American Hockey Association (1926–1942)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The American Hockey Association (AHA) was a minor professional hockey league that operated between 1926 and 1942. It had previously operated as the Central Hockey League (1925–1926), and before that as part of the
United States Amateur Hockey Association The United States Amateur Hockey Association (USAHA) was an ice hockey governing body in the United States from 1920 to 1925, which operated at an amateur level. The league was filled with predominantly Canadian-born players, but struggled to ach ...
. The AHA was the first professional hockey league to field teams in the
Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
. The founding president was Alvin Warren, who also owned the
St. Paul Saints The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They prev ...
. Other founding owners included William Grant, league secretary and owner of the Duluth Hornets (and Warren's successor as president in 1930), Paul Loudon of the Minneapolis Millers, and William Holmes, owner of the league's only Canadian franchise, the Winnipeg Maroons, and also owner of the Winnipeg Auditorium.


History

The
United States Amateur Hockey Association The United States Amateur Hockey Association (USAHA) was an ice hockey governing body in the United States from 1920 to 1925, which operated at an amateur level. The league was filled with predominantly Canadian-born players, but struggled to ach ...
split into two sections in 1925. The western-based teams formed a new league, which was initially called the "Central Hockey Association" before ultimately re-naming itself the "American Hockey Association."
Eddie Livingstone Edward James Livingstone (September 12, 1884 – September 11, 1945) was a Canadian sports team owner and manager. He was the principal owner of the Toronto Shamrocks and the Toronto Blueshirts professional ice hockey clubs of the National Hocke ...
, banished by National Hockey League team owners in 1917, owned the
Chicago Cardinals The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons. Roots ca ...
. Eager to sign a new interleague agreement with the NHL in 1927, the AHA revoked Livingstone's franchise after one season when NHL president
Frank Calder Frank Sellick Calder (November 17, 1877 – February 4, 1943) was a British-born Canadian ice hockey executive, journalist, and athlete. Calder was the first president of the National Hockey League (NHL), from 1917 until his death in 1943. He ...
threatened that no deal would be signed with the league as long as it was associated with Livingstone. The
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
-based
Tulsa Oilers The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and play in the ECHL. The Oilers played their home games at the Tulsa Convention Center until 2008 when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tuls ...
and
Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
-based St. Louis Flyers took the ice in 1928, predating the NHL's short-lived
St. Louis Eagles The St. Louis Eagles were a professional ice hockey team that played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Based in St. Louis, the Eagles played for only one year, the 1934–35 NHL season. The team was founded in 1883 as the Ottawa Senators, a s ...
franchise by six years. The
Kansas City Greyhounds The Kansas City Greyhounds were a professional ice hockey team. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, they operated within the American Hockey Association (AHA) under various names from 1927 to 1942. The franchise was a reiteration of the Chicago Cardi ...
were added to the league in 1933. The Oilers and Flyers were also joined in the early 1940s by two
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
-based teams, the
Dallas Texans Dallas Texans may refer to: American football *Dallas Texans (NFL), 1952 team in the National Football League *Dallas Texans (AFL), 1960–1962 team that is now the Kansas City Chiefs * Dallas Texans (arena), 1990–1993 Arena Football League team ...
and
Fort Worth Rangers The Fort Worth Rangers were a minor professional ice hockey franchise based in Fort Worth, Texas. They played in the American Hockey Association (AHA) during the 1941-42 season and in the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 1945-46 to 1948-4 ...
. By 1930, some AHA owners, led by Walter Whiteside of the
Tulsa Oilers The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and play in the ECHL. The Oilers played their home games at the Tulsa Convention Center until 2008 when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tuls ...
, were questioning the league's relationship with the NHL. They approved the creation of a new Chicago franchise, the
Chicago Shamrocks The Chicago Shamrocks were an ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois, that played 2 seasons in the old American Hockey Association league from 1930 to 1932. They were owned by Hockey Hall of Famer James E. Norris. In 1930, Norris pursued t ...
, owned by
James E. Norris James E. Norris (December 10, 1879 – December 4, 1952) was a Canadian-American businessman, operating companies in the grain and cattle industries, and owner of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. He also had significant owne ...
, bringing the league into an NHL market. Renaming the league the American Hockey League, they also established a franchise in
Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...
, an IHL city, which would have been prohibited under the previous agreement with the NHL. In October 1930, Calder declared the AHL to be an outlaw league and threatened never to allow any AHL players into the NHL. The NHL carried out its threat and denied the applications of former AHL players to join NHL teams for the 1931–32 season. In the fall of 1931, the AHL applied to the
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
trustees to challenge for the trophy, but was unsuccessful in its attempts to force the NHL into a series. The AHL struggled through two seasons in opposition to the NHL. The Buffalo Majors folded halfway through the 1931–32 season, leaving 12 players who unsuccessfully tried to sue team owners to recover $12,000 in unpaid salaries. By the summer of 1932, the AHL was willing to sign another affiliation agreement with the NHL and officially return to minor league status."Hockey league feud brought to an end," ''
Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...
'', September 16, 1932, p. 13.
The NHL insisted that the AHL leave Chicago, and the Shamrocks were shut down, despite having won the league championship. Norris was told that he would be welcomed into the NHL and acquired the
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
franchise in 1933. The AHL went back to being known as the American Hockey Association. The AHA, led by acting president Lyle Wright of the Omaha Knights, voted to shut the league down in the fall of 1942. It returned after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
as the
United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly ...
, starting with the 1945–46 season.


