Pittsburgh Shamrocks
Encyclopedia
The Pittsburgh Shamrocks played in the International Hockey League
in 1935–36. The Shamrocks played all of their home games at the Duquesne Gardens
. During that lone season, the team finished in fourth place in the West Division behind the Detroit Olympics
, Cleveland Falcons
and Windsor Bulldogs
. The Shamrocks scored 137 goals and allowed 170. The team folded after one season. It is estimated that the team lost $36,000 during 1936–36 season.
The Shamrocks were coached by Sprague Cleghorn
who was regarded as one of the dirtiest players in the National Hockey League
. For nine of the NHL's
first ten years, Cleghorn led the NHL in penalty minutes. He won the Stanley Cup
twice with the Ottawa Senators
in 1920 and 1921, and one with the Montreal Canadiens
in 1924.
Prior to the formation of the Shamrocks, the Cleghorn family was already embedded in the history of Pittsburgh hockey. Cleghorn's brother, Odie
, was the head coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates
when they became the city's first NHL team in 1925. Harold Darragh
and Gordon Fraser also played in the NHL with the Pirates.
Rookies Jean
and Conrad Bourcier
also made local history by becoming the first siblings to play professional hockey on the same Pittsburgh team when they joined the Shamrocks in late January.
Contrary to popular belief, the Shamrocks did not evolve into the Pittsburgh Hornets. After winning the IHL championship in 1936, the Detroit Olympics
moved to Pittsburgh to become the Hornets. On October 4, 1936, Pittsburgh theatre chain owner, John Harris, purchased the Detroit Olympics
of the International-American Hockey League and merged them with players from the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets
and the Shamrocks. The team was renamed Pittsburgh Hornets. Bill "Red" Anderson and Bill Hudson were the only two players from the Shamrocks to be on the Hornets roster at the start of the 1936–37 season
.
Pittsburgh Shamrocks 1935–36 Season Statistics
International Hockey League (1929-36)
The International Hockey League was a professional ice hockey league operating in Canada and the United States from 1929 to 1936. It was a direct ancestor of the American Hockey League....
in 1935–36. The Shamrocks played all of their home games at the Duquesne Gardens
Duquesne Gardens
Duquesne Gardens was the main sports arena located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA during the first half of the 20th century. It opened 3 years after a fire destroyed the city's prior sports arena, the Schenley Park Casino, in 1896. The arena was the first hockey rink to use glass above the dasher...
. During that lone season, the team finished in fourth place in the West Division behind the Detroit Olympics
Detroit Olympics
The Detroit Olympics were a minor league hockey team located in Detroit, Michigan that was a member of the Canadian Professional Hockey League 1927-29 and the International-American Hockey League 1929-36. The team played all of their home games at the Detroit Olympia...
, Cleveland Falcons
Cleveland Falcons
The Cleveland Falcons were a professional ice hockey team in Cleveland, Ohio, that played home games in the Elysium Arena. The team was founded in 1929, as the Cleveland Indians as a member of the International Hockey League, where they played for five seasons, then reamed the Falcons...
and Windsor Bulldogs
Windsor Bulldogs
The Windsor Bulldogs are a defunct Canadian semi-professional and amateur senior ice hockey team. The team played in the City of Windsor, Ontario, Canada and participated in the International Hockey League and the OHA Senior A Hockey League prior to the IHL....
. The Shamrocks scored 137 goals and allowed 170. The team folded after one season. It is estimated that the team lost $36,000 during 1936–36 season.
The Shamrocks were coached by Sprague Cleghorn
Sprague Cleghorn
Henry William Sprague "Peg" Cleghorn, , was a Canadian professional hockey player from Westmount who played for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Renfrew Creamery Kings and Toronto St. Patricks in the National Hockey Association and National Hockey League...
who was regarded as one of the dirtiest players in the 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...
. For nine of the NHL's
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...
first ten years, Cleghorn led the NHL in penalty minutes. He won the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
twice with the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
in 1920 and 1921, and one with the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in 1924.
Prior to the formation of the Shamrocks, the Cleghorn family was already embedded in the history of Pittsburgh hockey. Cleghorn's brother, Odie
Odie Cleghorn
James Ogilvie "Odie" Cleghorn was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger, linesman and referee...
, was the head coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates (NHL)
The Pittsburgh Pirates were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League , based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1925–26 to 1929–30. The nickname comes from the baseball team also based in the city...
when they became the city's first NHL team in 1925. Harold Darragh
Harold Darragh
Harold "Howl" Darragh was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Quakers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada...
and Gordon Fraser also played in the NHL with the Pirates.
Rookies Jean
Jean Bourcier
Jean-Louis Bourcier was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger.- Playing career :Bourcier played for the Pittsburgh Shamrocks of the International Hockey League followed by the Montreal Canadiens during the 1935–36 NHL season...
and Conrad Bourcier
Conrad Bourcier
Conrad Bourcier was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He was born in Montreal, Quebec.- Playing career :...
also made local history by becoming the first siblings to play professional hockey on the same Pittsburgh team when they joined the Shamrocks in late January.
