| The
History of the Goodall Cup |
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1909-1951: How it all began
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State
Team 1909
Australia's first ice rink was not in Melbourne or Sydney ,but in
Adelaide, where at the turn of the century the fancy of that fair
city, and there demure ladies were able to indulge the fascinating
pastime of skating on ice at Mr. H. Newman Reid's.
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This
plush and glittering establishment, with a pillar in the centre
of its ice floor, was a masterpiece of Edwardian flamboyance. Even
the seats around that troublesome pillar were covered with red velvet,
this being very much to the consternation of those ladies who were
unfortunate enough to make contact (however discreetly) with the
damp ice and then turn to this mid rink haven for a moment's respite.
Not only their faces were red when they finally attempted a graceful
retirement from the rink.
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Despite
the atmosphere of gentility, or more likely because of it the young
blades of the rink not content, they were looking for a outlet for
their spirits when in 1904, a momentous notice appeared on the rink
board; a notice convening a meeting of skaters interested in the
introduction of a new form of amusement on ice.
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The
proposal was nothing more or less than that a game similar to land
hockey should be played on the ice The rules to be adopted were
based on the land game and the equipment was to be the same. The
meeting was mot enthusiastic about the idea the game of "Hockey
on Ice" began its Australian history.
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Three
men who more than anybody else deserve the honour of "Founders
of Ice Hockey in Australia" were present at that meeting which
marked the birth of the sport in this county; they were Mr. H. Newman
Reid, himself his two sons Andy and Hal. These three later moved
to Melbourne when Reid snr, was appointed manage of the Glaciarium
when it opened in 1906.
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Tales
by the Reid boys of the game they had played in Adelaide fired the
enthusiasm of the younger Melbourne skaters; with only a season
of skating behind them in 1907 they persuaded Mr. Reid snr. to allot
them ice time for an occasional scratch game. This was granted and
by the time the American worship Baltimore arrived at the end of
that season, the local boys felt confident enough to issue a challenge
to the visitors to try conclusions with them on the ice.
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The
Americans were only too happy to accept, and so the first officially
organised game of hockey on ice in Australia was on an International
level. The match drew a capacity crowd and attracted considerable
attention in the press of the day. The long defunct "Punch"
gave a comprehensive coverage of the occasion. The Melbourne team
was defeated, but the game had found its feel was now to become
a permanent feature of the rink's activities.
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In
1908 the good work was carried on; an Ice Hockey Club was formed,
and it arranged several matches between its members; later in the
season came the change to play against teams from the American Fleet
which called into Melbourne during a world cruise.
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Meanwhile
the rink in Sydney was opened and the sport was being fostered there
along similar lines to the Melbourne organization.
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During
the off season between the winters of 1908 and 1909 great strides
were made by the Victorian administration, and when the rink opened
in 1909 Victoria's first Ice Hockey Clubs were brought into being,
they were Glaciarium, Beavers, Brighton and Melburnians.
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Brighton
and Melburnians were of rather restricted membership; Brighton was
manned by members of the land hockey club of the same name and Melburnians
were Old Boys of Melbourne Grammar.
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This
was certainly the year of progress, probably more than any year
since, the land hockey sticks were replaced by a special type of
ice hockey stick the rinks management had specially imported from
Canada, the tennis ball (or hockey ball) gave way to soft rubber
disc pucks which had been imported along with the sticks, then is
was decided to adopt new rules.
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The
imported sticks were of the old MIC-MAC brand, heavy as lead and
with a straight faced blade three inches wide. These combined with
the pucks revolutionised the game and this in turn brought on the
new rules.
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These
were based on English "Bandy" and Canadian Ice Hockey
taking what the sponsors fondly hoped were the best from each. Seven
men made up the team, placing's were: Forward, Left, centre, right,
rover who wandered everywhere and Defence, Cover point, cover and
goal.
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Off
sides were unknown, free hits were given for tripping and any obvious
attempts to decapitate the opposition with the formidable MIC-MAC
were generally penalised, but mostly the umpires, as they were then
called, rarely felt it necessary to interfere with the more tender
arts of pushing in the back, butt ending and the other thousand
and one methods of hockey players develop of dealing with their
fellow man> Truly the game was progressing.
