Johnstown Blue Birds
Encyclopedia
The Johnstown Blue Birds were a professional ice hockey
team from Johnstown, Pennsylvania
. The Blue Birds played one season in the former Eastern Hockey League
before folding after the 1941-42 season.
and Penn State. Neither team had an official college team, but the Palace was filled to capacity and sold over 1100 tickets. In the stands that day was Toronto native Bill "Pick" Hines. Hines had always dreamed of owning a hockey team . After a good day at Pimlico
, where he hit on a long shot, Hines applied for a EHL franchise in Baltimore. Because of lack of publicity, the EHL's Baltimore Orioles were a poor draw. With the Orioles struggling, Hines went to the league offices and asked for their permission to move the team to Johnstown. The league approve the move and Hines moved his team to Johnstown, where they would play their games at the Shaffer Ice Palace
With only fourteen games into the EAHL season, Hines revealed to the league that he had not paid his players in over two weeks. The team almost folded, but a Johnstown resident helped pull the team from debt using his own money. Harry Crichton, who was from New Jersey but at the time was the Vice President of Sale for the Johnstown Coal & Coke Company and had family who lived in the city, drove to New York in an effort to save the team. He walked into Madison Square Garden
, which at the time housed EHL president Ron Lockhart's office, and paid him $2,000 cash to save the team. The Blue Birds would finish the season in a three way tie for first place. Johnstown, the Boston Olympics
, and the New York Rovers
tied for first place in the Eastern League, but New York won the tiebreaker by scoring more goals.
The Shaffer Ice Palace was converted to a manufacturing plant for assist in the production needed for World War II
, leaving the Blue Birds without a home. Johnstown would not see another professional hockey team until 1950, when Johnstown returned to the Eastern Hockey League
as the Johnstown Jets
.
The Johnstown Chiefs paid homage to the Blue Birds during the 2007 season by wearing throwback hockey jerseys bearing the Blue Birds logo. The game was played on November 10, 2007 against the Reading Royals
.
, 3 in total.
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 from Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
. The Blue Birds played one season in the former Eastern Hockey League
Eastern Hockey League
-Eastern Amateur Hockey League :The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972...
before folding after the 1941-42 season.
Shaffer Ice Palace
The Shaffer Ice Company was Johnstown's largest distributor of ice in the city prior to the 1930s. But because of the invention of electric refrigeration, it virtually made Shaffer's ice selling business extinct. However, because of Shaffer's expertise in the ice making business, he used his McMillen Street building to make an indoor ice skating rink. The building would be re-opened as the Shaffer Ice Palace and would offer public skating and ice skating lessons.Ownership
In the fall of 1941, the Ice Palace hosted a game between PittUniversity of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
and Penn State. Neither team had an official college team, but the Palace was filled to capacity and sold over 1100 tickets. In the stands that day was Toronto native Bill "Pick" Hines. Hines had always dreamed of owning a hockey team . After a good day at Pimlico
Pimlico Race Course
Pimlico Race Course is a horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London...
, where he hit on a long shot, Hines applied for a EHL franchise in Baltimore. Because of lack of publicity, the EHL's Baltimore Orioles were a poor draw. With the Orioles struggling, Hines went to the league offices and asked for their permission to move the team to Johnstown. The league approve the move and Hines moved his team to Johnstown, where they would play their games at the Shaffer Ice Palace
1941-42 EHL Season
The Blue Birds played their home games at the Shaffer Ice Palace in the Hornerstown section of Johnstown Although the team on the ice was successful, Hines had financial problems with the team.. When Hines originally saw the exhibition, he saw capacity crowds. What he didn't know was that Johnstown's Memorial Hospital Junior Auxiliary club was responsible for the sellout, having sold many of the tickets as a fundraiser.With only fourteen games into the EAHL season, Hines revealed to the league that he had not paid his players in over two weeks. The team almost folded, but a Johnstown resident helped pull the team from debt using his own money. Harry Crichton, who was from New Jersey but at the time was the Vice President of Sale for the Johnstown Coal & Coke Company and had family who lived in the city, drove to New York in an effort to save the team. He walked into Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, which at the time housed EHL president Ron Lockhart's office, and paid him $2,000 cash to save the team. The Blue Birds would finish the season in a three way tie for first place. Johnstown, the Boston Olympics
Boston Olympics
The Boston Olympics are a defunct farm team for the Boston Bruins. They began play during the 1940–41 Eastern Amateur Hockey League season. The Olympics were often referred to by the shortened name the ‘Pics and the franchise remained active until the 1951–52 season.- Franchise History :Founded by...
, and the New York Rovers
New York Rovers
The New York Rovers were a senior ice hockey team that was established in 1935. They played in the Eastern Hockey League as a farm team of the New York Rangers. The Rovers played alongside the Rangers in Madison Square Garden. They played in the Eastern League through 1947-48...
tied for first place in the Eastern League, but New York won the tiebreaker by scoring more goals.
The Shaffer Ice Palace was converted to a manufacturing plant for assist in the production needed for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, leaving the Blue Birds without a home. Johnstown would not see another professional hockey team until 1950, when Johnstown returned to the Eastern Hockey League
Eastern Hockey League
-Eastern Amateur Hockey League :The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972...
as the Johnstown Jets
Johnstown Jets
The Johnstown Jets were a professional ice hockey team from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Jets were founded in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League for the 1950–51 season, playing at the newly constructed Cambria County War Memorial Arena...
.
The Johnstown Chiefs paid homage to the Blue Birds during the 2007 season by wearing throwback hockey jerseys bearing the Blue Birds logo. The game was played on November 10, 2007 against the Reading Royals
Reading Royals
The Reading Royals are a professional ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Royals play their home games at the Sovereign Center located in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania...
.
Season-by-season results
| Season | League | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Winning % | Goals for | Goals against | Standing | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941–42 | EHL | 60 | 34 | 20 | 6 | 74 | 0.617 | 248 | 215 | t-1st, EHL | Bill "Pick" Hines |
NHL alumni
List of Johnstown Blue Birds who played in the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, 3 in total.
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