Harvey Sproule
Encyclopedia
F. Harvey Sproule was a Canadian hockey
player, National Hockey League
coach, owner, executive, and referee, as well as a curler, journalist, and race horse owner.
From Milton, Ontario
, Sproule was a competitive cyclist and played amateur hockey in his home town before moving to Toronto where he played for Toronto Old Orchard and the Toronto Rowing Club hockey teams. He then became involved in team management as coach and manager of the Toronto Victorias and Toronto Crescents.
For many years, Sproule was a referee in the Ontario Hockey Association
. He was the referee for one of the wildest games in league history in when spectators in Collingwood, Ontario
rioted, came onto the ice and attacked Sproule. Sproule was also a sports journalist, writing for the Toronto Star
and other publications, usually about horse racing. Partnered with Paul Ciceri, Sproule owned the Coronado racing stable.
In 1919, Sproule and Ciceri became partners in Toronto's NHL franchise, which was renamed the Toronto St. Patricks
with Sproule as secretary-treasurer and business manager. During the season, Sproule became head coach of the team and held the job until the end of the 1919–20 season. NHL record books list him as coaching 12 games with a record of seven wins and five losses. Sproule became an NHL referee during the 1920–21 season and also returned to the OHA as a referee.
In 1928, Sproule threw third stones for the Lakeview Curling Club team under skip Charles Snow that finished in a three-way tie for first place through the round-robin at the Macdonald Brier
. The team lost its tie-breaking games and finished third. Sproule went on to skip his own team for many years in Toronto and Cobourg, Ontario
. He is buried in Cobourg Union Cemetery in Cobourg, Ontario, along with his wife Fannie.
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...
player, National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
coach, owner, executive, and referee, as well as a curler, journalist, and race horse owner.
From Milton, Ontario
Milton, Ontario
Milton is a town in Southern Ontario, Canada, and part of the Halton Region in the Greater Toronto Area. Milton received a tremendous amount of awareness following the release of the results of the 2006 Census, which indicated that Milton is the fastest growing municipality in the Greater Golden...
, Sproule was a competitive cyclist and played amateur hockey in his home town before moving to Toronto where he played for Toronto Old Orchard and the Toronto Rowing Club hockey teams. He then became involved in team management as coach and manager of the Toronto Victorias and Toronto Crescents.
For many years, Sproule was a referee in the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
. He was the referee for one of the wildest games in league history in when spectators in Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay.-History:...
rioted, came onto the ice and attacked Sproule. Sproule was also a sports journalist, writing for the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
and other publications, usually about horse racing. Partnered with Paul Ciceri, Sproule owned the Coronado racing stable.
In 1919, Sproule and Ciceri became partners in Toronto's NHL franchise, which was renamed the Toronto St. Patricks
Toronto St. Patricks
The Toronto St. Patricks professional men's ice hockey team started as an amateur ice hockey organization. In 1919, the club purchased the Toronto National Hockey League franchise from the NHL. The club renamed the franchise the Toronto St. Patricks club and operated the franchise until 1927, when...
with Sproule as secretary-treasurer and business manager. During the season, Sproule became head coach of the team and held the job until the end of the 1919–20 season. NHL record books list him as coaching 12 games with a record of seven wins and five losses. Sproule became an NHL referee during the 1920–21 season and also returned to the OHA as a referee.
In 1928, Sproule threw third stones for the Lakeview Curling Club team under skip Charles Snow that finished in a three-way tie for first place through the round-robin at the Macdonald Brier
Tim Hortons Brier
The Tim Hortons Brier, or simply the Brier, is the annual Canadian men's curling championship, sanctioned by the Canadian Curling Association . The current event name refers to its main sponsor, the Tim Hortons coffee and doughnut shop chain.The Brier has been held since 1927, traditionally during...
. The team lost its tie-breaking games and finished third. Sproule went on to skip his own team for many years in Toronto and Cobourg, Ontario
Cobourg, Ontario
Cobourg is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario 95 km east of Toronto. It is the largest town in Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is located along Highway 401 and the former Highway 2...
. He is buried in Cobourg Union Cemetery in Cobourg, Ontario, along with his wife Fannie.
Coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | TOR Toronto St. Patricks The Toronto St. Patricks professional men's ice hockey team started as an amateur ice hockey organization. In 1919, the club purchased the Toronto National Hockey League franchise from the NHL. The club renamed the franchise the Toronto St. Patricks club and operated the franchise until 1927, when... |
1919–20 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (24) | 3rd in NHL | Did Not Qualify |