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However,
despite their exposure to all this threat to their physical well
being the players were still taking the ice in uniforms that make
them look like a bunch of nudists alongside modern players. Shirts,
shorts, gold stockings, no gloves, no protective equipment and figure
skates was the order of dress in those trusting days.
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The
claim as 1909 as the big year in Australian Ice Hockey was complete
when the first ever interstate was arranged in Melbourne . The newly
formed N.S.W. Association sent across to Melbourne a young and enthusiastic
team, which the Victorians ,from the lofty pinnacle of having played
the game twice as long as there rivals (Victoria two years. New
South Wales one year), felt there visitors were rather an inexperienced
bunch and nobody was surprised when Victoria took the first interstate
Honours .
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The
teams on that historic occasion commencing 31st August 1909 were
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Victoria :- Jackson, A. Reid, Purbrick, Woods, Blair, Smith and
Heywood.
N.S.W.:- Turnbull, Cuthbert, Pike, Forsyth and Lane
N.S.W. won the first game 1-0
Victoria won the next two 1-0, 6-1
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There
was a new club in Melbourne Hockey in 1910 and the old one dropped
out . Ottawa was the new comer, and the Glaciarium team finished
up . Melbournians had a permanent Lean on the Premiership in these
years , in fact they never lost a title pre World War 1
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1910
saw the first visit by a Victorian Ice Hockey Team to Sydney. R
Jackson was the touring Captain and his team was A. Reid, Woods,
Blair, Walker Goodall ( Yes the cup man ) and MacGillicuddy. Victoria
retained the interstate title That was won the year before , but
it was a little harder this time.
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Some
new rules were introduced by the Victorian Association in 1911 to
cope with the new type of sticks and the hard pucks that were now
available . A most notable event of 1911 was the arrival in Sydney
of Canadian Jimmy Kendall
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Kendall
by his ability and training revolutionised N.S.W. Hockey and the
first practice of the Sydney team on it's arrival in Melbourne caused
consternation among the Victorians selectors and team . Kendall's
speed, Accuracy and tremendous force of shooting for goal had never
been seen in Australia before.
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In
1912 the Victorian Association shrunk to three teams : Brighton
had dropped out
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Brighton
was reconstituted and the Association was again at full strength
in 1913. Victoria had apparently been practising hard in the past
two years , for, despite the presence of the astounding Kendall,
they were able to surprise the visiting team and take the Interstate
Honours 2-1
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The
first chapter of Australia's Ice Hockey History closed with the
opening of the bigger conflict on Europe's battle grounds . The
1914 season was abandoned immediately war broke and it was to be
many years before the game resumed again .......
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1919-1930:
Through the Roaring Twenties
Ice Hockey was much slower off the mark after World War 1 , Than
most other sports . The Sydney rink had closed throughout the war
and did not re-open until 1920. There had been some hockey in Melbourne
in 1919 but was not on a really organised basis , in that year the
Melbourne team made it's first appearance. It was virtually a replica
of the old Melburnian club, but it had now adopted a simple title.
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With
the Sydney rink again operative in 1920, activity in Melbourne quickened
also, Associations were formed again, and they had to start practically
from scratch, irreplaceable records had gone astray during the war
years, gear and equipment had simply disappeared and there was not
even a copy of the rules in existence. Player to had drifted away.
However ,unofficial games were arranged in Melbourne and the Bucks
were a new team that year. All preparations were aimed at getting
the game on a sound footing for the next season
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In
1921 interstate games were resumed. The few pre-war players alive
and capable were drafted into a team that included for the first
time Ted Molony, who for thirty odd years, has played such a large
part in shaping the destiny of the sport. Others in the team were
G. landridge, C Webster, M Harris, R. Marks, V. Langsford, W. Rochex,
and J. Goodall. The latter had not played since 1913. Jimmy Kendall
was still the big bad wolf of N.S.W. Hockey as far as Victoria was
concerned ,and his coaching gave N.S.W. the series.
