1933–34 Tigers team photo as part of a hockey retrospective at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

The Calgary Tigers, often nicknamed the Bengals, were an ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 1920 until 1927 as members of the Big Four League, Western Canada Hockey League and Prairie Hockey League. The Tigers were revived in 1932, playing for a short-lived four years in the North Western Hockey League. They played their games at the Victoria Arena.

Created ostensibly as an amateur team in hopes of competing for the Allan Cup, the Tigers helped form the Western Canada Hockey League in 1921 to become the first major professional team in Calgary. In 1924, after wining both the league and Western Canadian championships, the Tigers became the first Calgary based club to compete for the Stanley Cup.

After succumbing to financial pressures in 1927, the Tigers were briefly revived in the mid 1930s as a minor professional club. The Tigers competed a total of eleven seasons in four leagues, winning four championships during their existence. Five Tigers players would later gain election to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Contents

History

Big Four League

In 1919, under the guidance of Alberta Amateur Hockey Association league president Allan McCaw, a new elite senior amateur league was established in Alberta with two teams each in Calgary and Edmonton.1 The league's intention was to compete for the Allan Cup, emblematic of Canada's national senior championship.2 The Tigers were created in 1920, along with the Canadians, to represent Calgary in the Big Four after the city's two original teams, the Wanderers and Columbus Crew, withdrew following the league's first season.3 The Tigers also faced the Edmonton Eskimos and Dominions who served as representatives of Alberta's capital.1 The Calgary teams were hosted at the Victoria Arena, which had been converted into a hockey rink in 1918.4

While the Big Four League billed itself as an amateur circuit, it became known as a notorious example of a "shamateur" league, as amateur teams secretly employed professional players in an attempt to gain an upper hand on their competition.2 When the Big Four announced their intention to compete in the Allan Cup playdowns, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association sent a letter of protest to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, demanding that the league be declared professional, thus ineligible to compete for the Allan Cup.1 The Big Four ultimately chose to withdraw from the AAHA, and operated as an independent league in 1920–21.5

The Tigers' inaugural game was played at home on December 29, 1920 as 2,500 fans saw them defeat the Edmonton Dominions 6–1 on the strength of a goal and two assists by Gordon Fraser.6 Late in the season, the Canadians protested the use of goaltender Bill Tobin by the Edmonton Eskimos, arguing that he had not lived in Alberta long enough to be eligible per the league's residency rules.7 Following a last minute change of one of the arbitrators, a three-man panel denied the protest. The decision led the front-running Tigers to refuse to play any series against the second-place Eskimos for the league championship as the team felt the Canadian's protest was improperly handled.8 Efforts to reach a compromise failed as the Edmonton clubs refused to allow the protest to be reconsidered, resulting in the collapse of the league on February 24, 1921.9

The Tigers remained active despite the demise of the league, playing a series of exhibition games against the Saskatoon Crescents and a team from Moose Jaw.10 The Eskimos eventually agreed to face the Tigers without Tobin in an informal championship that was known as the Intercity Championship. The Tigers claimed the title on total-goals as they defeated Edmonton 2–0 in the first game at Calgary before dropping the second 2–1 at Edmonton.11 The Tigers ended their season with a 2–0 exhibition loss to the defending Stanley Cup champion Ottawa Senators, who were touring the country as they travelled west to defend their title against the PCHA champion Vancouver Millionaires.12

Western Canada Hockey League

The former Big Four teams joined with the Saskatoon Sheiks in forming a new professional league in 1921 that intended to compete against the National Hockey League and Pacific Coast Hockey Association. In the Western Canada Hockey League, the Tigers were a consistent powerhouse, featuring a lineup that many considered a match to that of their NHL and PCHA rivals. The Tigers lineup featured five future Hockey Hall of Famers: Barney Stanley, Red Dutton, Rusty Crawford, Herb Gardiner and Harry Oliver.13

