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62-637: On September 8, 1935, Larry Welch, a longtime hockey promoter at Duquesne Garden, announced that Pittsburgh had secured a team in the International Hockey League, pending league approval. The club operated under the Pittsburgh Professional Hockey Club, Inc. with papers of incorporation being immediately applied for The team had then signed a two-year lease at the Garden and a plan was established that split

124-743: A 37–3–0 record. During the winter of 1917–18 the PAA team joined the New York Wanderers , Boston Arenas and Boston Navy Yard in forming the United States National Hockey League , which would last only one season. The PAA won the league title and went on to defeat the Montreal Hochelaga club, holders of the Art Ross Cup , in an international amateur championship series to win a new honor called

186-722: A Yellow Jackets’ game, leading to the creation of the Ice Capades . Then, on October 4, 1936, Harris purchased the Detroit Olympics and moved the team to Pittsburgh, where they were renamed the Pittsburgh Hornets . Some players from the Yellow Jackets and Shamrocks players then joined the Hornets. After the 1936–37 season, the Yellow Jackets folded. Two players from the team have been inducted into

248-713: A full Olympic roster, it was decided to choose representatives from all three of the teams. Four of the eleven selections were from the PAA: Herb Drury , Joe McCormick (who was appointed US team captain), Larry McCormick, and Ray Bonney , all but the last of whom were born in Canada but had acquired US citizenship. PAA manager Schooley, who assembled the Olympic team, said that the PAA's Manners, McCrimmon, and Ed Nagle , who were also Canadian-born, would have been worthy of inclusion had they been eligible. The Americans won

310-710: A future Hall of Famer , to come to Pittsburgh and officiate games, "to see if the crowd would take to him". Schooley then asked Conacher to play with the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets in a four-game series against his former team, the Toronto Aura Lee hockey team, and against the Hamilton Tigers . Conacher impressed the Pittsburgh fans by scoring 11 of the Yellow Jackets' 23 goals in the four games. Schooley then used his connections in

372-663: A group that acquired the Niagara Falls franchise in the International Hockey League and transferred it to Pittsburgh under the reclaimed name "Yellow Jackets". The Pittsburgh team competed in the IHL for only two seasons. In 1932, the Yellow Jackets served as a farm team for the Chicago Black Hawks who often took several of their key players in mid-season. Before a March 1932 game against

434-519: A home stand in late December, in what would be the longest winning streak in the team’s history. The Shamrocks later hosted the Tecumsehs on January 10, 1936, and set a record for the IHL by scoring nine goals in a 9-3 win. Four nights later, Pittsburgh tied Cleveland, 4–4, for its only tie of the season. The week ended with Starke’s second, and final, shutout after a 1-0 victory over Syracuse. Starke would play five more games for Pittsburgh; his last game

496-650: A member of the U.S. Olympic hockey team. In the Yellow Jackets' 1923–24 season opening game at Duquesne Garden, Conacher scored a hat trick . The Yellow Jackets posted a 15–5–0 record for the season to earn first place in the league's Western group. Pittsburgh then defeated the Boston Athletic Association to win the Fellowes Cup 4 games to 1 in the playoffs. A Boston newspaper, the Boston Traveller , on January 29, 1924, termed

558-784: A year and would be barely nudged out of the playoffs. In 1926, the playoff series was just two games long, with total goals deciding the issue. The Pirates, who finished third in the seven-team NHL, lost to the Montreal Maroons , 3–1, in the opener in Pittsburgh and tied, 3–3, in Montreal. The Maroons' 6–4 edge in goals gave them the series and they went on to win the 1926 Stanley Cup. Among the Jackets-turned-Pirates were two Hockey Hall of Famers—Lionel Conacher and goalie Roy Worters. The Pirates would operate from 1925 until 1930. The Pittsburgh Hockey Club that succeeded

