Si Griffis
Encyclopedia
Silas Seth "Sox" Griffis (September 22, 1883 – July 9, 1950) was a Canadian
athlete of the early 20th century. In ice hockey
, Griffis was a two-time Stanley Cup
winner, with the 1907 Kenora Thistles
and the 1915 Vancouver Millionaires
. He is an inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fame
.
Born in Onaga
, Kansas
, Griffis moved with his family to Rat Portage, Ontario
, Canada
, where he excelled in many sports, including ice hockey
. It was here that he became a player for the local amateur hockey club, the Rat Portage Thistles.
challenge in 1905 against the powerful Ottawa Silver Seven
. Griffis scored three goals in the three game series, although the Thistles lost to Ottawa.
Now renamed the Kenora Thistles
, the team remained a powerhouse, and Griffis was a key member of the Thistles' January 1907 Stanley Cup
winning team when they defeated the Montreal Wanderers
in a two-game total goal series. The Wanderers, however, issued a second challenge for the cup in March 1907, which the Thistles lost.
He later played for the Vancouver Millionaires
of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
starting in 1912, moving back to defence and was team captain in 1914–15, the year the Millionaires themselves won the Cup. Griffis injured his leg that season and was not able to play in the championship. The leg did not heal well and Griffis' ice time declined until he finally retired from professional hockey in 1919.
In later life, Griffis excelled as both a competitive golfer and bowler. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
in July 1950. He died in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, that same month. He is also a member of the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.
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...
athlete of the early 20th century. In 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...
, Griffis was a two-time 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...
winner, with the 1907 Kenora Thistles
Kenora Thistles
The Kenora Thistles were an early amateur men's ice hockey team based in Kenora, Ontario, Canada, formed in 1885 as a senior team by a group of Lake of the Woods lumbermen. The club is notable for winning the Stanley Cup as an amateur team in 1907. The town is the smallest in population to have...
and the 1915 Vancouver Millionaires
Vancouver Millionaires
The Vancouver Millionaires were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926...
. He is an inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
.
Born in Onaga
Onaga, Kansas
Onaga is a city in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 702. It is part of the Manhattan, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Onaga is located at...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Griffis moved with his family to Rat Portage, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
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...
, where he excelled in many sports, including 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...
. It was here that he became a player for the local amateur hockey club, the Rat Portage Thistles.
Playing career
Notable for his speed, Griffis played both rover and cover-point in the seven-man configuration of the day, and led the Thistles to league titles in 1903 and 1905, as well to a Stanley CupStanley 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...
challenge in 1905 against the powerful Ottawa Silver Seven
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...
. Griffis scored three goals in the three game series, although the Thistles lost to Ottawa.
Now renamed the Kenora Thistles
Kenora Thistles
The Kenora Thistles were an early amateur men's ice hockey team based in Kenora, Ontario, Canada, formed in 1885 as a senior team by a group of Lake of the Woods lumbermen. The club is notable for winning the Stanley Cup as an amateur team in 1907. The town is the smallest in population to have...
, the team remained a powerhouse, and Griffis was a key member of the Thistles' January 1907 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...
winning team when they defeated the Montreal Wanderers
Montreal Wanderers
The Montreal Wanderers were a Canadian amateur, and later becoming a professional men's ice hockey team. The team played in the Federal Amateur Hockey League , the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association , the National Hockey Association and briefly the National Hockey League . The Wanderers are...
in a two-game total goal series. The Wanderers, however, issued a second challenge for the cup in March 1907, which the Thistles lost.
He later played for the Vancouver Millionaires
Vancouver Millionaires
The Vancouver Millionaires were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926...
of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional men's ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League...
starting in 1912, moving back to defence and was team captain in 1914–15, the year the Millionaires themselves won the Cup. Griffis injured his leg that season and was not able to play in the championship. The leg did not heal well and Griffis' ice time declined until he finally retired from professional hockey in 1919.
Retirement
Griffis played in 154 senior matches, scoring 84 goals.In later life, Griffis excelled as both a competitive golfer and bowler. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in July 1950. He died in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, that same month. He is also a member of the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.