employees.
Indeed, the papers that season are full of reports and rumours of the Professionalsâ players seeking work elsewhereâCarmichael being the curious exception. Lambe also did not play for another club, although he was the subject of some interesting speculation. Both he and Young were cited as possible recruits for Kenora in their Stanley Cup rematch against the Wanderers at seasonâs end. However, the Cup trustees, P. D. Ross and William Foran, were beginning to worry about the effect such movements were having on the mugâs image. Their subsequent rulings against such hiring put an end to that story. 17
In any case, the Toronto players would be needed again by their home club before the end of the month. They had yet another new opponent in southern Ontario. This time, it was the reigning OHA senior champion. Berlinâs defection from the amateur ranks was a consequence of the âIrving chargesâ set against a long history of bad blood between the Dutchmen and the old association.
Ever since the infamous âgold coinâ incident had cost Berlin the 1897â98 intermediate title, relations with the OHA had been troubled. In 1899, Berlin led a number of southwestern Ontario towns in forming the separate Western Ontario Athletic Association, of which it won the championship every year. Unable to get a Stanley Cup challenge accepted by the trustees, Berlin rejoined the OHA for the 1904â05 season. Its intermediate team was edged out for the title that year, but went senior and won it all the next season.
After Guelph was expelled from the OHA senior series, the western district increasingly looked like a race between the defending champs and the Toronto St. Georges. On February 16, the two teams were to meet for a big showdown at Mutual. But before the game began, St. Georges pointed out that Berlinâs Jim McGinnis had never been cleared of Irvingâs charges.
At this point, the OHA would clearly have preferred to forget the whole Irving investigation. Unfortunately, when questioned by league officials, McGinnis gave suspicious and contradictory answers. The OHA was compelled to make him sit out. The Dutchmen, without a spare man, offered to play the St. Georges six on six. The Toronto team demanded the game be played seven on six or defaulted.
For over an hour and a half the management of the two clubs yelled at each other while a big Saturday-night crowd grew impatient for thegame to start. Rather than risk a riot by his customers, Miln finally stepped in and persuaded the teams to play an exhibition. Meanwhile, the matter was referred to the OHA executive.
Buck Irving had already been hanging around Berlin, laying the groundwork for a new pro team. Thus, when the OHA took the St. Georgesâ side of the dispute and started expelling Berliners, things were ready to go. Two hundred people representing the management and leading patrons of the Dutchmen met immediately to pull their club out of the amateur association. The championsâ entire lineup went with them.
Joseph âFrenchyâ Ouelette was renowned for his crouched skating style. The Guelph left winger was borrowed by the Torontos for a couple of their barnstorming matches of 1906â07.
In no time, the Toronto Professionals had set up home-and-home games with the Berlin Dutchmen. On February 26, they tied 7âall in Berlin, while the defending OHA champs won 8â3 at Mutual three nights later. The first game was particularly remarkable because 2,000 Berliners had waited two and a half hours for it to start after a wreck on the tracks had delayed the arrival of the Torontosâ train. The crowd then stayed till midnight, not leaving until the game had ended.
Berlinâs first professional game had featured great hockey. The Torontos, down 7â2 at one point, got their offence untracked and roared back in the second half. Bruce Ridpath, once again the star, scored his fourth goal of
Indeed, the papers that season are full of reports and rumours of the Professionalsâ players seeking work elsewhereâCarmichael being the curious exception. Lambe also did not play for another club, although he was the subject of some interesting speculation. Both he and Young were cited as possible recruits for Kenora in their Stanley Cup rematch against the Wanderers at seasonâs end. However, the Cup trustees, P. D. Ross and William Foran, were beginning to worry about the effect such movements were having on the mugâs image. Their subsequent rulings against such hiring put an end to that story. 17
In any case, the Toronto players would be needed again by their home club before the end of the month. They had yet another new opponent in southern Ontario. This time, it was the reigning OHA senior champion. Berlinâs defection from the amateur ranks was a consequence of the âIrving chargesâ set against a long history of bad blood between the Dutchmen and the old association.
Ever since the infamous âgold coinâ incident had cost Berlin the 1897â98 intermediate title, relations with the OHA had been troubled. In 1899, Berlin led a number of southwestern Ontario towns in forming the separate Western Ontario Athletic Association, of which it won the championship every year. Unable to get a Stanley Cup challenge accepted by the trustees, Berlin rejoined the OHA for the 1904â05 season. Its intermediate team was edged out for the title that year, but went senior and won it all the next season.
After Guelph was expelled from the OHA senior series, the western district increasingly looked like a race between the defending champs and the Toronto St. Georges. On February 16, the two teams were to meet for a big showdown at Mutual. But before the game began, St. Georges pointed out that Berlinâs Jim McGinnis had never been cleared of Irvingâs charges.
At this point, the OHA would clearly have preferred to forget the whole Irving investigation. Unfortunately, when questioned by league officials, McGinnis gave suspicious and contradictory answers. The OHA was compelled to make him sit out. The Dutchmen, without a spare man, offered to play the St. Georges six on six. The Toronto team demanded the game be played seven on six or defaulted.
For over an hour and a half the management of the two clubs yelled at each other while a big Saturday-night crowd grew impatient for thegame to start. Rather than risk a riot by his customers, Miln finally stepped in and persuaded the teams to play an exhibition. Meanwhile, the matter was referred to the OHA executive.
Buck Irving had already been hanging around Berlin, laying the groundwork for a new pro team. Thus, when the OHA took the St. Georgesâ side of the dispute and started expelling Berliners, things were ready to go. Two hundred people representing the management and leading patrons of the Dutchmen met immediately to pull their club out of the amateur association. The championsâ entire lineup went with them.
Joseph âFrenchyâ Ouelette was renowned for his crouched skating style. The Guelph left winger was borrowed by the Torontos for a couple of their barnstorming matches of 1906â07.
In no time, the Toronto Professionals had set up home-and-home games with the Berlin Dutchmen. On February 26, they tied 7âall in Berlin, while the defending OHA champs won 8â3 at Mutual three nights later. The first game was particularly remarkable because 2,000 Berliners had waited two and a half hours for it to start after a wreck on the tracks had delayed the arrival of the Torontosâ train. The crowd then stayed till midnight, not leaving until the game had ended.
Berlinâs first professional game had featured great hockey. The Torontos, down 7â2 at one point, got their offence untracked and roared back in the second half. Bruce Ridpath, once again the star, scored his fourth goal of
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