620-417: Is played by our own boys … [and Pittsburgh hockey] … is played mainly by a bunch of traveling mercenaries, who practically all are of Canadian birth and training." Boston Herald columnist W.E. Mullins referred to the Yellow Jackets as "Pittsburgh's Canadians". These imported players joined current Yellow Jackets players Dinny Manners and Herb Drury, the latter of whom was about to win his second silver medal as

682-639: The Pittsburgh Gazette Times and later the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph , the USAHA was not a completely amateur league. Sullivan noted that even though the USAHA was called an amateur league, "They didn't come down from Canada because they thought Pittsburgh was a nice place." The eastern teams of USAHA soon imported Canadian players, to add to their rosters of local players. In February 1923, Schooley invited Lionel Conacher ,

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744-625: The Art Ross Cup . After beating St. Paul, the Duquesne Garden team was claimed to be the hockey champion of the world, though this claim was not officially or widely recognized. After its first season, the Duquesne Garden exhibition team established an affiliation with the Pittsburgh Athletic Association (PAA), a private athletic and social club, adopting that organization's name, colors, and "Winged Head" insignia. The team finished its 1916–17 campaign with

806-618: The Bronx cheer gesture. However, later in the game, Garnet's leg was broken, in three separate locations. Of the incident, he later stated that he was shocked that any man could hurt him like that because he was always able to take care of himself. However at Sixsmith's very next time game at the Duquesne Gardens, he scored 11 goals. The 11 goals is considered to be a record for the Duquesne Gardens, one that has not yet been broken by any Pittsburgh hockey player. In 1904, Sixsmith became

868-508: The Buffalo Bisons , Pittsburgh's Doc Romnes was recalled to Chicago to aid the team in their NHL title chase. This and other roster moves over the season left the Yellow Jackets' coach, Charlie Reid to constantly change his forward lines. By 1932, the Yellow Jackets were having financial problems, despite the support Pittsburgh fans gave them, leaving some doubt as to whether the team would operate in 1932–33. On August 22, 1932, it

930-735: The Canadian Soo . That same year his brother Arthur, visited Pittsburgh, and decided to stay, and help found a hockey league. Art then convinced Garnet and several other Canadian players to play in the very first openly professional league, the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League (WPHL). He then moved to Pittsburgh to play professionally in 1902. Sixsmith played for several WPHL teams, the Pittsburgh Victorias , Pittsburgh Lyceum and Pittsburgh Athletic Club between 1902 and 1910. He also played in

992-625: The Eastern Amateur Hockey League before folding in 1937. The roots of the Yellow Jackets trace back to the winter of 1915–16, when Roy Schooley , a local politician and former hockey referee, put together an amateur team to play exhibition games at the Duquesne Garden . Schooley brought in Canadian players including Dinny Manners, brothers Larry and Joe McCormick , and Russell McCrimmon . The team, known as

1054-802: The Hockey Hall of Fame : Brimsek in 1966 and winger Gordie Drillon in 1975. Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Garnet Sixsmith Garnet Mosgrove Sixsmith (January 15, 1885 – March 12, 1967) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. One of the first professional ice hockey players, he played professionally in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, from 1902 until 1910. His brother Arthur Sixsmith also played professional ice hockey. Born in Ottawa , Ontario , Canada, Sixsmith learned ice hockey at an early age. He played in 1901 for

1116-769: The International Professional Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Professionals . Sixsmith spent his entire professional career in Pittsburgh, with the exception of one season in which he played for the Canadian Soo. In one memorable game, the visiting Portage Lakes Hockey Club played at the Duquesne Gardens . Just before the game began, Portage Lakes' William "Lady" Taylor told Sixsmith; "I'm going to break your leg tonight". Sixsmith replied to Taylor with

1178-719: The Pittsburgh Civic Arena . The Yellow Jackets had a hand in providing Pittsburgh with another professional hockey team, the Pittsburgh Shamrocks . The idea for the Shamrocks team came about when Yellow Jackets' owner, John Harris, and Charles King, president of the International American Hockey League, met in Pittsburgh to discuss Pittsburgh’s possible entrance into the league in the fall. The meeting resulted in

