Winnipeg Falcons
Encyclopedia
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...
team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the 1919-1920 season, the Winnipeg Falcons 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:...
. That team went on to represent Canada in the 1920 Olympic games
Ice hockey at the 1920 Summer Olympics
Ice hockey was introduced to the Olympic Games at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. The matches were played between April 23 and April 29, 1920. All matches took place in the Palais de Glace d'Anvers . The rink measured 56 to 18 meters . All games were played with seven players on each side,...
held in Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. There the Falcons, soundly beating all their opponents, won for Canada the first ever Olympic Gold Medal in ice hockey.
The Winnipeg Falcons hockey team was founded in 1911 with a roster of entirely Icelandic players who were not able to play on the other Winnipeg teams due to ethnic prejudice. In their first season, 1911–1912, they finished at the bottom of their league. The next year, Konnie Johannesson and Frank Frederickson joined the team. That team turned out to be a winner in the league.
Early history
Its early roots can be traced back to the Icelandic Athletic Club which was formed in 1898. The club consisted of a two team league called the Icelandic Athletic Club (IAC) and the Vikings. In 1908, the two teams agreed to become one team.During the 1910-11 season, the Falcons became part of a new senior league. Other clubs in the league would include 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...
, Brandon Wheat City and Winnipeg AAA. In 1913-14, the Falcons became part of the Independent Hockey League, joining the Strathconas from Winnipeg, and teams from Selkirk, and Portage La Prairie. The Falcons finished the season with 4 wins and 8 losses. During the following season, the Falcons beat Portage by a score of 4-3 to become league champions.
Road to the Allan Cup
In the 1919-1920 season, the Falcons won the Allan CupAllan 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:...
. The Falcons were part of the Manitoba Hockey League with Brandon Wheat City and the Selkirk Fishermen. The first place team of the Manitoba Hockey League would play the champion of the Winnipeg Hockey League for the opportunity to represent Western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
in the Allan Cup playoffs. The Falcons beat the Fishermen 5-3 to claim the Manitoba Hockey League championship. Frank Fredrickson won the Manitoba Hockey League scoring title with 23 goals in 10 games. Wally Byron led the league with 2 shutouts and had a 2.57 goals against average. Bobby Benson led the league with 26 penalties in minutes.
The team went on to play in the 1920 Summer Olympics
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
in Antwerp, Belgium. It was there that the team won the first Olympic Gold Medal
Gold Medal
Gold Medal is the sixth studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2004 on Atlantic Records. It was one of the first albums released in the DualDisc format, but was recalled due to a mastering error which resulted in the final track being partially omitted from the CD...
in ice hockey. Although an official part of the Summer Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
, hockey and figure skating events were held in late April and early May, while the weather was still cool enough for suitable ice conditions in the arena.
Falcons Olympic Roster
- Hebbie Axford D.F.C.(Club President)
- Bill Fridfinnson (Secretary)
- Bill Hewitt (Canadian Olympic representative)
- Gordon Sigurjonsson (Coach, Trainer)
Players
- Robert BensonRobert Benson (ice hockey)Competitor for CanadaRobert John "Bobby" Benson was a Canadian ice hockey player who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was the left defender for the Winnipeg Falcons, the Canadian team which won the gold medal. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to family of Icelandic heritage .-External...
(Left defence) - Walter ByronWalter ByronCompetitor for CanadaWalter Jacob Byron was a Canadian ice hockey player of Icelandic and English decent, who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics....
(Goal) - Frank FredricksonFrank FredricksonSigurður Franklin Fredrickson was a Canadian ice hockey centre who was significant to both the amateur and professional sport as it evolved in North America in the early 20th century...
(Captain, center) - Chris FridfinnsonChris FridfinnsonKristmundur N. Fridfinnson was a Canadian ice hockey player of Icelandic heritage who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Baldur, Manitoba ....
(Substitute) - Magnus GoodmanMagnus GoodmanMagnus "Mike" Goodman was a Canadian swimmer, speed skater, and ice hockey player who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to icelandic Immigrants ....
(Left wing) - Haldor HaldersonHaldor HaldersonHarold "Slim" Halderson was a Canadian ice hockey player who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Winnipeg.Slim was the right wing for the Winnipeg Falcons, the Canadian team which won the gold medal...
(Right wing) - Konrad JohannessonKonrad JohannessonKonrad Jonasson "Konnie" Johannesson was a Canadian ice hockey player of icelandic decent, who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Glenboro, Manitoba....
(Right defence) - Allan WoodmanAllan WoodmanAllan Charles "Huck" Woodman was a Canadian ice hockey player who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba....
(Rover)
There were five other players who contributed to the Falcons 1919-20 season, but they were not part of the Olympic roster. These players were Harvey Benson, Ed Stephenson, Connie Neil, Babs Dunlop and Sam Laxdal.
The 1920 Winnipeg Falcons were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
The Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1985 when the first honoured members were named and plaques were erected in their honour. The first group of inductees was large in order to recognize the accomplishments of Manitoba players, coaches, builders and teams at the...
in the team category.
NHL Alumni
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Winnipeg Junior Falcons
Winnipeg Junior Falcons
The Winnipeg Junior Falcons were a Canadian Junior Hockey Team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.The 1921 Winnipeg Junior Falcons were the first Western team to win the Memorial Cup...
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Post Olympics
The first member of the squad to pass away was Chris Fridfinnson. He died at the age of 40 in 1938. The last surviving member was Mike Goodman. He was 93 years old when he died in 1991.The Icelandic national hockey team honors the Falcons on their jerseys by using the Icelandic Falcon and the Canadian maple leaf as their emblem. http://www.ihi.is/gogn/LOGO_SAGA_ENGLISH.pdf
See also
- Canada men's national ice hockey team
- Ice hockey at the 1920 Summer OlympicsIce hockey at the 1920 Summer OlympicsIce hockey was introduced to the Olympic Games at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. The matches were played between April 23 and April 29, 1920. All matches took place in the Palais de Glace d'Anvers . The rink measured 56 to 18 meters . All games were played with seven players on each side,...
External links
- 1920 Winnipeg Falcons at Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
- http://www.whenfalconsfly.com