Peter Patton
Encyclopedia
Major Bethune Minet "Peter" Patton (5 March 1876 – c. 1939) was an ice hockey
player and administrator. He is credited with bringing ice hockey to Britain
and helping to spread the sport to Europe
. He was a founding member of the International Ice Hockey Federation
(IIHF) in 1908 and was the inaugural president of the British Ice Hockey Association
(BIHA) in 1914. He is a member of both the IIHF Hall of Fame
and the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
Patton had a public school
education at Winchester
and Wellington
and he is believed to have learned to skate
whilst holidaying in Switzerland
.
and his profession was a soldier. He served with the 3rd Somerset Regiment and gained the rank of Major
with attachments to the Royal Army Service Corps
. During the First World War
, Patton served in France
between September 1914 and May 1916. He was also attached to the Serbia
n Army and was awarded their Order of the White Eagle.
In July 1919 after returning home from the war, Patton was attached to the Serbs working in historical records of motor units. Patton retired from the army in 1921.
when he formed the Princes Ice Hockey Club
. With the help of some Canadian
expats
, he established a more recognisable form of ice hockey at the club in 1902. In 1903 he formed and became president of a five team league, the first league in Great Britain or Europe. On 24 January 1904 he played in the first game in Europe when Princes played a local team in Lyon
s which Princes won 2–0.
Princes, with Patton as their captain
, played in the first European tournament in October 1908 which was held in Berlin
. In 1910, Patton led the Princes team to the gold medal
as they represented Great Britain at the inaugural European championships
. Both before and after the First World War
, Patton led the Princes team in many European tournaments, this included a silver medal
finish at the 1913 championships held in St. Moritz
, Switzerland
.
Patton was again a member of the Great Britain team at the 1924 Winter Olympics
. However, he was the substitute Goaltender
at the tournament and did not see any ice time. Patton made his final appearance for the national team on 4 April 1930 when he was 54-years-old. He finally retired while playing for the London Lions
on 13 October 1931.
.
and then Wembley Lions
in 1934. He was president of the short-lived team, Public Schools Ice Hockey Club.
He presented two trophies in his name — the Patton Cup — one which has been played for since 1927 in the Ice Hockey Varsity Match
between the Cambridge
and Oxford University Ice Hockey Club
s and the other which was awarded to the winners of the first British Championship
from 1930 following the formation of the English League.
In October 1936 he wrote the book Ice Hockey which chronicled the early years of the sport in Great Britain.
Patton was inducted to the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950 and the IIHF Hall of Fame
in 2002.
, canoe
ing and punting
which he did on the River Thames
. He also enjoyed skiing
and was a founding member of the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation
in 1923.
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 and administrator. He is credited with bringing ice hockey to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and helping to spread the sport to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He was a founding member of the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
(IIHF) in 1908 and was the inaugural president of the British Ice Hockey Association
British Ice Hockey Association
The British Ice Hockey Association was founded in 1913 and was the governing body of ice hockey in the United Kingdom during the 1913–14 season and between 1923 and 1999 when it was replaced by Ice Hockey UK....
(BIHA) in 1914. He is a member of both the IIHF Hall of Fame
IIHF Hall of Fame
The IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which was established by the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1997, when 30 individuals were inducted at the world championships in Helsinki...
and the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
Patton had a public school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
education at Winchester
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and Wellington
Wellington School, Somerset
Wellington School is a British co-educational independent school in Wellington, Somerset, England catering for both day pupils and boarders. There are currently 750 pupils on roll including 200 students in the sixth form. The Headmaster is Martin Reader....
and he is believed to have learned to skate
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
whilst holidaying in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Military career
Patton was the son of a Brigadier-GeneralBrigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and his profession was a soldier. He served with the 3rd Somerset Regiment and gained the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
with attachments to the Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
. During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Patton served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
between September 1914 and May 1916. He was also attached to the Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n Army and was awarded their Order of the White Eagle.
In July 1919 after returning home from the war, Patton was attached to the Serbs working in historical records of motor units. Patton retired from the army in 1921.