1240-686: The Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Hockey League . After the Pirates relocated in 1930 to play as the Philadelphia Quakers , a second Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets club (organized by the founder of the original club) played for two seasons in the International Hockey League , a minor professional circuit. A third Yellow Jackets team was organized at the amateur level in 1935 by John H. Harris and competed in

1302-485: The Pittsburgh Press he couldn't bear watching a team score a goal and then drop back and play defensive hockey. Stating that the best defense was the best offense, Sixsmith felt that teams should keep scoring and pile up the score. He also stated that the referees had too much responsibility and blew the whistle too often. Finally he stated that line changes were occurring to often. Sixsmith felt that pulling

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1364-639: The Princeton Tigers hockey team . That same year, he played on a team for the Pittsburgh Winter Garden alongside his brother, who was also the team's manager. The team lasted on one year and after the season both brothers ended their playing careers. At this time six-man hockey came to Pittsburgh and the new game did not appeal to Sixsmith. He later stated that the seven-man game "was tougher and had more action". Sixsmith's last connection to hockey came in 1924–25, when he served as

1426-712: The Toronto Arenas to the Stanley Cup in 1918, was appointed the team's coach once Conacher and his teammates arrived in Pittsburgh for the 1923–24 season by Schooley. However the use of Canadian players drew criticism, with the Boston -based teams leading the charge. In one instance, the Boston Herald questioned why: "Boston hockey … [was] hooked up with Pittsburgh at all… [After all] the best hockey in Boston

1488-543: The Western Pennsylvania Hockey League and once scored eleven goals in a game at Duquesne Garden dropped the ceremonial puck. During the game, Bill Hudson scored a hat trick , which included the game-winner, as the Shamrocks defeated Cleveland, 6–5. However, on November 17, 1935, the Cleveland Falcons defeated the Shamrocks in Cleveland, 2-0, and the team began a five-game losing streak. Included in that streak

1550-694: The "Duquesne Garden hockey team" after its home arena, compiled a record of 20 wins, 3 losses and no ties in early 1916 against teams from Canada and the US. A highlight of the season was a three-game series sweep of the St. Paul (Minnesota) Athletic Club , which had won the MacNaughton Cup as champion of the American Hockey Association and had defeated the Lachine club of Canada, holders of

1612-631: The 1935-36 with the Springfield Indians . The Shamrocks then signed several players with NHL experience. They first purchased Joe Starke, a goaltender from the Chicago Black Hawks . Next, the Shamrocks signed three players from the Detroit Red Wings : Norm Walker and brothers Earl and Desse Roche . The Roche brothers became the first brothers ever to play together on any professional Pittsburgh hockey team. Rookies Jean and Conrad Bourcier also made local history by becoming

1674-495: The Fellowes international trophy. That season's overall record of 24–3–2 included a 22-game winning streak. There was no 1918–19 season for the PAA, with Duquesne Garden being used as a barracks and most of the players in military service. The team resumed its dominance in 1919–20, going 25–5–3 playing an independent schedule. The PAA team figured prominently in the formation of the first U.S. Olympic ice hockey team . When

1736-632: The Garden's ice time between the new IHL team and the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets , Pittsburgh's club in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The team was coached by Sprague Cleghorn , who won two Stanley Cups with the Ottawa Senators in 1920 and 1921 and another with the Montreal Canadiens in 1924 . However, he was also regarded as one of the dirtiest players in the National Hockey League , since he led

1798-824: The Montreal Canadiens. The team then negotiated a deal with the Philadelphia Arrows of the Canadian-American Hockey League which landed the Shamrocks; forwards Stan McCabe , Bill Hudson , Eddie Owens and defenseman Art Lilly. It was believed that Ted Saunders , who played in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators, before playing in the Canadian-American league, would be coming to Pittsburgh. However he spent

1860-547: The Olympics of the International-American Hockey League and merged them with players from the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets and the Shamrocks. The team was renamed Pittsburgh Hornets . Bill "Red" Anderson and Bill Hudson were the only two players from the Shamrocks to be on the Hornets roster at the start of the 1936–37 season . Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets

