Winnipeg 61st Battalion was a Canadian

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

team. Composed of players from the 61st Battalion of the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...

created to participate in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the team won the Pattison Trophy in 1915–16 as Manitoba provincial champions, defeating the defending champion

Winnipeg Monarchs Winnipeg Monarchs is a name used by several Canadian ice hockey teams in Winnipeg, Manitoba and may refer to: *Winnipeg Monarchs (senior), a defunct ice hockey team, 1935 World Ice Hockey Champions *Winnipeg Monarchs (MJHL) The Winnipeg Monarch ...

. The Winnipeg Monarchs protested when the Winnipeg 61st Battalion were chosen to defend the Allan Cup as Winnipeg Patriotic Hockey League champions, since the Monarchs considered the patriotic games to be exhibitions. The

Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association ''"Glorious and free"'' , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital ...

subsequently upheld

Claude C. Robinson Claude Copeland Robinson (December 17, 1881June 27, 1976) was a Canadian ice hockey and sports executive. After winning an intermediate-level championship as captain of the Winnipeg Victorias in 1905, he served as secretary-treasurer and as vi ...

's decision that the 61st Battalion defend the Allan Cup, but that the Monarchs would be given the opportunity to defend the cup only if the soldiers had to leave Winnipeg due to military service. The Winnipeg 61st Battalion won the Allan Cup by defeating challenges from

Fort William, Ontario Fort William was a city in Ontario, Canada, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Since th ...

and the Regina Victorias. Due to the World War I, the team did not compete in the following season. With the challenge system discarded in favour of a playoff between eastern and western teams, Winnipeg was the last to win the Cup this way. The 1916 Winnipeg 61st Battalion were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in the team category.

1916 Allan Cup roster

Roster: Lt. J.D. Moulden, Lt. J.A. Clark-Mgr., Pte. "Spunk" Sparrow, Major N.B. MacLean, Capt. W.A. Simpson (Sec'Treas.), Pte. Bobby Morrison (Goal), Pte.

Johnny Mitchell Johnny Mitchell Jr. (born January 20, 1971) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. He played college football at the University of Nebraska. Early ye ...

, Cpl. Joe Simpson, Pte. Alf Morrison, Lt.-Col. F.J. Murray, Pte.

John "Crutchy" Morrison John William "Crutchy" Morrison (March 4, 1895 - March 14, 1956) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 18 games in the National Hockey League during the 1925–26 season with the New York Americans. The rest of his career, whi ...

, Pte. Roddy Smith, Sgt.

Jocko Anderson John Wilberforce "Jocko" Anderson (October 4, 1893 – July 22, 1960) was a Canadian two-sport athlete from Canada. In Winnipeg, he won the 1915 Connaught Cup with Winnipeg Scottish FC in soccer and the 1916 Allan Cup with the Winnipeg 61st Bat ...

and Pte. Alex Romeril.

National Hockey League alumni

Alumni of the Winnipeg 61st Battalion who played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

: *

* Joe Simpson *

Emory Sparrow William Emery Sparrow (September 15, 1897 – February 2, 1965) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 8 games in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins during the 1924–25 season. He also played with the Regina Cap ...

Hal Winkler Harold Lang Winkler (March 20, 1894 – May 29, 1956) was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender. He played in the Western Canada Hockey League and National Hockey League between 1921 and 1928. Biography Winkler started his professional hockey career w ...

References

{{Reflist Defunct ice hockey teams in Manitoba Ice hockey teams in Winnipeg Military sport in Canada Military ice hockey teams