Playing
Patton started a form of ice hockey in 1897 at the newly opened Prince's Skating ClubPrince's Skating Club
Prince's Skating Club was an ice rink in the Knightsbridge area of London, England. It saw a number of firsts for ice hockey in Britain and Europe.The rink was opened on Montpelier Square on 7 November 1896 by the Princes Sporting Club...
when he formed the 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....
. With the help of some Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
expats
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
, he established a more recognisable form of ice hockey at the club in 1902. In 1903 he formed and became president of a five team league, the first league in Great Britain or Europe. On 24 January 1904 he played in the first game in Europe when Princes played a local team in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
s which Princes won 2–0.
Princes, with Patton as their captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
, played in the first European tournament in October 1908 which was held in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. In 1910, Patton led the Princes team to the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
as they represented Great Britain at the inaugural European championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
. Both before and after the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Patton led the Princes team in many European tournaments, this included a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
finish at the 1913 championships held in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Patton was again a member of the Great Britain team at the 1924 Winter Olympics
1924 Winter Olympics
The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France...
. However, he was the substitute Goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
at the tournament and did not see any ice time. Patton made his final appearance for the national team on 4 April 1930 when he was 54-years-old. He finally retired while playing for the London Lions
London Lions
The London Lions based out of London, England was an independent professional ice hockey team that played 72 games during the 1973-74 season against the top European hockey teams. It was started by Detroit Red Wings owner Bruce Norris with a vision of building a league to be affiliated with the...
on 13 October 1931.
Administration
Helping to form the IIHF in 1908, Patton served as the vice-president on three separate occasions between 1910 and 1924 and he was briefly the president of the IIHF in 1914. Also in 1914, Patton was the inaugural president of the BIHA, a position he held until 1934 when he was succeeded by Philip Vassar Hunter CBEPhilip Vassar Hunter
Philip Vassar Hunter CBE was a British engineer and businessman. Born in 1883 in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, he attended Wisbech Grammar School and was later educated at Faraday House, an engineering college in Charing Cross, London....
.
Legacy
After retiring from playing, Patton was elected as vice-president to first StreathamStreatham Redskins
The Streatham Redskins are a British ice hockey club based in Streatham, London, England. Amongst the oldest British ice hockey teams still in existence, they were oginally founded in 1932 as Streatham, and added the name Redskins in 1974. During the 1980s, the club were one of the leading teams in...
and then Wembley Lions
Wembley Lions
The Wembley Lions were an English ice hockey team.The team were founded in 1934 but showed a continuity with the London Lions team which had played at various venues since 1924. The Wembley team were based at the newly built Empire Pool which they shared with the Wembley Monarchs until 1950.The...
in 1934. He was president of the short-lived team, Public Schools Ice Hockey Club.
He presented two trophies in his name — the Patton Cup — one which has been played for since 1927 in the 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...
between the Cambridge
Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club
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...
and 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...
s and the other which was awarded to the winners of the first British Championship
British Championship
The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...
from 1930 following the formation of the English League.
In October 1936 he wrote the book Ice Hockey which chronicled the early years of the sport in Great Britain.
Patton was inducted to the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950 and the IIHF Hall of Fame
IIHF Hall of Fame
The IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which was established by the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1997, when 30 individuals were inducted at the world championships in Helsinki...
in 2002.
Other sports
Besides ice hockey, Patton was a prolific sportsman in ice dancingIce dancing
Ice dancing is a form of figure skating which draws from the world of ballroom dancing. It was first competed at the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, but did not become a Winter Olympic Games medal sport until 1976....
, canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
ing and punting
Punt (boat)
A punt is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, designed for use in small rivers or other shallow water. Punting refers to boating in a punt. The punter generally propels the punt by pushing against the river bed with a pole...
which he did on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. He also enjoyed skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and was a founding member of the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation
Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing
The Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing or International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation is the main international federation for all bobsleigh and skeleton sports...
in 1923.