Shortly before the inaugural season was set to begin, Calgary Canadians president Dr. C.E. Coleman and Tigers manager Eddie Poulin agreed amalgamate the two franchises under the Tigers name, allowing Calgary to present a unified front in the new league. 14 The Tigers played the first professional hockey game in Calgary on December 19, 1921, defeating the Regina Capitals 3–2 before a crowd of 3,000 fans.15 The Tigers, Eskimos and Capitals battled for first place in the league, each team holding the top spot numerous times throughout the season.16 The Tigers and Capitals finished tied for second, forcing a two-game, total-goals playoff to determine who would meet the Eskimos for the league championship. In the series, the Capitals defeated the Tigers 1–0 in Calgary,17 while the two teams tied 1–1 in Regina sending the Capitals through by a 2–1 aggregate total.18

Prior to the start of the 1922–23 season, the Tigers faced the Stanley Cup champion Toronto St. Patricks in two exhibition games. The Bengals defeated the St. Pats 7–5 in Calgary,19 and again 6–2 in a game held in Winnipeg, Manitoba.20 The WCHL and PCHA adopted an interlocking schedule for this season, with the Tigers struggling against their pacific coast opposition, winning just two of six games.21 Calgary finished third in the standings, behind Edmonton and Regina, as former Tiger Barney Stanley scored the winning goal against Calgary in a 2–1 victory by the Regina Capitals that eliminated Calgary from playoff contention.22

Conquering Regina 2–0 in the most vicious hockey battle ever unfolded before a Calgary audience, the Tigers attained the premier seat in the Western Canada League last night, and today they proudly waive the championship ribbons in the face of the opposition that has fallen behind them on the track that has been sprinkled with red. Red it was, and blood red, for there was much gore spilled in last night's duel.
—The Calgary Herald's description of the Tigers 1924 WCHL championship victory.23

The 1923–24 season started with tragedy, as Tigers' forward Foley Martin died of blood poisoning during the team's season opening road trip to the pacific coast.24 The Tigers played on despite Martin's death, winning two of three games against their PCHA rivals.25 The Tigers finished atop the league standings with 37 points. They met the Regina Capitals in the league championship in a two-game, total goals series. After battling Regina to a 2–2 draw in the Saskatchewan capital, the Tigers returned home to Calgary, capturing the championship on home ice in a 2–0 victory.26 They then moved on to face the Vancouver Maroons of the PCHA in the best-of-three Western Canadian final. After dropping the first game in Vancouver, the Tigers came back to defeat the Maroons 6–3 at home, and again 3–1 at a neutral site game in Winnipeg, Manitoba.27 The victory earned the Tigers the right to play for the Stanley Cup, the first such opportunity for a Calgary based club.13

Despite defeating the Maroons, the PCHA champions were not eliminated. Rather, the Tigers earned a bye into the finals, while Vancouver met the Montreal Canadiens in the semi-final.28 The blue, blanc et rouge swept Vancouver in two games, setting the matchup for the 1924 Stanley Cup Finals where the Canadiens easily handled the Tigers.27 In the first game, played at Mount Royal Arena in Montreal, Canadiens rookie Howie Morenz recorded a hat trick as Montreal won 6–1. Due to poor ice conditions, the second game was moved to the Ottawa Auditorium in Ottawa. Led by goaltender Georges Vezina, Montreal won 3–0 to sweep the series, and claim the Cup.28

In 1924–25, the Tigers once again finished the regular season in first place. Led by Oliver's team leading 20 goals,29 the Tigers earned a bye into the WCHL championship. Their opponent was the Victoria Cougars, who moved over to the WCHL following the collapse of the PCHA the previous summer. The Tigers were unable to earn a return trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, losing the two-game total-goals series 3–1.30 The Cougars went on to become the last non-NHL team to win the Stanley Cup.31

By 1926, the financial pressures of trying to keep up with rapidly escalating salaries took its toll on the league, and the WCHL finally ceased operations, selling its best players to the NHL for $300,000.32 The Tigers joined four other teams to form the Prairie Hockey League. The Tigers would last only one season in the new league before folding, but the franchise went out as champions, capturing the 1926–27 championship in controversial fashion. The Tigers defeated the Saskatoon Sheiks 2–1 in the opening game in Calgary, and then won the title by default after the Sheiks refused to play the second game due to their anger at the officiating in the first game.33 The PrHL would last only one more season itself, as it folded following the 1927–28 season.34 Following the demise of the Tigers, Calgary would have to wait nearly 50 years before major league hockey returned in 1975 with the Calgary Cowboys of the World Hockey Association.13

