Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club
Encyclopedia
Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club at the University of Cambridge
, Cambridge
, England
, is one of the oldest ice hockey
teams in the world.
While the team claims a history dating back to 1885, the first strong evidence for their existence comes on 16 March 1900, when they played Oxford University Ice Hockey Club
in the first Ice Hockey Varsity Match
, at Princes Skating Club in London
, losing 7–6. This match was played, on Oxford's insistence, with bandy
sticks and a lacrosse
ball. The Cambridge team was led by J. J. Cawthra, who later played for England. The following day, the two universities joined together to play Princes Ice Hockey Club
.
Cambridge played a second varsity match at Princes in 1901, this time winning 6–5. In 1903, they entered the first ice hockey league in Europe, but came last out of the five teams competing.
The squad then switched to playing European tours, popularising the sport, and from 1909 - 13 and 1920 onwards playing an annual varsity match. From 1932, these matches were played in England, and although no longer able to compete with the top professional sides, they were watched by over 10,000 supporters.
In 1931, the club joined the English League
, but when it finished in 1936 they did not follow most of the teams into the English National League
, instead joining the lower-level London and Provincial League in 1938. In 1948, they played a season in the Southern Intermediate League, and in the 1970s they played two seasons in the Southern League
. They then joined the Inter-City League
and finally played in the inaugural season of the British Hockey League
. Since then, they have contested an annual varsity match and compete in Division One of the British Universities Ice Hockey Association
although continue to be at a disadvantage in lacking a home rink in Cambridge.
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is one of the oldest ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
teams in the world.
While the team claims a history dating back to 1885, the first strong evidence for their existence comes on 16 March 1900, when they played Oxford University Ice Hockey Club
Oxford University Ice Hockey Club
Oxford University Ice Hockey Club, sometimes known as Oxford Blues, is one of the world's oldest ice hockey teams. Tradition places the origin of the club in 1885, when a match is said to have been played against Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club at St Moritz...
in the first Ice Hockey Varsity Match
Ice Hockey Varsity Match
The Ice Hockey Varsity Match is a longstanding competition between the Cambridge and Oxford University Ice Hockey Clubs.Tradition places the origin of the match in 1885, when a game is said to have been played in St Moritz...
, at Princes Skating Club in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, losing 7–6. This match was played, on Oxford's insistence, with bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
sticks and a lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
ball. The Cambridge team was led by J. J. Cawthra, who later played for England. The following day, the two universities joined together to play Princes Ice Hockey Club
Princes Ice Hockey Club
Princes Ice Hockey Club was one of the most influential early European ice hockey teams and is sometimes considered the first ice hockey club in Britain....
.
Cambridge played a second varsity match at Princes in 1901, this time winning 6–5. In 1903, they entered the first ice hockey league in Europe, but came last out of the five teams competing.
The squad then switched to playing European tours, popularising the sport, and from 1909 - 13 and 1920 onwards playing an annual varsity match. From 1932, these matches were played in England, and although no longer able to compete with the top professional sides, they were watched by over 10,000 supporters.
In 1931, the club joined the English League
English League (ice hockey)
The English League was an early ice hockey league in England. It was founded in 1931 and operated until 1936 when it disbanded, being replaced by the English National League.A new league of the same name was founded during 1988 and continued on until 1997....
, but when it finished in 1936 they did not follow most of the teams into the English National League
English National League
For the current league see English National Ice Hockey LeagueThe English National League was an early ice hockey league in England. It was founded in 1935 by most of the teams who had previously competed in the English League. It was suspended during the Second World War, but returned in 1946...
, instead joining the lower-level London and Provincial League in 1938. In 1948, they played a season in the Southern Intermediate League, and in the 1970s they played two seasons in the Southern League
Southern League (ice hockey)
The Southern League was the top-flight ice hockey league in England from 1970, when it was formed as the counterpart to the Scottish Northern League...
. They then joined the Inter-City League
Inter-City League
The Inter-City League, also known as the English League South, was the top-flight ice hockey league in southern England from 1978, when it alongside the English League North it replaced the Southern League...
and finally played in the inaugural season of the British Hockey League
British Hockey League
The British Hockey League was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1982 until 1996, when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League...
. Since then, they have contested an annual varsity match and compete in Division One of the British Universities Ice Hockey Association
British Universities Ice Hockey Association
The British Universities Ice Hockey Association was founded in spring term 2003 by a group of enthusiastic hockey players from the universities of Oxford, London, Nottingham and Newcastle.- History of the BUIHA :...
although continue to be at a disadvantage in lacking a home rink in Cambridge.