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In Absence of Toronto Representative Other Clubs Plan New League
(Special Dispatch to The Globe)
Montreal, Nov. 13. - That the new professional
hockey circuit now hatching will be called the
Eastern Canada Hockey League, and will be a
four-club affair, is about the only news
forthcoming to-day concerning the tangled pro.
situation.
Ottawa, Canadiens and Wanderers are certain to be members of the new series, and Toronto may be the fourth club. If Quebec gets a franchise in the new league the Ancient Capital club is expected not to operate, and the franchise will be turned over to the Toronto Arena Company, who are mostly Montreal men, and who will control the Toronto Hockey Club.
While, for the mere sake of making the thing look decent, the local magnates disclaim knowledge of the new league, these are the facts. The crux of the situation is Quebec. If Quebec comes in Toronto will be out. If Quebec retires, Toronto, with a team backed by the Arena Company, will get a franchise. That, in a nutshell, is the situation, according to the best of authority.
It is not generally known that after Saturday night's N.H.A. meeting had adjourned there was a private conference of the delegates, except- ing the Toronto representative. Progress up to the point indicated above, was made, it is said, at this gathering.
Pro. League Willing to Give This City What Quebec Doesn't Want
Montreal, Nov 16. - To-morrow the professional hockey clubs which formerly composed the N.H.A. will meet again and endevour to frame up some kind of league for the coming winter. Wanderers and Canadiens of this city, the Ottawa club and one other will be made into a league, but there is no indication at this moment as to what city the fourth club will represent. Quebec and Toronto are named, it having been tentatively agreed among the promoters that the Queen City can have a franchise under the management of the Toronto Arena, provided Quebec does not want to come in. The Ancient City is favored, but "Mike" Quinn may decide not to operate.
It is said that the Quebec club has offered some of its players for sale, but none of the local clubs will admit being offered any of the men. Conscription will take some of the players, who may be called to the colors before the season gets far advanced. Prospects for the new league, no matter what its composition, are not bright.
Long-distance telephone messages from the Citadel City give reason to believe that if the shareholders of the Quebec Hockey Club could be certain of getting together a first-class team they would even, if Mike Quinn should be compelled to give up the management, be anxious to get in the win-the-war series this season.
An effort is being made to get the Canadiens to make some sort of bargain by which "Newsy" Lalonde might be lent to Quebec at a reasonable sum of money for the season, and if this could be done it is more than likely that Quebec would stick.
Ottawa Also Decides to Play in Event of New Pro. League / Meeting Again Postponed / Clubs Not Yet Certain of Getting the Use of the Ice at Montreal Arena
(Special Dispatch to The Globe)
Montreal, Nov 18 - E.D. Sheppard, President of
the Montreal Arena Company, and W. Northey, the
manager, returned to Montreal to-day from a trip
to New York, and had little to say regarding the
professional hockey situation.
Mr. Sheppard said that he believed that the clubs were throwing out a bluff about playing their games at an East End rink, and that they would play at the arena if there is a league. There is nothing new in the situation, except that it is now known here that Ottawa and Quebec will stick which means a new four-club professional league.
There was to have been a meeting of the N.H.A. here on Saturday night to endeavor to complete organization and to draw up a schedule, but the non-arrival of Mr. Sheppard until to-day left matters in the air and nothing was done, the clubs not caring to make any arrangements until they ascertain whether or not they will be allowed the use of the arena. The management of the latter say that unless there is some assurance that there will be a league of good teams the ice palace will be turned over to the use of the skaters exclusively.
Meeting Called for Thursday - McDonald and Malone for "Newsy" Lalonde
(Special dispatch to The Globe)
Montreal, Nov 19. - The long-talked-of meeting
at which a new professional hockey league will
be launched will be at the Windsor Hotel here
on Thursday night if Ottawa are ready to come
to Montreal on that date. The Senators will
remain in the running for honors again this
season, but the fourth in the schedule is
still doubtful.
The local promoters of the league claim that they do not know of any team in Toronto at the present time, although they have been informed by Montreal stockholders of the Toronto Arena that the Arena Company would place a team on the ice if given a franchise this winter, the team to be under entirely different management than a year ago.
If Quebec finally decide to drop out Toronto will get a franchise to make up the four-team schedule. That much seems certain, at any rate. Quebec and Canadiens are now negotiating a trade through which Kennedy would get Malone and MacDonald, while Quebec would get "Newsy Lalonde". MacDonald and Malone are now employed in Montreal & will not give up their positions to play hockey. The fact that the Ancient City is signing a team would indicate that Toronto will be ignored.
