Hockey Memories of the Early Years (1800s-1949)

The first half of the century was a tumultuous time for Alberta. The province was proclaimed in 1905, and the population boomed with the Opening of the West. Calgary and Edmonton both grew by leaps and bounds, and their fierce rivalry was often played out on the ice.

During this period, Albertans endured more than their fair share of tribulations. Thousands of young men were lost to the horrors of  two World Wars, the economy plunged to an all-time low, forcing families to struggle for every scrap of food and the onset of the Great Depression was marked by  scorching, windy weather that deftly transformed once-productive farmland into a dustbowl.

Through those troubled times, hockey was a constant, establishing itself as the most popular game in the land. Legendary teams gave the public heroes that they could identify with.

In this section, we will look at both heroic and somber memories from the early days of hockey in this province; from a Cup challenge by the Edmonton Eskimos to a holiday opening of the Edmonton Arena—here we will explore the highs and lows of how Canada's best loved game survived the two wars that left an indelible mark on the nation.

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