North Western Hockey League

In 1932, the Tigers were revived as a charter franchise of a reformed, minor-professional, Western Canada Hockey League. The Tigers finished atop the league standings in the first season, but fell to their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Eskimos, in a championship marred by bad ice caused by unseasonably warm weather in both Calgary and Edmonton.35 The league renamed itself the North Western Hockey League following the season after the Saskatchewan clubs dropped out.36

Calgary again won the regular season title in 1933–34, advancing to the league championship. Fearing a repeat of the previous season's playoff disaster, the league ordered Calgary to play their championship series against the Vancouver Lions in Seattle, Washington and Vancouver as both cities had arenas capable of making artificial ice. Despite the disadvantage, the Tigers captured the best-of-five championship with a 6–1 victory in the fifth and deciding game, held in Vancouver.37

The 1934 championship would prove to be the Tigers' last hurrah, as the team fell to the bottom of the NWHL standings in 1934–35, winning only three games. They once again finished in last place in 1935–36, in what would prove to be the Tigers final season. The Great Depression, and declining interest in professional hockey in favour of senior hockey ultimately led to the final demise of the Tigers in 1936 along with the North Western Hockey League itself.38

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season League GP W L T Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
1920–21 Big Four 15† 10 4 1 21 61 45 1st overall Won Intercity championship
1921–22 WCHL 24 14 10 0 28 75 62 T-2nd overall Lost semi-final
1922–23 WCHL 30 12 18 0 24 91 106 3rd overall Did not qualify
1923–24 WCHL 30 18 11 1 37 83 72 1st overall Won championship
Lost Stanley Cup
1924–25 WCHL 28 17 11 0 34 95 79 1st overall Lost final
1925–26 WHL 30 10 17 3 23 71 80 5th overall Did not qualify
1926–27 PrHL 32 22 9 1 45 119 68 1st overall Won championship
1932–33 WCHL 30 16 10 4 36 70 61 1st overall Lost final
1933–34 NWHL 34 17 11 6 40 117 76 1st overall Won championship
1934–35 NWHL 26 3 15 8 14 60 104 5th overall Did not qualify
1935–36 NWHL 40 15 21 4 34 107 141 5th overall Did not qualify
†Denotes Tigers' record when the league collapsed. Exhibition games played after are not included

Hall of Famers

The WCHL's short and unstable existence was a result of salary escalation caused by having three leagues competing for top talent. As a result, by the mid 1920s, hockey players were among the highest paid athletes in North America, with top players able to demand even higher salaries than the top baseball stars of the time.39 Though the WCHL lasted only five years, the Tigers boasted five future Hockey Hall of Famers on their roster during that time.13

Barney Stanley, a former PCHA star, spent two seasons with the Tigers from 1920–22. Joining the Tigers in the last season of the Big Four League, he once again turned pro when the Tigers joined the WCHL. Stanley led the Tigers in scoring with 26 goals in 1921–22 before being traded to Regina.40 Red Dutton, a World War I veteran who refused doctors orders to have his leg amputated after suffering a shrapnel wound, played 123 games with the Tigers before moving to the NHL where he played 449 more with the Montreal Maroons and New York Americans.41 Rusty Crawford, a former standout in the National Hockey Association and National Hockey League before the war, spent three seasons in Calgary from 1922–25. Crawford recorded 19 goals in 64 games as a Tiger.42

Herb Gardiner began his professional career in Calgary in 1920, remaining with the Tigers until he was sold to the Montreal Canadiens in 1926, where he would go on to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as NHL Most Valuable Player in 1927.43 Harry Oliver also began his pro career in Calgary, playing with the Tigers from 1921–26 where he scored 90 goals before being sold to the Boston Bruins. Oliver would go on to play eleven seasons in the NHL with the Bruins and New York Americans.44