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However
the story was different in 1922, club teams in Victoria were stronger
than ever before, there several players of high standard available
for the representative side which played N.S.W. in Melbourne, and
they astonished N.S.W. by winning the series and the now famous
Goodall Cup, presented by the man who was captain of the team that
won it back that year. Also on this team was Morrie Bilsborrow,
whose strength and agility made his bodychecking something to be
feared by the N.S.W. team. Mr Bilsborrow was president of the now
non existent club called the Pirates (late 80's the club folded)
and a member of Victoria's selection committee.
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Although
they did not know it at the time ,Victoria's win that year was a
memorable one ,it was not to be repeated for 25 years . The reason
for the remarkable dominance of the Goodall Cup series by N.S.W.
for almost the entire period between the 2 wars , is difficult to
fathom , of course they had many fine players , but Victoria in
the same period also had there share of men with plenty of ability,
whatever the reason Victoria could not break through and the Cup
stayed with N.S.W.
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The
Victorian Ice Hockey Association began to find it's feet as an administrative
body in 1922, new clubs (Royals & Thistles ) were formed and
a regular competition organised . Ted Molony became the first player
in Australia to discard figure skates for tubes .
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The
next year saw a big step forward on the national level, while the
Victorian team was visiting Sydney for the Goodall Cup series ,a
central body was formed to control the game on an Australia wide
basis Players were now receiving equipment from Canada and some
were beginning to wear protective padding and gloves
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Clubs
names were changed in Victoria ,Thistles Royals and Yukon became
respectively Essendon, St Kilda, and Brighton, These three with
Melbourne made up the competition , which went to Melbourne for
the second successive year
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The
following year 1924,Melbourne dropped out Essendon began a three
year run of successes, There were only three teams playing from
1924 to 1929 when the Hawthorn club was founded.
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In
1923 the following practice arrangements were made by the association
with the rink management , Essendon practiced on Monday night ,Tuesday
was St.Kilda, Thursday was Brighton's turn and Friday Melbourne
. Games were played at 10.15 on Wednesdays ,2 20 minute periods.
Because of late night shopping night on Fridays, St.Kilda gave the
undertaking that any of the Melbourne team unable to attend their
own practice session would be able to have a run on the Tuesday.
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Actually
Melbourne had been given the Friday night practice because most
of it's members were former public schoolboys and there was little
likelihood of them being employed as such menial tasks as counter
salesmen, which was rather a practical approach to snobbery
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Present
day players will envy the set up that allowed for practice of a
night and they will be amazed to read that men of the twenties were
not at all happy about it , no sir ,Sunday morning was the only
proper time for training and to this end they agitated for years
. The rink management was as equally persistent in their stand that
it was night practice or nothing, as you mat guess it was night
practice .
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This
question of practice was a very important one ,Ice Hockey was a
game that demanded the utmost in Physical fitness from a man ,especially
with the number of games to be played each season, why in the seasons
1924-25-26 the fixtures called for each club to play as many as
3 games in a season . To meet that sort of schedule a man had to
be at his best.
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If
nothing else , all this proves you can't win ,the old-timers had
that night practice, but did not get the games , the moderns have
the Sunday drudgery, but they can never complain about their game
schedule.
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The
twenties drew to a close with N.S.W. still dominating the interstate
scene, in 1929 a new club Hawthorn had joined the Victorian Association
, apart from a break when he refereed in 1926 Ted Molony had been
Captain of the Victorian team since 1925, the tragic economic depression
was sweeping the world and entertainment was something people listed
very low on their budgets. One bright spot in the Hockey world was
the presence of several youngsters who were to make a name for themselves.
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1931-1940:
A Time for carefree Hockey
The early thirties were remarkable for the development in the strength
and character of Australian Ice Hockey . The stalwarts who revived
the sport immediately after WW1 and then stayed in the game to carry
it through the latter years of the twenties , where nearly all ready
to stand aside for the up and coming batch of youngsters who had
come into the game .
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Names
that where to become part of Ice Hockey's history were beginning
to appear in the team lists of both Victoria and New South Wales.