1922-451: The Pirates formally suspended operations. The Yellow Jackets went dormant as well, and ultimately disbanded without playing another season. Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against In January 1935, Pittsburgh theater chain owner John H. Harris , who had taken a lease on the Garden in 1932, hired coach and former player Dinny Manners to put together an amateur team with

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1984-560: The Pirates-Yellow Jackets jerseys as precedence for the move. Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against The Pirates left Pittsburgh and became the short-lived Philadelphia Quakers in 1930, due to issues related to the Great Depression and the failure to find a replacement for the aging Duquesne Garden . Shortly afterwards, Schooley headed

2046-493: The Pittsburgh Athletic Association hockey team in 1920 wore black jerseys with gold trim and the word "Pittsburg" (as the name of the city was still sometimes spelled) written in script diagonally across the chest. Black and gold had also been worn by the club's original predecessor, the 1916 Duquesne Garden team. In November 1922, the Pittsburgh club switched to gold jerseys with a black "P" on

2108-586: The Pittsburgh Hockey Club, shedding the red and gray colors of the PAA for new uniforms of black and gold. An original member of the USAHA, the team played only a few exhibition games in its inaugural season before suspending operations because of eligibility problems. It was reapproved for league play for the following season. The team would not become known as the Yellow Jackets until the 1922–23 season. According to former sports reporter Paul Sullivan, who covered hockey for much of his life for

2170-413: The Pittsburgh media to promote Conacher to the city's hockey fans. After seeing how well the fans took to Conacher, Schooley made him the team's captain, and asked him to invite a number of his friends to play for the Yellow Jackets. These players included Harold Cotton , Hib Milks , Harold Darragh , Rodger Smith , Duke McCurry , "Tex" White and goalie Roy Worters . Dick Carroll , who had coached

2232-438: The Shamrocks. The only player, of the group, who played with the Shamrocks the year prior was Bill Huson. The second season never took place as the team folded. Contrary to popular belief, the Shamrocks did not evolve into the Pittsburgh Hornets . After winning the IHL championship in 1936, the Detroit Olympics moved to Pittsburgh to become the Hornets. On October 4, 1936, Pittsburgh theatre chain owner, John Harris , purchased

2294-540: The Yellow Jackets "a wonder team" and another account referred to Conacher as "Canada’s Wonder Athlete". The trio of Rodger Smith, Conacher and Roy Worters was part of Pittsburgh’s "stonewall defense." The Yellow Jackets were so dominant by 1924 that they spun off another Pittsburgh team, named the Fort Pitt Hornets , who played in the Eastern Division. Dinny Manners, who served as player-coach of

2356-588: The Yellow Jackets had joined the EAHL with the New York Rovers . During the team's three seasons of play, Frank Brimsek served as the team's goaltender. Brimsek would go on to win 252 games in goal, which gave him the record for winningest American-born netminder. His record would stand until February 15, 1994, when Tom Barrasso and the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Winnipeg Jets , 5-3, at

2418-484: The Yellow Jackets in the 1922–23 season, when they were only a .500 club, still played for the team during the 1923–24 season, however the following season he joined the Hornets. In their 1924–25 season, the Yellow Jackets finished their split regular season with a 15–3–2 first-half record for first place in the Western Group, followed by a 10–8–2 second-half record for second place in the west. After sweeping

2480-588: The colors, chest logo, and sleeve patches from the previous season's uniforms but changed the word above the "P" to read "Pirates". The team's colors gained new relevance decades later when the city's second NHL team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, wanted to change their uniform colors from blue and white to black and gold. When the change was protested by the Boston Bruins , the Penguins showcased

2542-403: The establishment of the Shamrocks and established that the Garden's ice time would be split by the new IHL team and the Yellow Jackets, who became the newest members of the Eastern Amateur Hockey League. During his tenure as owner of the Yellow Jackets, John Harris made two notable decisions. First, on March 31, 1936, he hired Sonja Henie , 24-year-old Norwegian figure skater to perform before