Contrary to popular belief, the Shamrocks did not evolve into the Pittsburgh Hornets. After winning the IHL championship in 1936, the Detroit Olympics
Detroit Olympics
The Detroit Olympics were a minor league hockey team located in Detroit, Michigan that was a member of the Canadian Professional Hockey League 1927-29 and the International-American Hockey League 1929-36. The team played all of their home games at the Detroit Olympia...
moved to Pittsburgh to become the Hornets. On October 4, 1936, Pittsburgh theatre chain owner, John Harris, purchased the Detroit Olympics
Detroit Olympics
The Detroit Olympics were a minor league hockey team located in Detroit, Michigan that was a member of the Canadian Professional Hockey League 1927-29 and the International-American Hockey League 1929-36. The team played all of their home games at the Detroit Olympia...
of the International-American Hockey League and merged them with players from the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets
Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets
The Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets was an amateur hockey team that existed between . They evolved from being an amateur to a semi-pro team and are one the earliest sports organizations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Yellow Jackets played primarily in the United States Amateur Hockey Association...
and the Shamrocks. The team was renamed Pittsburgh Hornets. Bill "Red" Anderson and Bill Hudson were the only two players from the Shamrocks to be on the Hornets roster at the start of the 1936–37 season
1936–37 AHL season
The 1936-37 AHL season was the first season of the International-American Hockey League, known in the present day as the American Hockey League. The IAHL was formed following a merger between the International Hockey League and the Canadian-American Hockey League.The league consisted of eight teams...
.
Pittsburgh Shamrocks 1935–36 Season Statistics
| Player | Jersey No. | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
| Bill Hudson Bill Hudson (ice hockey) Bill Hudson was a professional ice hockey player from 1930 until 1945. During that time, he played for St. Louis Flyers, Kansas City Americans, Omaha Knights, Philadelphia Arrows, Pittsburgh Shamrocks, Pittsburgh Hornets, Hershey Bears, Indianapolis Capitals and the Providence Reds. During the... |
8 | 36 | 20 | 23 | 43 | 16 | |
| Nick Wasnie Nick Wasnie Nicholas Wasnie was a professional ice hockey right winger who played seven seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Montreal Canadiens, New York Americans, Ottawa Senators and St. Louis Eagles... |
9 | 35 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 58 | |
| Scott Martin Scott Martin Scott Martin is an Australian shot putter and discus throw competitor. He rose to prominence in a National Australia Bank advertisement promoting the 2006 Commonwealth Games; in the ad, Martin was shown taking part in a ballet class to improve his discus technique... |
10 | 46 | 20 | 19 | 39 | 33 | |
| Dick Benson | 4 | 41 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 12 | |
| Stanley McCabe | 44 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 15 | ||
| Earl Roche Earl Roche Earl Joseph Roche was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger. He played 147 games over five seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Maroons, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Eagles and Detroit Red Wings. His brother Desse Roche also played in the NHL... |
- | 28 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 30 | |
| Harold Darragh Harold Darragh Harold "Howl" Darragh was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Quakers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada... |
18 | 41 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 4 | |
| Eddie Owens | 2 | 43 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 64 | |
| Melville Vail Melville Vail Melville "Sparky" Vail was a professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers. He played a total of 50 games over two seasons, 1928–29 and 1929–30, scoring four goals and five points.-External links:... |
5,6 | 45 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 52 | |
| Des Roche Des Roche Desmond Michael Patrick "Desse" Roche was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played four seasons in the National Hockey League for the Maroons, Senators, Eagles, Canadiens and Red Wings. He is one of only six NHL players to have worn the number 99. His brother Earl Roche also played in... |
- | 25 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 26 | |
| Jean Bourcier Jean Bourcier Jean-Louis Bourcier was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger.- Playing career :Bourcier played for the Pittsburgh Shamrocks of the International Hockey League followed by the Montreal Canadiens during the 1935–36 NHL season... |
16 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 4 | |
| Henri Goulet | 12 | - | 7 | 5 | 12 | 22 | |
| Phil Piche | 14 | - | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 | |
| Gordon Fraser | - | 15 | 4 | 2 | 6' | 14 | |
| Albert Hughes | 19 | 32 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 64 | |
| Bill Holmes Bill Holmes William Orser Holmes was a Canadian ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Americans.... |
2,3 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | |
| Bill Anderson | - | 15 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 13 | |
| Conrad Bourcier Conrad Bourcier Conrad Bourcier was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He was born in Montreal, Quebec.- Playing career :... |
15 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |
| Norm Walker | - | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Ludger Desmarais Ludger Desmarais Ludger Desmarais was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He was born in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.- Playing career :Bourcier played for the Pittsburgh Shamrocks of the International Hockey League. He also spent much of his playing time in the Canadian-American Hockey League with the... |
- | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Art Lilly | - | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Wilford Ranger | - | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |