1891–92 Ottawa Hockey Club season

The 1891–92 Ottawa Hockey Club season was the club's seventh season of play. The Club would play in the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada, the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and inter-city play. Ottawa would win their second straight OHA championship.

AHAC series

Play in the AHAC was by challenge. Ottawa won on January 10 to become champions. In all, Ottawa would win 6 challenges, but lose the final one to lose the AHAC championship.

Referee: E. Littlejohn, Umpires: V. Chadwick and C. A. BogertAttendance: 2,500

Source: Citation |newspaper=The Globe |date=March 3, 1892 |pages=pg.6 |title=The Ottawas Are Champions

Celebration dinner

The Ottawa Hockey Club was feted at a party by the Ottawa Amateur Athletic Association at Ottawa's Russell House hotel on 1892-03-18. The dinner is notable as Lord Stanley, the Governor-General would announce his new trophy, the "Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup", today known as the Stanley Cup. Lord Kilcoursie, Stanley's aide made the announcement:

“I have for some time been thinking that it would be a good thing if there were a challenge cup which would be held by the champion hockey team in the Dominion. There does not appear to be any such outward and visible sign of a championship at present, and considering the general interest which the matches now elicit, and in the importance of having the games played fairly and under rules generally recognized, I am willing to give a cup, which shall be held from year to year by the winning team.

I am not quite certain that the present regulations governing the arrangement of matches give entire satisfaction, and it would be worth considering whether they could not be arranged so that each team would play once at home and once at the play where their opponents hail from.” [cite news|work=The Ottawa Daily Journal |title=Stars of the Ice-The Dinner to the Ottawa Hockey Team. Lord Stanley gives a Challenge Cup Open to the Dominion, to be Competed for Next Year-A successful Reunion |date=1892-03-19| page=1]

The second paragraph is an obvious reference to the disappointment in the AHAC series. Ottawa had held the championship for most of the season, only to lose in the end. The AHAC would change its method of play from challenge to round-robin in the 1893 season.

Lord Kilcoursie composed a song for the occasion:

THE HOCKEY MEN

There is a game called hockey
There is no finer game
For though some call it 'knockey'
Yet we love it all the same.

This played in His Dominion
Well played both near and far
There's only one opinion
How 'tis played in Ottawa.

Then give three cheers for Russell
The captain of the boys.
However tough the tussle
His position he enjoys.

And then for all the others
Let's shout as loud we may
An O, a T, a T, an A
A W and A!

Now list' to me one minute
I'll tell you where they play
And why it is that eagerly
We welcome them today

They vanquished in their revel
Quebec and Montreal
The gallant club, the Rebels
and the Queen's and Osgoode Hall

Well, first there's Chauncy Kirby
He's worth his weight in gold
For though he is not very big
He's very very bold.

Supported by his brother
They make a wondrous pair
For either one or t'other
Is invariably there.

And on the left there's Bradley
And on the right there's Kerr
And when the centres pass it
There, on either side, they are.

And that's what won the battles
Their fine unselfish play
Cool heads that nothing rattles
In the thickest of the fray.

At coverpoint - important place
There's Young, a bulwark strong.
No dodging tricks or flying pace
Will baffle him for long.

At point we have the captain
And if he gets the puck
Will very near the goal he'll shoot
And get it too, with luck.

There's yet another member
Impregnable Morel.
He's had his share of work to do
And done it very well.

And there is also Jenkins
Who played in matches twain
So well that in Toronto
They don't wish for him again.

And now, my friends, forgive me
The moral of my song
I'll soon explain in twenty words
Nor keep you very long.

We've here eight bright examples
Of fine unselfish play
And that's the secret of success
And why they're here today.

Just one word to the audience
And every player too
(Forgive me, though a novice,
In dictating this to you).

Don't question a decision
However wrong it be.
And little boys, for manner's sake
Don't hoot the referee! [Shea and Wilson(2006), pp. 350–353]

ee also

*Amateur Hockey Association of Canada
*Ice hockey in Ottawa
*Stanley Cup

References