Toronto Tecumsehs
Encyclopedia
The Tecumseh Hockey Club, also known as the Toronto Tecumsehs and nicknamed the Indians, were a team in the National Hockey Association
in 1912-13
. They then became the Toronto Ontarios
.
The NHA was founded in 1909 without any teams from Toronto, Ontario because there wasn't an arena in the city that was large enough to sustain a franchise. In 1911, a new arena
was being built in Toronto and a franchise was awarded to the Toronto Hockey Club
, and a group affiliated with the Tecumseh Lacrosse Club applied for a second franchise. The Tecumsehs bought a franchise from Ambrose O'Brien, paying $500 cash and promissory notes for $2,000.
The Tecumsehs were put on the NHA schedule for the 1911-12 season with no home games scheduled until late in January, when the arena was expected to be completed. Because of construction delays, it soon became clear that the arena would not be ready in time, and both Toronto teams were removed from the schedule, leaving the NHA with only four teams for the season.
Before the 1912-13 season started, O'Brien said that he never received the balance of the franchise fee from the Tecumseh backers, so he re-sold the franchise to a group headed by W.J. Bellingham from Montreal. Goaltender Billy Nicholson
, formerly with Montreal AAA
, was appointed player-manager-captain. The team he put together included future hall-of-famer George McNamara
and his brother, Howard McNamara
. Teddy Oke, who would go on to be one of the founders of the Canadian Professional Hockey League
in 1926, was also on the team.
They played their first game on December 28, 1912 against the Montreal Wanderers
at the arena, which would soon become known as Arena Gardens. The visiting Wanderers won 7-4 in front of 5,000 fans. Paid attendance of 4,339 and gate receipts of $3,040 both set short-lived Toronto hockey records. The Tecumsehs got off to a good start, but at the end of the season were in last place in the six-team NHA in with seven wins and 13 losses. Bellingham sold the bankrupt club to Tom Wall, who renamed the team the Toronto Ontarios
.
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
in 1912-13
1912-13 NHA season
The 1912–13 NHA season was the fourth season of the National Hockey Association . Six teams played 20 games each. The Quebec Bulldogs won the league championship to retain the Stanley Cup...
. They then became the Toronto Ontarios
Toronto Ontarios
The Toronto Ontarios was a professional men's ice hockey team in the National Hockey Association from 1912 to 1915 based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
.
The NHA was founded in 1909 without any teams from Toronto, Ontario because there wasn't an arena in the city that was large enough to sustain a franchise. In 1911, a new arena
Mutual Street Arena
Mutual Street Arena, initially called Arena Gardens or just the Arena, was an ice hockey arena and sports and entertainment venue in Toronto, Ontario...
was being built in Toronto and a franchise was awarded to the Toronto Hockey Club
Toronto Blueshirts
The Toronto Hockey Club, known as the Torontos and the Toronto Blue Shirts were a professional National Hockey Association team that played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
, and a group affiliated with the Tecumseh Lacrosse Club applied for a second franchise. The Tecumsehs bought a franchise from Ambrose O'Brien, paying $500 cash and promissory notes for $2,000.
The Tecumsehs were put on the NHA schedule for the 1911-12 season with no home games scheduled until late in January, when the arena was expected to be completed. Because of construction delays, it soon became clear that the arena would not be ready in time, and both Toronto teams were removed from the schedule, leaving the NHA with only four teams for the season.
Before the 1912-13 season started, O'Brien said that he never received the balance of the franchise fee from the Tecumseh backers, so he re-sold the franchise to a group headed by W.J. Bellingham from Montreal. Goaltender Billy Nicholson
Billy Nicholson (ice hockey)
Billy C. Nicholson was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. He played goaltender and was a Stanley Cup champion with the Montreal Hockey Club in 1902 as an amateur...
, formerly with Montreal AAA
Montreal AAA
Montreal Amateur Athletic Association is Canada's oldest athletic association, located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was renamed as the Club Sportif MAA or just MAA in 1999 after a brush with bankruptcy, but is still widely known as the MAAA...
, was appointed player-manager-captain. The team he put together included future hall-of-famer George McNamara
George McNamara
George Andrew McNamara was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman.When George was a youngster, his family moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and it was in the Soo that he first learned the game of hockey. McNamara made his professional hockey debut playing with The Sault Ste...
and his brother, Howard McNamara
Howard McNamara
Howard Dennis McNamara was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He played professionally from 1908 to 1920, including two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, including the 1916 Stanley Cup champions...
. Teddy Oke, who would go on to be one of the founders of the Canadian Professional Hockey League
Canadian Professional Hockey League
The Canadian Professional Hockey League, also known as Canpro, was a minor professional hockey league founded in 1926. After three seasons, it became the International Hockey League in 1929...
in 1926, was also on the team.
They played their first game on December 28, 1912 against 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...
at the arena, which would soon become known as Arena Gardens. The visiting Wanderers won 7-4 in front of 5,000 fans. Paid attendance of 4,339 and gate receipts of $3,040 both set short-lived Toronto hockey records. The Tecumsehs got off to a good start, but at the end of the season were in last place in the six-team NHA in with seven wins and 13 losses. Bellingham sold the bankrupt club to Tom Wall, who renamed the team the Toronto Ontarios
Toronto Ontarios
The Toronto Ontarios was a professional men's ice hockey team in the National Hockey Association from 1912 to 1915 based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
.