Teams

Incomplete list: * Buffalo Majors (1930–31 to 1931–32) * Chicago Americans/Cardinals (1926–27) *
Chicago Shamrocks The Chicago Shamrocks were an ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois, that played 2 seasons in the old American Hockey Association league from 1930 to 1932. They were owned by Hockey Hall of Famer James E. Norris. In 1930, Norris pursued t ...
(1930–31 to 1931–32) *
Dallas Texans Dallas Texans may refer to: American football *Dallas Texans (NFL), 1952 team in the National Football League *Dallas Texans (AFL), 1960–1962 team that is now the Kansas City Chiefs * Dallas Texans (arena), 1990–1993 Arena Football League team ...
(1941–42; joins USHL in 1945) *
Detroit Greyhounds Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
(1926–27) *
Duluth Hornets , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesot ...
(1926–27 to 1932–33) *
Fort Worth Rangers The Fort Worth Rangers were a minor professional ice hockey franchise based in Fort Worth, Texas. They played in the American Hockey Association (AHA) during the 1941-42 season and in the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 1945-46 to 1948-4 ...
(1941–42; joins USHL in 1945) *
Kansas City Americans Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
(1940–41 to 1941–42) *
Kansas City Greyhounds The Kansas City Greyhounds were a professional ice hockey team. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, they operated within the American Hockey Association (AHA) under various names from 1927 to 1942. The franchise was a reiteration of the Chicago Cardi ...
(1933–34 to 1939–40) * Kansas City Pla-Mors (1927–28 to 1931–32; joins USHL in 1945) *
Minneapolis Millers The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, through 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League. The team played first in ...
(1926–27 to 1930–31; 1936–37 to 1941–42; joins USHL in 1945) * Minneapolis Warriors (1935–36) *
Oklahoma City Warriors The Oklahoma Warriors were a soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that competed in the SISL and USISL. Founded in 1986 by head coach and owner Chico Villar, the Warriors played their home games at the Indoor Soccer Arena, owned by Villa ...
(1933–34 to 1935–36) *
Omaha Knights The Omaha Knights was the name of three minor league professional ice hockey teams from 1959 to 1965 and from 1966 to 1975, based in Omaha, Nebraska, at the Ak-Sar-Ben Arena. The Knights were founded in 1959 as members of the International Hoc ...
(1939–40 to 1941–42; joins USHL in 1945) * St. Louis Flyers (1928–29 to 1941–42) *
St. Paul Saints The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They prev ...
(1926–27 to 1929–30; 1932–33; 1935–36 to 1941–42; joins USHL in 1945) * St. Paul Greyhounds (1932–33) *
Tulsa Oilers The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and play in the ECHL. The Oilers played their home games at the Tulsa Convention Center until 2008 when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tuls ...
(1928–29 to 1931–32; 1932–33 to 1941–42; joins USHL in 1945) * Tulsa Indians (1933–34) * Wichita Blue Jays (1932–33) *
Wichita Skyhawks Wichita ( ) may refer to: People *Wichita people, a Native American tribe *Wichita language, the language of the tribe Places in the United States * Wichita, Kansas, a city * Wichita County, Kansas, a county in western Kansas (city of Wichita i ...
(1935–36 to 1939–40) * Wichita Vikings (1933–34) *
Winnipeg Maroons The Winnipeg Maroons were a minor League baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, which played in the Northern League from 1902–1942. Their home field from 1906 to 1922 was Happyland Park, which had a seating capacity Seating ...
(1926–27 to 1927–28)


Champions

The Harry F. Sinclair Trophy was awarded to the league champions. * 1926–27 — Duluth Hornets * 1927–28 — Minneapolis Millers * 1928–29 — Tulsa Oilers * 1929–30 — Kansas City Pla-Mors * 1930–31 — Tulsa Oilers * 1931–32 — Chicago Shamrocks * 1932–33 — Kansas City Greyhounds * 1933–34 — Kansas City Greyhounds * 1934–35 — St. Louis Flyers * 1935–36 — St. Louis Flyers * 1936–37 — Minneapolis Millers * 1937–38 — St. Louis Flyers * 1938–39 — St. Louis Flyers * 1939–40 — St. Paul Saints * 1940–41 — St. Louis Flyers * 1941–42 — Omaha Knights


References


Bibliography

* * *


External links


American Hockey Association 1926–1942, history and standings
{{DEFAULTSORT:American Hockey Association (1926-42) 1926 establishments in the United States 1942 disestablishments in the United States Sports leagues established in 1926 Sports leagues disestablished in 1942