen (6-1-0) "Won Silver"

Ice Hockey World Championships

The winner of the Allan Cup was named the top "amateur" team in Canada, this made them eligible to compete in the Ice Hockey World Championships. The list below includes all Ontario Hockey Association representatives from 1930 until 1962.

:"1933": Toronto Nationals Sea Fleas (4-1-0) "Won Silver":"1958": Whitby Dunlops (7-0-0) "Won Gold":"1959": Belleville McFarlands (7-1-0) "Won Gold":"1962": Galt Terriers (6-1-0) "Won Silver"

Teams

"Please note: Teams listed ONLY in last decade played."

1970s *Barrie Flyers *Belleville Quintes *Brantford Alexanders *Cambridge Hornets *Kingston Aces *Lindsay Lancers *Mississauga Golden Arrows *Napanee Comets *Oakville Oaks *Owen Sound Crescents *Orillia Terriers *Thunder Bay Twins *Welland Steelers *Whitby Warriors *Woodstock Athletics

1960s *Chatham Maroons *Collingwood Kings *Guelph Mercurys *Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen *North York Varsity Grads *Ottawa Nationals *St. Thomas Royals *Sarnia Rams *Stratford Indians *Strathroy Rockets *Toronto Marlboros *Windsor Bulldogs

1950s *Brantford Redmen *Cornwall Chevies *Hamilton Tigers *Niagara Falls Cataracts *North Bay Trappers *Ottawa-Hull Canadiens *Owen Sound Mercurys *Pembroke Lumber Kings *Sarnia Sailors *Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds *Sudbury Wolves *Toronto St. Michael's Majors *Whitby Dunlops

1940s *Hamilton Tigers *London Streamliners *Oshawa G-Men *Port Colborne Sailors *St. Catharines Saints *Toronto Staffords

1930s *Brantford Rangers *Hamilton Tigers *Kitchener Greenshirts *Toronto Goodyears *Toronto Nationals Sea Fleas *University of Toronto

Champions

:1930 University of Toronto:1931 Hamilton Tigers:1932 Toronto Nationals:1933 Niagara Falls Cataracts:1934 Hamilton Tigers:1935 Toronto HC:1936 Hamilton Tigers:1937 Toronto Dominions:1938 Toronto Goodyears:1939 Toronto Goodyears:1940 Toronto Goodyears:1941 Toronto Marlboros:1942 Hamilton Tigers:1943 Toronto RCAF:1944 Hamilton Tigers:1945 Hamilton Tigers:1946 Hamilton Tigers:1947 Hamilton Tigers:1948 Hamilton Tigers:1949 Toronto Marlboros

:1950 Toronto Marlboros:1951 Owen Sound Mercurys:1952 Stratford Indians:1953 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen:1954 Owen Sound Mercurys:1955 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen:1956 Chatham Maroons:1957 Whitby Dunlops:1958 Belleville McFarlands:1959 Whitby Dunlops:1960 Chatham Maroons:1961 Galt Terriers:1962 Windsor Bulldogs:1963 Windsor Bulldogs:1964 Woodstock Athletics:1965 Woodstock Athletics:1966 Guelph Regals:1967 Kingston Aces:1968 Toronto Marlboros:1969 Galt Hornets

:1970 Orillia Terriers:1971 Galt Hornets:1972 Barrie Flyers:1973 Orillia Terriers:1974 Barrie Flyers:1975 Barrie Flyers:1976 Barrie Flyers:1977 Brantford Alexanders:1978 Brantford Alexanders:1979 Thunder Bay Twins

Champions prior to 1929-30

:1891 Ottawa:1892 Ottawa:1893 Ottawa:1894 Osgoode Hall:1895 Queen's University:1896 Queen's University:1897 Queen's University:1898 Osgoode Hall:1899 Queen's University:1900 Toronto Wellingtons:1901 Toronto Wellingtons:1902 Toronto Wellingtons:1903 Toronto Wellingtons:1904 Toronto Marlboros:1905 Toronto Marlboros

:1906 Berlin:1907 Stratford:1908 Kingston 4th Regiment:1909 St. Michael's Majors:1910 St. Michael's Majors:1911 Toronto Eatons:1912 Toronto Eatons:1913 Toronto R & AA:1914 Toronto R & AA:1915 Toronto Victorias:1916 Toronto Riversides:1917 Toronto Dentals:1918 Kitchener Greenshirts:1919 Hamilton Tigers:1920 Toronto Granites

:1921 University of Toronto:1922 Toronto Granites:1923 Toronto Granites:1924 Hamilton AAA:1925 Niagara Falls Cataracts:1926 Peterborough:1927 University of Toronto:1928 Kitchener-Waterloo:1929 University of Toronto

"Please note: bold denotes an Allan Cup champion."

External links

* [http://www.ohahockey.org/ Official Ontario Hockey Association webpage]
* [http://www.allancup.ca/ Official Allan Cup webpage]
* [http://www.allancup.ca/allancuparchivescores.htm Official Allan Cup Archives webpage]