THE SOO GREYHOUNDS
www.soogreyhounds.com
The Soo Greyhounds’ website outlines the city’s long history in hockey and how its people make games here so special. While the Soo Greyhounds have only been members of the Ontario Hockey League since 1972, the name dates back to shortly after the First World War. According to local hockey historian Wilf Ross, an un-named Soo team began competing in the now-defunct Upper-Peninsula Hockey League. Officials considered having a name selected by the general public, but the team’s coach, George MacNamara, had an idea of his own. He apparently asked that the team be called the Greyhounds because “a Greyhound is much faster than a wolf,” a reference made to the already established rival club, the Sudbury Wolves. It is not clear how the team colours came to be red and white, but likely it was our natural affinity to the Detroit Red Wings, who were the local fan favourite in the NHL.
The Greyhounds are as synonymous with Sault Ste. Marie as the Maple Leafs are with Toronto or the Oilers with Edmonton. Their popularity and success span many years, but three distinct eras, beginning just after World War I, deserve particular attention.
The first culminated with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) senior championships in 1921, 1923, 1924, and 1925. The 1924 team went on to win the Allan Cup, a National Championship. Although they came close a few times, that team was the only Allan Cup winner from Sault Ste. Marie. In those days, the Allan Cup was as prestigious as the Stanley Cup.
The next era coincided with the opening of the Memorial Gardens in 1950. The Greyhounds won the NOHA senior championship that year and then lost to the OHA champions, Toronto Marlies, who went on to win the Allan Cup. In 1951, the Greyhounds repeated as NOHA champions, then losing to the Owen Sound Mercuries in a close series. Owen Sound went on to win the Allan Cup. In 1952, the Greyhounds won their third straight championship, but this time lost to Stratford, who eventually advanced to the Allan Cup finals but lost to Fort Frances.
In 1954, the Greyhounds had won their league by a dozen points or so, but were upset in the playoffs by Sudbury, who progressed to the Allan Cup finals against Penticton. Penticton defeated Sudbury in seven games and went on to win the world hockey championship. The Greyhounds won the NOHA senior title for a final time in 1955, but lost in a seven game series to Kitchener, who eventually won the Allan Cup and represented Canada at the world championships in Cortina, Italy, the next year. Most hockey observers feel that the 1955 team was the best senior hockey club to ever represent the Sault.
The Senior Greyhounds eventually gave way to the Eastern Professional Hockey League and took on a new name, the Sault Thunderbirds. However, the Greyhound name came back with a vengeance in 1962 when the Sault Junior Greyhounds were founded. They began competition in a tier-two Junior ‘A’ league with the Sudbury Wolves, North Bay Trappers, Espanola Eagles, and Garson-Falconbridge Native Sons.
From 1962 to 1972, the Greyhounds finished first five times and won the league championship twice. Along the way, they played a memorable series against the Montreal Canadiens of the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds were all local players, and the Canadiens had one of the most formidable junior teams of all time, led by Gil Perrault and Rick Martin. Perrault and Martin later played for Buffalo in the NHL and became part of the line with Rene Robert known as the French Connection. Although the Greyhounds were outclassed in the series, they won a tremendously exciting game 4-3 at the Memorial Gardens and endeared themselves to the entire community. In that same period, and after winning the league championship, they lost to the Cornwall Royals in a seven game series, which saw the final game go into overtime. The series was an amazing achievement but, at the same time, a terrible disappointment to the club.
Another era began in 1972 when the Soo Greyhounds entered the Ontario Hockey Association, the most prestigious junior league in North America (later renamed the Ontario Hockey League). Throughout the book, I will refer to the league using both the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
For a more detailed history of hockey in Sault Ste. Marie, see the Soo Greyhounds website at www.soogreyhounds.com. The Soo Greyhounds’ website also provides information on all things Greyhound, from written articles to videos. You can visit the team's social media sites here: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Greyhounds are as synonymous with Sault Ste. Marie as the Maple Leafs are with Toronto or the Oilers with Edmonton. Their popularity and success span many years, but three distinct eras, beginning just after World War I, deserve particular attention.
The first culminated with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) senior championships in 1921, 1923, 1924, and 1925. The 1924 team went on to win the Allan Cup, a National Championship. Although they came close a few times, that team was the only Allan Cup winner from Sault Ste. Marie. In those days, the Allan Cup was as prestigious as the Stanley Cup.
The next era coincided with the opening of the Memorial Gardens in 1950. The Greyhounds won the NOHA senior championship that year and then lost to the OHA champions, Toronto Marlies, who went on to win the Allan Cup. In 1951, the Greyhounds repeated as NOHA champions, then losing to the Owen Sound Mercuries in a close series. Owen Sound went on to win the Allan Cup. In 1952, the Greyhounds won their third straight championship, but this time lost to Stratford, who eventually advanced to the Allan Cup finals but lost to Fort Frances.
In 1954, the Greyhounds had won their league by a dozen points or so, but were upset in the playoffs by Sudbury, who progressed to the Allan Cup finals against Penticton. Penticton defeated Sudbury in seven games and went on to win the world hockey championship. The Greyhounds won the NOHA senior title for a final time in 1955, but lost in a seven game series to Kitchener, who eventually won the Allan Cup and represented Canada at the world championships in Cortina, Italy, the next year. Most hockey observers feel that the 1955 team was the best senior hockey club to ever represent the Sault.
The Senior Greyhounds eventually gave way to the Eastern Professional Hockey League and took on a new name, the Sault Thunderbirds. However, the Greyhound name came back with a vengeance in 1962 when the Sault Junior Greyhounds were founded. They began competition in a tier-two Junior ‘A’ league with the Sudbury Wolves, North Bay Trappers, Espanola Eagles, and Garson-Falconbridge Native Sons.
From 1962 to 1972, the Greyhounds finished first five times and won the league championship twice. Along the way, they played a memorable series against the Montreal Canadiens of the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds were all local players, and the Canadiens had one of the most formidable junior teams of all time, led by Gil Perrault and Rick Martin. Perrault and Martin later played for Buffalo in the NHL and became part of the line with Rene Robert known as the French Connection. Although the Greyhounds were outclassed in the series, they won a tremendously exciting game 4-3 at the Memorial Gardens and endeared themselves to the entire community. In that same period, and after winning the league championship, they lost to the Cornwall Royals in a seven game series, which saw the final game go into overtime. The series was an amazing achievement but, at the same time, a terrible disappointment to the club.
Another era began in 1972 when the Soo Greyhounds entered the Ontario Hockey Association, the most prestigious junior league in North America (later renamed the Ontario Hockey League). Throughout the book, I will refer to the league using both the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
For a more detailed history of hockey in Sault Ste. Marie, see the Soo Greyhounds website at www.soogreyhounds.com. The Soo Greyhounds’ website also provides information on all things Greyhound, from written articles to videos. You can visit the team's social media sites here: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