See also

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c "The Big 4 League—Amateurs or Pros?". Edmonton Oilers Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
  2. ^ a b Sandor 2005, p. 21
  3. ^ "Big Four prepared for another hockey season", Calgary Herald (August 25, 1920), p. 14. 
  4. ^ "Calgary Vics—A New Era Of Hockey In The South". Edmonton Oilers Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-12-13.
  5. ^ "Big Four through with amateur union; to run as independent league", Calgary Herald (December 13, 1920), p. 16. 
  6. ^ "Tigers step out in the last period and swamp Edmonton Dominions 6–1", Calgary Herald (December 30, 1920), p. 18. 
  7. ^ "Protest made by Canadians Tobin of Esks.", Calgary Herald (February 14, 1921), p. 16. 
  8. ^ "Disruption threatened in Alta. Big Four as result of the protest decision", Calgary Herald (February 22, 1921), p. 12. 
  9. ^ "Big Four Hockey League has collapsed", Calgary Herald (February 25, 1921), p. 24. 
  10. ^ "Tigers have close call but manage to win out", Calgary Herald (March 12, 1921), p. 31. 
  11. ^ "Tigers nose out Esks for Inter-City honours", Calgary Herald (March 19, 1921), p. 28. 
  12. ^ "Smooth system of Ottawa team brought out when stacked up against hard fighting Tigers", Calgary Herald (March 21, 1921). 
  13. ^ a b c d "Calgary Tigers—A Team Of Legends". Edmonton Oilers Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-09-29.
  14. ^ "Calgary Pro. Hockey Clubs Join Forces", Calgary Herald (November 8, 1921), p. 19. 
  15. ^ "Easy shot glances off Laird's stick and Tigers beat Regina", Calgary Herald (December 12, 1921), p. 18. 
  16. ^ "Calgary back in lead after Moose Jaw win", Calgary Herald (February 14, 1922), p. 14. 
  17. ^ "One tally by McVeigh decides first game in Capitals' favor", Calgary Herald (March 3, 1922), p. 20. 
  18. ^ "Regina Capitals qualify for play-off by holding one goal lead on Tigers", Calgary Herald (March 4, 1922), p. 22. 
  19. ^ "Tigers hit lightning pace to down Pats in great struggle, 7 to 5", Calgary Herald (December 9, 1922), p. 24. 
  20. ^ "St. Pats adopt rough-house tactics when Tigers take lead in Winnipeg meeting", Calgary Herald (December 13, 1922), p. 18. 
  21. ^ "Coast clubs have best of inter-league draw for the first season", Calgary Herald (March 3, 1923), p. 27. 
  22. ^ "Calgary Tigers eliminated from Western Canada race by Capitals", Calgary Herald (March 8, 1923), p. 16. 
  23. ^ "Tigers Are Western Canada Hockey Champions", Calgary Herald (March 8, 1924), p. 20. 
  24. ^ "Foley Martin, Tiger hockey idol, is dead", Calgary Herald (December 10, 1923), p. 18. 
  25. ^ "Tigers lose to Vancouver, 3–1", Calgary Herald (December 11, 1923), p. 16. 
  26. ^ Sandor 2005, p. 32
  27. ^ a b Sandor 2005, p. 33
  28. ^ a b Zeman 1986, p. 30
  29. ^ "1924–25 Calgary Tigers scoring". Retrieved on 2007-12-13.
  30. ^ Zeman 1986, p. 31
  31. ^ "1924–25 Stanley Cup winner". Retrieved on 2007-12-13.
  32. ^ Sandor 2005, p. 35
  33. ^ Sandor 2005, p. 36
  34. ^ "Prairie Hockey League seasons". Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
  35. ^ Sandor 2005, p. 41
  36. ^ Sandor 2005, p. 42
  37. ^ Sandor 2005, p. 43
  38. ^ Sandor 2005, p. 45
  39. ^ Sandor 2005, p. 34
  40. ^ "Barney Stanley profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
  41. ^ "Red Dutton profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
  42. ^ "Rusty Crawford profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
  43. ^ "Herb Gardiner profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
  44. ^ "Harry Oliver profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.

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