Kimberley Dynamiters (WKHL)
Encyclopedia
The Kimberley Dynamiters are a defunct Senior Amateur ice hockey
club that played prior to World War II
in the West Kootenay Hockey League (WKHL). In 1936
the Kimberley Dynamiters won the Allan Cup
, defeating the Sudbury Falcons in the best of 3 final series with a score of 2 games to 0. The team went on to win the 1937 World Ice Hockey Championships
.
The 1935-1936 Kimberley Dynamiters was inducted as a Team into the BC Sports Hall of Fame
in 1976.
jobs, they had secure jobs for life and were making as much, if not more, than players in the NHL.
In 1931 the Kimberley Dynamiters
joined the West Kootenay League
, and thus began an immediate rivalry with the always strong Trail Smoke Eaters
, a true powerhouse of senior British Columbia hockey.
Kimberley was home to the Sullivan Mine
, one of the largest lead and zinc mines in the world. The mining company, Cominco, actively scouted players for their Kimberly team hoping to build a team that would beat their rivals from Trail
. The promise of a good wage and steady work attracted some of the very best hockey players to the area. Players with the Kimberly Dynamiters in the 1930s were making more money than a regular player in the NHL. The result was that the West Kootenay League became the centre for some of the best hockey in Canada.
The Dynamiters won the Savage Cup
, as British Columbia's Senior AAA hockey champion, in 1934 and 1935 and 1936, and captured their first Allan Cup
in 1936
by defeating the Sudbury Falcons in the best of 3 final series 2 games to 0.
The Allan Cup title won the Dynamiters the right to represent Canada at the 1937 World Ice Hockey Championships
, held that year in London
, England
. At this world tournament the Kimberley Dynamiters recorded a perfect record of nine wines, with no losses, to decisively win the title of World Champions.
In 1941 the WKHL league suspended operations for three seasons due to World War II
, and its teams merged with the Alberta Senior League to become the Alberta-British Columbia Senior League
for the 1941-42 season. The West Kootenay League was resurrected for the 1945-46 season, and in 1946-47 the league expanded to Spokane
and Los Angeles
and became the Western International Hockey League
.
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...
club that played prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the West Kootenay Hockey League (WKHL). In 1936
1936 Allan Cup
The 1936 Allan Cup the Canadian Senior ice hockey Grand Championship. The 1936 championship was the 29th time the Allan Cup had been awarded.-Playdowns:...
the Kimberley Dynamiters won the Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
, defeating the Sudbury Falcons in the best of 3 final series with a score of 2 games to 0. The team went on to win the 1937 World Ice Hockey Championships
1937 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1937 Ice Hockey World Championships were held between February 17 and February 27, 1937 in London, England.Only eleven teams took part in this World Championship. In the preliminary round, the teams were divided into three groups: two groups of four teams and a group with three teams...
.
The 1935-1936 Kimberley Dynamiters was inducted as a Team into the BC Sports Hall of Fame
BC Sports Hall of Fame
For over 40 years, the community has entrusted the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum with the responsibility to collect, preserve, study, and interpret materials that relate to British Columbia’s rich sport history...
in 1976.
History
The West Kootenay League operated from 1922-23 through 1940-41. Many of the players resisted the idea of turning professional because, with the promise of high paying miningMining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
jobs, they had secure jobs for life and were making as much, if not more, than players in the NHL.
In 1931 the Kimberley Dynamiters
Kimberley Dynamiters
The Kimberley Dynamiters are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Eddie Mountain Division of the Kootenay Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League . They play their home games at Kimberley Civic Centre.The team was...
joined the West Kootenay League
West Kootenay League
The West Kootenay League, also referred to as the West Kootenay Hockey League , is a defunct senior men's ice hockey league that operated in eastern British Columbia from 1922–1941, and also during the 1945-46 season...
, and thus began an immediate rivalry with the always strong Trail Smoke Eaters
Trail Smoke Eaters
The Trail Smoke Eaters are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League.-History:...
, a true powerhouse of senior British Columbia hockey.
Kimberley was home to the Sullivan Mine
Sullivan mine
Sullivan Mine was an underground conventional–mechanized mine located in Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada; it has a complex, diatreme-hosted orebody, made up primarily of zinc sulfide, lead sulfide, and iron sulfides....
, one of the largest lead and zinc mines in the world. The mining company, Cominco, actively scouted players for their Kimberly team hoping to build a team that would beat their rivals from Trail
Trail, British Columbia
Trail is a city in the West Kootenay region of the Interior of British Columbia, Canada.-Geography:Trail has an area of . The city is located on both banks of the Columbia River, approximately 10 km north of the United States border. This section of the Columbia River valley is located between the...
. The promise of a good wage and steady work attracted some of the very best hockey players to the area. Players with the Kimberly Dynamiters in the 1930s were making more money than a regular player in the NHL. The result was that the West Kootenay League became the centre for some of the best hockey in Canada.
The Dynamiters won the Savage Cup
Savage Cup
The Savage Cup is the trophy that is awarded to British Columbia’s senior ice hockey champions.This trophy was first presented in 1912-13 to the ice hockey team fielded by the Vancouver Rowing Club....
, as British Columbia's Senior AAA hockey champion, in 1934 and 1935 and 1936, and captured their first Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
in 1936
1936 Allan Cup
The 1936 Allan Cup the Canadian Senior ice hockey Grand Championship. The 1936 championship was the 29th time the Allan Cup had been awarded.-Playdowns:...
by defeating the Sudbury Falcons in the best of 3 final series 2 games to 0.
The Allan Cup title won the Dynamiters the right to represent Canada at the 1937 World Ice Hockey Championships
1937 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1937 Ice Hockey World Championships were held between February 17 and February 27, 1937 in London, England.Only eleven teams took part in this World Championship. In the preliminary round, the teams were divided into three groups: two groups of four teams and a group with three teams...
, held that year 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...
, 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...
. At this world tournament the Kimberley Dynamiters recorded a perfect record of nine wines, with no losses, to decisively win the title of World Champions.
In 1941 the WKHL league suspended operations for three seasons due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and its teams merged with the Alberta Senior League to become the Alberta-British Columbia Senior League
Alberta-British Columbia Senior League
The Alberta-British Columbia Senior League is a defunct senior men's ice hockey league that operated for the 1941-42 season.-History:The West Kootenay League was a senior level hockey league that operated from 1922-23 through 1940-41; and the Alberta Senior Hockey League was a senior level league...
for the 1941-42 season. The West Kootenay League was resurrected for the 1945-46 season, and in 1946-47 the league expanded to Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and became the Western International Hockey League
Western International Hockey League
The Western International Hockey League was a senior level ice hockey league that featured teams from the Western United States and Western Canada. It operated from 1946–62 and 1963–88...
.