Do you know where hockey was played for the first time in Shawville?
The action happened at the location of the Shawville-Clarendon Library and Archives. The rink was actually the second one to appear on Main Street.
This point of history is based solely on the recollection of Mrs. Hurst Hodgins and her words were found within the Pontiac Archives. She also said the old-time hockey was played with seven men – a goalkeeper, five forwards and a rover.
Wait…a rover?
The rover existed in hockey from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The rover is described as a player who simply roamed the ice. It was someone who chipped in when needed, from jumping up on offense or would hustle back to help out on defence.
There are 19 players inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, who have the distinction of playing the position of rover. Those inductees also held other spots on the team as well.
The rover lasted roughly over 30 years and began to fade away after the 1910-11 season, when the National Hockey Association decided to exclude it – likely because skill levels of players started to increase, which would lead to change in the game of hockey at that particular time. When the National Hockey League was formed in 1917, there was no rover either. Olympic hockey in 1920 did include a rover in gameplay, but the position was dropped following the event.
According to other hockey reports, the rover could still exist in theses more current times. Players like Bobby Orr, Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators and Tyson Barrie of the Colorado Avalanche would be considered suitable for the role.
Moving back to Mrs. Hurst Hodgins, the first rink in Shawville was just for skating. The rink had boards set up on the Turner property. This would be across from the Town Hall on Main Street, so where the National Bank branch is today.
A newspaper clipping at the archives featured Mrs. Milton McGuire and she offered another memory. The third rink for the town became known as Noah’s Ark and it was located on King Street and Princess Street. It was built in 1897 by a James Hodgins. The Pontiac Hockey League also played there starting in 1904.
Milton McGuire said the hockey spark in Shawville, came from those who visited cities and caught the “hockey bug.” When they returned to their hometown, they would begin to stir up interest as much as possible for the game.
The Noah’s Ark rink disappeared around 1913, when the Shawville arena was built. This was done under the leadership of Mr. C. Caldwell, probably Chris Caldwell, who also had hand in the construction of the Pontiac House on Main Street.
One of the earliest hockey games, to be recounted in the Pontiac Archives happened on January 25, 1945. It was between the Shawville Grizzly Bears and a group of Quyon youngsters.
“It was an interesting and thrilling hockey contest,” said the story. “The local lads won 5 to 4.”
The Shawville arena was sold to Dalton and Ebert Richardson in 1947. Records at the archives said, if you were a kid and wanted to go to the hockey game, you picked up a bell and walked all over town shouting, “Hockey match tonight!” This would get you into the game for free. You could also get into the game for free, on the condition you agreed to help clean the ice.
Artificial ice came into the picture by 1967 for the new arena on the fairgrounds. The Richardson rink remained active at the same time, at least, for a few more years. The fact the building collapsed led to all Shawville hockey being moved into the current arena, which has remained to this day.
There’s so much more that could be highlighted from minor hockey, the Junior B team, the Shawville league (formerly Quyon league), Flying Elbows and Fish Findlay Classic. The Pontiac National Midget Tournament spanned over 35 years and featured players like Steve Yzerman, James Kyte, Mike Sullivan and Gary Galley.
There are hockey people rooted in Shawville like Frank Finnigan, Murph Chamberlain, Ed Finnigan, Bill Cowley, Bryan Murray, Terry Murray, Todd Hearty, Tim Murray, Blaine Angus, Bill Gibson, Keith Horner, Lindsay Dale, Marc Rodgers, Earl Powell, Royce Richardson and Carson Ryan and likely others, who have made a mark on the sport in some form or another. Fourteen of those mentioned are featured on the Shawville Hockey Wall of Fame.
The hockey history and stories could easily fill pages.