The Spectator headline on Mar.8 read

"O.H.A. Finalists Are Unable to Score in Opening Title Clash"

"Tigers and Torontos Battle Seventy Minutes Without Registering "

"Many Missed Scoring Chances Mark Hamilton Team's Hard Efforts "

Prolific scorers during the regular season, the Bengals were held scoreless last night at the arena despite a dominant effort highlighted by many missed scoring opportunities. This means the next two games of the series will be played in Toronto. Andy Goldie was at his best as he stopped an overwhelming number of unbelievable scoring chances by the Tigers who were playing without star Toe Blake.
In addition to Teno's fine goaltending, rearguards Howard, Hoch and Radke permitted very few penetrations to threaten Charlie. On the front lines, McGowan, Fitzgerald and Chisholm were always dangerous, while Primeau, Liscombe and Bennettt performed beautifully without achieving any results.
Tickets will go on sale this morning at Manson's for the next game Saturday afternoon in Toronto.




The Spectator headline on Mar.12 read

"Tigers and Torontos Again Deadlocked in Senior O.H. A. Finals"

"Battle Ten Minutes Overtime to 1-1 Tie in Second Game at Toronto"

"Continue Fight for Honours on Wednesday and Friday Nights"

This is an unprecedented situation with ties in the first two games of a best two of three series. Torontos, the all-star teams of the Toronto and York Mercantile Leagues are still very much in the running for the provincial title against the Tigers, far and away winners of the regular season schedule, now trying to fight on with their star Toe Blake having left to play in the N.H.L.
As a result two more games must be played, one Wednesday Night in Toronto and the second Friday in Hamilton at the "Barton Street Arena", with a third game possible which would be played in Toronto next Saturday afternoon.
Torontos did hold a slight edge in play in the second game with the Tigers frequently shorthanded. However a stout defensive effort combined with fine netminding held the fort. the homesters also threatened at times, but both teams were held to a single marker leaving the score tied 1-1 after overtime.
Tigers scored early in the first when Howard intercepted a pass, skated ahead and made a perfect pass to Maxie Bennett who then skated wide ot the defence and passed back to Carl Liscombe who blasted a perfect shot past the Toronto goaler.Throughout the second period, the teams battled without luck, both launching bold attacks to no avail. Finally at the 14-minute mark of the third period the Torontos broke through when Mann picked up a pass cleanly from Fowler and beat Teno who had no chance on the play. This tied the score and overtime followed with no winner declared.


The Spectator headline on Mar.15 read

"Torontos Shut Out Tigers in Play-Off"

"THree goals in Twenty-Seven Seconds Put Game on Ice for All-Star Six "

Before over 6,000 rabid fans at Maple Leaf Gardens last evening, the Torontos all-star team handed th e Hamilton pucksters their first serious reverse of the season with a convincing 5-0 pasting.
With the Tigers shorthanded early on the opening period, the Torontos notched three goals in rapid succession, effectively puttin the game on ice early. They carried on from their scoring two more times, one in each of the two remaining periods, to leave the crowd pleased with a 5-0 victory.
The game was hard fought and quite rough at times with both teams suffering serious injuries. Norm Mann, the Torontos' stellar right winger left the game with a broken shoulder bone and Cliff Chisholm for the Bengals was also forced out with a badly wrenched knee.
Early in the first period, both teams had excellent scoring chances. First Mann broke through and blasted a hard shot that Teno managed to turn aside. Howard retaliated with a scintillating rush breaking in on net but could not score.
shortly after Parsons skirted Tigers right defence, forcing Fitzgerald to barge into him, drawing a penalty that proved to be very costly. While he sat in the hoosegow for his two minutes, Oliver, Large and Robinson banged in three goals in thirty seconds to give the Torontos an unassailable 3-0 lead. All attempts by the tigers to come back were thwarted by the Torontos who were able to focus on strong defensive hockey for the remainder of the game.
The Tigers will face elimination Friday night at the arena where they will try to finally break through against a powerful Toronto all-star team.


The Spectator headline on Monday Mar.18 read

"Tigers Bid Farewell To Allan Cup Chance"

"Toronto All-stars Victors Over Local Squad at Arena Last Evening, 4 to 1"

Beaten in game 3 badly, the Tigers, playing without stars Toe Blake and Cliff Chisholm again succumbed to the Toronto all-star team. The Torontos will now will continue in their quest to the Allan Cup.
The Bengals, however did not fall without a valiant effort from their understaffed squad. The first period ended scoreless after furious attacks from both squads. Tigers missed on a half dozen glorious scoring chances due to erratic shooting and brilliant goaltending by Andy Goldie of the Torontos. Toronto opened the scoring in the second on a goal by Oliver, with Tigers answering on a goal by Fitzgerald from Kerr. This left the teams tied going into the third period. Penalties gave each side many scoring opportunities that kept the crowd in a state of excitement.
The big break came four minutes into the final frame when fleet defenceman Jimmy Fowler dashed down the right wing, broke through the defence and beat Teno to give the Torontos the lead. McGowan, Fitzgerald and Howard tried valiantly to lead the comeback, but in so doing, left their defences down with the Torontos capitalizing with two late goals from Parsons and Robinson.. After a fine effort the Bengals ended their season to an excellent Toronto all-star team.

This event did not, however, end hockey for the Tigers in the 1935 season. Following the loss to Toronto the Tigers were invited to represent Canada in the Britsh Empire Hockey Championships in April, 1935. This team was featured in a recent article in the Hamilton Spectator (Dec 2009). See team photo below. Some of the players were unable to go because their employers would not give them the time off. But Red Dunn, Tigers defenceman, would have none of this - he gave up his job to travel with the team. As he told a Spectator reporter in an interview before the trip, " I've got my toothbrush and I'm ready to go!!"

After a warm-up game in New York with a local team, they headed overseas. The ship they travelled on, the M. V. Britannic is pictured at left. The trip over was a difficult one and they arrived late and were only able to participate in 6 of the 8 games scheduled. Despite this setback, they still won the tournament and the British Empire hockey trophy (in picture below).

Some of the Tigers tournament games were held up as Red Dunn's relatives from Scotland were all trying to talk to him and ended up delaying the game. It is also interesting to note that the Hamilton Tigers Football team were also a championship team in 1935, winning the Eastern Canadian Football title. This same Red Dunn also played for this team. His position was "snap" or "centre" as they call it today. He was a two way player also playing defensive tackle. Very few players in Canadian sports history were able to play two professional sports at such a high level, not to mention winning two championships in the same year.

Click the link below to see the Times of London Game Reports on the 1935 British Empire Games Series.

Times of London reports on the 1935 series

************************************************

************************




Click here to return to Home Page

See related articles and links at right. You may email me with coments/pictures/programs etc. using the contact us link at the top right of this page.