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2604-446: The first hockey player to use aluminum skates, after he noticed that they were used by speed skaters . Wanting more speed in his game, he had aluminum ice skates custom-made for himself, with a shorter blade. The skates cost him $ 15, even though his brother and several others told him they would never become popular. The skates eventually helped him earn his reputation as a fast skater. The type of skate developed for Sixsmith soon became

2666-410: The first player to use the slap shot . On November 10, 1935, the Shamrocks opened their season on the road, against the Syracuse Stars . The game resulted in the Shamrocks defeating the Stars, 5–4. Two nights later, the team played in their home opener at Duquesne Garden against the Cleveland Falcons . The game's opening ceremonies featured a full orchestra. Meanwhile, Garnet Sixsmith , who played in

2728-430: The front; the nickname "Yellow Jackets" appeared in the press by the next month. On the sleeves were patches in the form of the coat of arms of the city of Pittsburgh . A late version of the Yellow Jackets jersey featured a slanted and more angular "P" logo on the front and the word "Champions" cursively written above the "P". When the Yellow Jackets became the city's first NHL team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, they retained

2790-417: The intent of placing it in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . This was the third hockey team in Pittsburgh to take the name Yellow Jackets, not including yet another team of the same name in a local commercial league. The team spent its shortened first season in early 1935 as an independent playing various exhibition games against other clubs. Then on October 29, 1935, the Montreal Gazette reported that

2852-425: The league in penalty minutes for nine of its first ten years. Prior to the formation of the Shamrocks, the Cleghorn family was already known to Pittsburgh's hockey fans. Sprague's brother, Odie , was the head coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates when they became the city's first NHL team for the 1924-25 season . On October 9, 1935, the team was approved to play in the IHL. Meanwhile, a report in The Pittsburgh Press

2914-423: The past month". On March 14, 1936, Cleghorn filed a lawsuit against the Shamrocks ownership, claiming that he was owed $ 1,420.50 by the club. The ex-coach claimed that he was owed $ 420.50 in salary since March 2, and a $ 1,000 bonus, covered by his contract. On March 16, 1936, the Shamrocks played their final game at Duquesne Garden. During the game, the Shamrocks were trailing the Windsor Bulldogs 6–1, going into

2976-419: The president of the Fort Pitt Hornets of the United States Amateur Hockey Association . On November 16, 1935, Sixsmith dropped the ceremonial first puck, at the Duquesne Gardens, for the inaugural home game of the Pittsburgh Shamrocks of the International Hockey League He retired in 1950 and moved to Chautauqua, New York . He became critical of several of the changes to the game. In 1933, he stated to

3038-399: The second siblings to play professional hockey on the same Pittsburgh team when they joined the Shamrocks in late January. Meanwhile, Harold Darragh and Gordon Fraser , who both played in the NHL with the Pirates, were added to the roster. The Shamrocks also signed Nick Wasnie , won two Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in 1930 and 1931 , and was credited by Aurel Joliat as being

3100-443: The second-half winner Eveleth Arrowheads in the group playoff, the Jackets moved on to the league finals against their in-city rivals the Fort Pitt Hornets, who had won the Eastern Group. The favored Yellow Jackets defeated the Hornets three games to none, with one tie, to retain the Fellowes Cup. The Yellow Jackets stopped playing after the USAHA folded at the end of the 1924–25 season. When Duquesne Garden president Henry Townsend

3162-421: The silver medal by overwhelming all of their opponents except for Canada's gold medalist Winnipeg Falcons , to whom they lost 2–0. In late October, 1920, the United States Amateur Hockey Association was formed, with Schooley and William S. Haddock serving as co-founders and respectively acting as the league's secretary-treasurer and president. The team that had been playing under the PAA banner reorganized as

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3224-403: The skate of choice for hockey players and are still in use. The original skates were later gold plated by his family and given to him on February 3, 1960, his 50th wedding anniversary. He joined the Pennsylvania Railroad as a clerk in 1905. After hockey, he continued at the railroad, eventually becoming a superintendent of the Conemaugh Division. In 1915, Sixsmith turned down an offer to coach

