Welcome to the Guelph Hockey History web site!

Most of the items you see on this site are from my personal collection of Guelph hockey items of which most have been saved since I was old enough to attend hockey games at the old Memorial Gardens.

Guelph Hockey History is a visual look at some of the teams that have made up our rich hockey tradition here in the Royal City. It has been my goal for some time to be able to share these items with everyone in an effort to try and educate all Guelph hockey fan’s of the roots this city has firmly planted in the sport and how over the years have grown into today’s Guelph Storm.

From team photos, programs, line-ups and player profiles I hope the site brings back memories for some and provides new information to others.

I would like to give special thanks to a couple of contributors to the site who are connected with key moments in Guelph hockey history.

Roy Mason was named after and is the grandson of Roy Mason who, among other things hockey related, brought the first junior A hockey team to Guelph. His son Howard “Swat” Mason was one of the first junior stars in Guelph and both Roy and Howard have both been inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame. Many thanks to Roy for sharing his fathers and grandfathers colleciton with all of us.

Frank Basso was a key member of a group that brought junior hockey back to Guelph after the Royals moved to Kitchener in 1963. Basso was the President of the Western Ontario Junior Hockey League that broke away from the OHA to join the new “outlaw” Canadian Hockey Association in 1967. Special thanks go out to Mr. Basso's daughter, Mary Pat Garton, who donated an entire file folder full of newspaper clippings, pictures and programs from the WOJHL days.

Thanks also go out to:

George Kouvalis

Brian Beattie

And to Steve Fitzsimmons and Trevor Prior for allowing me the opportunity to speak about and show this site during an intermission feature on Rogers TV.

 

Remember folks - If you don't play a sport, be one.

Brian Barton

Wednesday, December 30, 2009.