By 1932 the Victorian team included Ellis Kelly, Harold Hoyne, Cliff
Napthine, ( His brother Mil joined him later) and Bert Cullen. Ted
Molony was in his eighth year as Captain. Percy Wendt, Widdy Johnston
and Ken Kennedy were in the N.S.W. team that came to Victoria that
year.
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Within
a few years the changes that were even greater , in 1936 Ted Molony
captained the Victorian team for the last time , his record of service
as leader of the state side is one that will probably never be challenged
, Ted was the first appointed in 1925,breaks in 1926and 1934 were
the only occasions he didn't lead the side after that year.
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The
Victorian team of 1937 was remarkable for the service it's members
were to give the game in every capacity. Of the eleven men on that
team at least six of them became coaches later in there careers.
Two of them eventually became secretaries of the Association, and
all have acted at one time or another not merely as club delegates
but as executive officers of the Association
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This
group which is beginning to sound like a bunch of legendary characters
,were really in those days a gang of carefree, and at times irresponsible,
young men getting full value of enjoyment from there Hockey . There
names are Ray Sullivan, Bertie White, Harold Hoyne, Alf Massina,
Dick Bungey, Colin Mitchell, Johnny White, Ellis Kelly, The Napthine
twins and C. Butler.
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Changes
in the Victorian domestic set up were very few during these years.
One new team made a brief appearance in 1934 when Ellis Kelly reformed
the old Melbourne club, but they lasted only one season. Essendon
dominated the championships in the early years of the decade and
Hawthorn became the power in the latter years.
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But
the emphasis was on Interstate Hockey in those days , the approach
of most senior players to club matches was at times slightly irreverent
to say the least, the Napthine twins whose sense of humour was developed
to a degree commensurate with their hockey ability, caused many
a minor incident with their practical joking at the expense of rink
managements, opposition teams and team mates. When they were playing
for different clubs, there were many occasions when it was suspected
that they had switched identities to suit there social engagements,
this suspicion was confirmed when one of them played a grand game
one night ,but was later found to be at a ball while the game was
being played. The social affairs of the players were often a source
of worry for the rink manager, who never quite got used to players
turning up in complete evening dress at 9.45 for a game scheduled
to start at 10.00. To make matters worse they would be out of the
rink and back at the festivities a quarter of an hour after the
game had finished.
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Perhaps
the most historic escapade of the Napthine twins was the memorable
occasion when they decided that N.S.W. had held the Goodall Cup
too long (15 years at this stage ). To remedy this they "took
care" of it after the presentation dinner in Sydney following
the interstate series, and to the great delight of their team mates
produced the trophy from there luggage when the train was well out
of Sydney and on its way home to Melbourne
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During
the summer months preceding the 1938 season the greatest bombshell
ever to stir up the quiet backwater in the ice skating world hit
Sydney with a wallop. Restaurateur and sportsman ,Jimmy Bendriot,
was going to open a rink at the Showgrounds, and what was even more
stunning, he was all set to bring a Canadian Ice Hockey team to
Australia
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By
a coincidence Canadians were also in the limelight in Victoria .
They were Hugh (spot) Lloyd and George Hewitt and they revolutionised
Victoria's Style of Hockey by showing our fellows how to play the
blue line game correctly.
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Meanwhile
the Canadian Bears had arrived in Sydney . They were actually four
boys from Kenora, Ontario, all top class Hockey players , especially
Russell (doc) Carson.
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Matches
against the Sydney teams in which rugged incidents captured the
press and created arguments that shrewd promoter Bendriot had anticipated
,lead up to the big moment when a challenge was thrown out to an
Australian team . The N.S.W. Association by this time were quite
sure that Mr Bendroit's boys were not quite as "Lilywhite "
as they thought Amateurs should be , so they put a ban on the propose
game against Australia. This only served to produce valuable publicity
for the fixture and finally an Australian team did play against
the Bears at the Ice Palais. Victorian reps in this side were Ellis.
Kelly, Johnny White, "spot" Lloyd and Colin Mitchell.
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They
were all suspended by an irate Australian council . but through
an oversight they were not penalised for matches, but weeks and
their sentences ran out during the summer months long before the
next winter, which was to be almost as hectic in Melbourne as the
previous one had been in Sydney.