3286-399: The sport was about to debut as an Olympic competition at the 1920 Games in Antwerp , Belgium , the PAA won a three-team American tournament (with Boston AA and St. Paul AC ) that was originally supposed to determine which one of the clubs would be sent intact to the Olympics to represent the United States. However, as it became clear that no team had enough US-eligible players to furnish

3348-438: The team's captain , for the team's 11 remaining games. According to media reports, Cleghorn refused to leave with the team for a game in Windsor because he claimed that the team had not been paid three days earlier. However, the Shamrocks' ownership stated that the reason Cleghorn did not accompany the Shamrocks team on their trip, and was relieved of his coaching duties, was because he had to be disciplined for "misconduct covering

3410-477: The third period. The Shamrocks scored five goals, however they still lost the game, 7–6. The team's next game, against the Detroit Olympics on March 17, 1936, was cancelled due to the Great St. Patrick's Day Flood . Pittsburgh won their final game, 5–2, against the Syracuse Stars on March 22, 1936. The Shamrocks finished with a record of 18–27–1 and lost over $ 40,000 in four months of play. A group of fifteen players arrived in Pittsburgh on November 3, 1936, to play for

3472-514: Was a 3–0 loss to the Buffalo Bisons which resulted in the Pittsburgh Press describing the Shamrocks as "a very mediocre team". Finally, goaltender Joe Starke ended the streak and earned the first Shamrocks shutout in a 1-0 win over the London Tecumsehs . The team improved slightly with the addition of Red Anderson and Roger Cormier , however they dropped their next four games. The team's record, through just its six weeks of play, did not sit well with its ownership. On December 20, 1935, Larry Welch

3534-434: Was fired as the team's general manager. A statement by Phil Jacks, the secretary-treasurer of the Shamrocks, read "We are sick and tired of the way the club has been going. We mean to wreck it from top to bottom if it doesn't start winning. That means several players will be put in their places or sent home." Meanwhile, coach Sprague Cleghorn was placed on a probationary status by the team. Pittsburgh did win three games during

3596-415: Was granted an NHL expansion team for the following season, he filled it with the former Yellow Jackets players. The NHL team took the name Pittsburgh Pirates from the baseball club , something the new NFL team would also do eight years later. The team wore black and yellow uniforms that largely resembled the Yellow Jackets' outfits from the previous season. The Pirates made it to the NHL semifinals within

3658-415: Was on February 5, 1936, against the Buffalo Bisons. During the game, Starke was injured at some point during the game's second period. Starke did not return for the third period and was replaced by Paul Gauthier , a Montreal Canadiens signee on loan to the Shamrocks. Starke was released by the team five days later. On March 2, 1936, Cleghorn was dismissed by the Shamrocks and was replaced by Albert Hughes ,

3720-425: Was reported that the defunct Pittsburgh Pirates would be returning to the NHL for the upcoming season . The news put the Yellow Jackets in limbo, since the Pirates still held territorial rights and could deny the team permission to operate. However the trust company that owned the Jackets had the right to deny the NHL team the right to play at Duquesne Gardens. However the optimism was short-lived and on October 1, 1932

3782-404: Was the first to reference the team as the “Pittsburgh Shamrocks.” Welch then announced that the Shamrocks would leave for Niagara Falls, Ontario , and conduct a training camp on October 21, 1935. The Shamrocks choose to train there since the ice surface at Duquesne Garden would not be ready for use until early November. In forming their team, Pittsburgh first laid claim to any spare players from

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3844-403: Was the name of three separate ice hockey teams based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . The original team was part of the United States Amateur Hockey Association (USAHA) from 1920 to 1925 and developed from predecessors dating back to 1915. After winning the USAHA Championship in 1924 and 1925, the ostensibly amateur (but arguably semi-professional) Yellow Jackets turned fully professional and became

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