(Special dispatch to The Globe)
Montreal, Nov 23. - Harry Hyland, who played centre
position for the Wanderers last season and the previous
year, has been granted exemption. Hyland will be one of
the best men in the proposed new league should he
decide to play.
Odie Cleghorn is another member of the Wanderers who was granted exemption, but his case is different from that of Hyland. Exemption was granted to Cleghorn for strictly business reasons until the first of March, but in the beginning the Tribunal stipulated that Cleghorn must not participate in any hockey matches this season. Should he play hockey, his temporary exemption will become void.
In granting the exemption the Tribunal established a precedent that is likely to be followed in the case of others. This adds to the scarcity of professional hockey players and one of the local teams will be greatly weakened. If Quebec drops out Malone and Macdonald will be handed over to the local clubs, one going to each. If Toronto is dropped the players will likely be divided as a year ago, but even with that there would still be a scarcity of players.
Although no official notice was given to Hyland regarding his playing hockey, it is hardly likely that he will participate in any of the games, as his appearance on the ice would assuredly bring about an appeal from the military authorities.
New Pro. Hockey League Again Postpones Meeting Until This Evening
Quebec Men Come Here? / Ancient City Players May Be Bought By the Montreal Owners of the Toronto Arena
(Special dispatch to The Globe)
Montreal, Nov 25. - The meeting called for Saturday night, when
it was intended to launch a new professional hockey league, was
postponed until to-morrow night, when the schedule and plans for
the season will be announced by the promoters.
Things have taken a new turn,and it is now practically assured that Toronto will have the fourth franchise in the new league, and that Quebec will drop out. Quebec have been negotiating with the promoters of the league for the sale of the players on the club's reserve list, and, as the Montreal promoters, who control the Toronto Arena, have guaranteed to pay for them, they will likely be given a franchise and included in this season's schedule.
There is a local feeling that it would be better to keep Quebec in the league, with Canadiens, Ottawa and Toronto, and drop the Wanderers, who have lost practically all of their players, and more particularly since Odie Cleghorn has been denied the privilege of playing this season and Harry Hyland can hardly play in the face of getting an exemption for no apparent reason.
Murphy's Appointment As Manager Of Local Team Not Definitely Announced
(Special dispatch to The Globe)
Montreal, Nov 28. - Jimmy Murphy, the well-known Toronto sportsman, who
was in Montreal yesterday afternoon, holding a conference with the owners
of the Toronto professional hockey club regarding his accepting the
position of manager, returned to his home yesterday. The Toronto club
are anxious to have Murphy and although nothing definite was done
regarding the matter, it is likely that when the season opens Murphy will
be in command. It was announced to-day that the season will open on
Wednesday, December 19, so as to enable the games for the world's
championship to be played at an earlier date than usual.
Closes Negotiations With the Montreal Owners of Toronto Pro. Hockey Team / Lalonde Leads Canadiens / Military Members of Tribunals Propose to Reopen Cases of Exempted Hockeyists and Others
(Special dispatch to The Globe)
Montreal, Nov 29. - After a meeting with the local owners
of stock in the Toronto Arena, James J. Murphy, the well-
known lacrosse manager, has decided to accept the position
of manager of the Toronto professional hockey team for
this winter.
"Jimmy" Murphy is well known in sport in Montreal, and the choice is a popular one with the local patrons of the winter pastime. Murphy will have full control of the team, which will be financed by the Arena Company, and with the material he will have to work on should produce a team that will be well up in the race.
Arrangements have been made by the local teams to commence practice on artificial ice on Monday morning next. "Newsy" Lalonde has signed as playing manager of the Canadiens again this season. Manager Ross of the Wanderers is hustling for players.
Source: The Globe (Toronto) - Fri Nov 30, 1917
Exempted Athletes to be Rounded Up by Military Representatives
Montreal, Nov 29. - An officer of one of the local hockey clubs has been notified that the military authorities will make an appeal in the case of every hockey player who has been exempted from serving at the front, as it is considered that too many of these men, in the best of physical condition, as they must be to play the most strenuous game in the world, are trying to escape through political or other influences. This will apply not only to the Montreal district, but all over Canada.
Cases of other first-rate athletes in other strenuous branches of sport, such as water polo, running and lacrosse, who have slipped through by means of some technical weakness in their physique, will be re-opened, as it is considered that while they might not be especially fit for one branch of the service, they might be exceedingly useful in another.
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