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The
reason for Melbourne's excitement was the opening, by Mr. Harry
Kleiner, of the St. Moritz rink at St. Kilda. The Victorian Association
were far more fortunate in their experience of handling arrangements
for the two rinks than their Sydney colleagues.
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The
final decision on presentation was in favour of the inter-rink matches
and the now famous clashes between the Glaciarium Rangers and the
St. Moritz Bombers were staged. The Bombers boosted by the arrival
in Melbourne of Russ Carson and George Barlok, two members of the
Canadian Bears who had decided to stay on in Australia when the
rest of the team returned home, were rarely beaten in the two years
these games were played (1939 and 1940). These two find players
also added to the strength of the Victorian side.
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As
was the case in the First World War, hockey players were quick to
join up and several were decorated for their devoted and heroic
service to their country, but a tragic note that saddened all who
knew him, was the telegram received to announce the death of Hughie
Lloyd in an aircraft training accident.
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1946-1955:
The post war boom
When Ice Hockey was ready to be resumed after World War II, the
position regarding players was the best it had ever been. A ready
made pool of youngsters was waiting to join the returning servicemen
in what were to become the boom years of the game. This very satisfactory
state of affairs existed mainly because of the Sunday morning practice
sessions organised by Ted Molony at the Glaciarium throughout the
war.
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In
view of their service to the sport in the respect, it is difficult
to understand the Glaciarium management's decision not to have hockey
in that rink when the Association became active against in 1946.
St. Moritz offered to accommodate all who wanted to play and the
competition was resumed that year with four new teams, Western,
Southern, Northern and Eastern Suburbs. All had memberships equal
to the entire Association in pre-war years and the game was set
for its boom period.
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After
one season the Glaciarium again entered the hockey arena and the
two new clubs were formed with headquarters in that rink, they were
the Wildcats and Black hawks; the teams at St.moritz changed their
named to Monarchs (from Southern), Demons (from Eastern), Tigers
(from Western), Red Arrows (from Northern) . This was 1947 a season
to remember ,for that year Victoria won the Goodall Cup after 25
years of being in the wilderness. This photograph shows that team
but missing is one Egan "frosty "Miller the first top
line European to Play in Australia. Egan played in the Olympic competition
before the war for Austria, His presence had a great deal to do
with its success. Probably more important was the affect Winter
had on Victorian Hockey generally, through his coaching of the Black
hawks, who were undefeated that year. With Jack Tuckerman a student
of Ice Hockey ,Winter was responsible for much of the ground work
in the play we see today from such stars as Noel Derrick ,Rom Amess
and Dave Cunningham. 1947 was also Al Sengotta's first year in Australian
Hockey, and he also played in the Victorious team against N.S.W.
The indestructible Ray Sullivan was another of the line up while
Colin Mitchell was making his last appearance for the state Russ
Jones, another of the brighter young set, Russ Carson, Warwick Harrison,
Johnny Whyte and "Chook" Tuckerman completed the team,
which played under Ellis Kelly as coach and Sid Hoirt as Manager.
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In
1949 the Glaciarium decided to present their own competition and
to this end the Victorian Ice Hockey League was formed , The Black
hawks and the Wildcats were joined by a new club , The golden Bears
, formed by Goalkeeper Clarrie King and coached by Al Sengotta .
Both the Association and the league prospered , probably because
of the competitive nature of the set up, some of the best club Hockey
Victoria has ever seen was played that year. Crowds favoured neither
competition ,but there were generally good attendances at either
rink. To attract players the Glaciarium assisted club funds with
a weekly allowance from which sticks, Jerseys and equipment was
bought for the players. The loss of several players from the previous
year's winning team was a blow to the Associations Goodall Cup prospects
and N.S.W. regained the trophy after a close fought series.
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The
Commonwealth Government's Immigration plan was starting to bear
fruit by the time Hockey started in 1949and many Europeans were
looking for a game of Hockey. The St.Kilda 14ft Sailing club decided
to form a Hockey team and enter it into the association as the Pirates.
After a few games they received a tremendous boost when one of the
best stick handlers Australia's ever seen came down from Bonegilla
to play with them. This was Sandor Miklos who a short while later
was joined by fellow Hungarian Tommy Endrei.
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The
passing of these two was a revelation to the ever eager to learn
youngsters who haunted the ice rinks in those days. This year there
was a double interstate success for Victoria, the Association regained
the Goodall Cup and late in the season the League team went to Sydney
and also beat N.S.W.
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The
League dropped the ill starred Knights in 1950 and formed the Raiders,
it was a team mostly composed of New Australians, A term which was
then just coming into use. Tommy Endrei crossed from the association
to play with the Raiders. Miklos at the same time went to the Black
hawks, Czechoslovakians Jan Kurzwell, Miro Roznetinsky, Joe Lachman
and Mourjir Zachar were others to join the raiders, along with Carol
Martin. Meanwhile Frank Chase, a Canadian with much experience in
England had been bought to Australia by Mr Kleiner of St.Moritz
to act as rink Coach. In Sydney the retirement was announced of
one of the greatest all round skaters of all time, Jimmy Brown.
Not only was Jimmy a stand out as a Hockey player, but he was also
a world class speed skater.1950 was a bad year for the Association
as it again lost the interstate series and the league was steadily
gaining larger crowds. However the Association did gain admittance
to the Olympic Federation and long range plans were discussed regarding
the possibility of a touring Australian team.
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The
next year 1951, the association became the strongest it has ever
been. The Glaciarium decided to drop their League and ordered teams
in that rink to join the Association. The Raiders Immediately started
to dominate the Hockey Championship and they have the amazing record
of being champions of either league or Association every year since
their formation. Steps by the Association to have only four teams
in each rink brought about the winding up of the "Red Arrows"
after the 1953 season. An unexpected closure recently was that of
the "Bears" who were a good strong club. In retrospect
it is safe to say that never at any stage of its history has Ice
Hockey been on such a good footing as it enjoys today. This is largely
due to the splendid work of the present executive whose tireless
application to the needs and worries of the Association is proving
a great power in overcoming the stumbling blocks which slowed progress
in the past years and when their time comes to hand on
responsibilities of caring for the well being of Ice Hockey we may
be sure that everything will have been done to take advantage of
the future which looks so full of opportunity for our Sport
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JOHN
NICHOLAS MEMORIAL TROPHY
GOODALL CUP - MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
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Award
Winners 1966-2000
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| 1966 |
B.
Beattie |
VIC |
| 1967 |
R.
Joslin |
VIC |
| 1968 |
J.
Christie |
VIC |
| 1969 |
J.
Bend |
NSW |
| 1970 |
R.
Suran |
VIC |
| 1971 |
B.
Smale |
VIC |
| 1972 |
R.
Stevenson |
VIC |
| 1973 |
R.
Stevenson |
VIC |
| 1974 |
J.
Christie |
VIC |
| 1975 |
G.
Kenning |
NSW |
| 1976 |
I.
Holmes |
VIC |
| 1977 |
D.
Waymarch |
QLD |
| 1978 |
P.
Vlaciky |
NSW |
| 1979 |
R.
Nordon |
VIC |
| 1980 |
R.
Brideau |
NSW |
| 1981 |
R.
Mac Eachern |
VIC |
| 1982 |
P.
Corrado |
QLD |
| 1983 |
G.
Grant |
WA |
| 1984 |
K.
Dolighan |
VIC |
| 1985 |
C.
Hutchinson |
WA |
| 1986 |
S.
Davidson |
VIC |
| 1987 |
R.
Black |
VIC |
| 1988 |
A.
Malste |
SA |
| 1989 |
A.
Malste |
SA |
| 1990 |
C.
Naish |
ACT |
| 1991
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Pekka
Uusi-Hakimo |
SA |
| 1992 |
A.
McLean |
ACT |
| 1993 |
NOT
HELD
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| 1994 |
H.
Jones |
NSW |
| 1995 |
C.
Rurak |
SA |
| 1996 |
G.
Foll |
SA |
| 1997 |
V.
Rubes |
NSW |
| 1998 |
??????
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| 1999 |
T.
Lovering |
NSW |
| 2000 |
L.
Harrow |
ACT |
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