Rossland’s Hockey History
Rossland has a long and exciting history with the sport of hockey!
2285.0027: Rossland Hockey Team 1910
During 1897 and 1898, hockey had already arrived in Rossland, but had to be played on an outdoor rink. December 1898 saw the opening of a brand new arena - the largest covered building west of Winnipeg. Attendance on opening night was limited to “British subjects only; all Americans and others excluded.” The arena seated 1000-1500 people.
At the Winter Carnival of 1909, a conflict erupted between Rossland and the Nelson hockey teams, in which the latter accused Rossland of playing too rough and refused to compete unless a “judge of play” was appointed, in addition to the referee. Rossland agreed to this but a judge of play acceptable to the Nelson team could not be found, so the game was cancelled.
The Rossland Miner newspaper suggested that gambling interests were behind Nelson’s refusal to play. Nelson had the famous Les Patrick (former captain of the Stanley Cup champions, the Montreal Wanderers) on their team, but Rossland had beaten Nelson before and was likely to do so again. Nelson’s last-minute withdrawal meant tickets to the sold-out game had to be refunded at a considerable loss to the Winter Carnival committee.
A short time later, the Miner reported, with a straight face, that:
“The ladies’ hockey team of Rossland is considering the matter of challenging the Nelson seniors… the ladies in their challenge guarantee that there will be no rough checking and pledge to act in a gentle and ladylike way. For fear that some of the nice (Nelson) men might be seriously injured, a trained nurse will be provided.”
For Rossland hockey fans, 1917 brought both good news and bad. The good news came in February, when the men’s senior team “won all the trophies offered in the series of games played during Winter Carnival.” The bad news was that at the provincial championships in March, Rossland’s ladies hockey team lost 2-1 to Grand Forks - “the first loss for our women’s team in fifteen years,” lamented the local paper.
“ROSSLAND’S CARNIVAL
Rossland, Jan. 25 – The Rossland winter carnival committee is making good progress with its plans for the carnival which is to take place from February 12th to 16th. Already from outside points there is promise of a very large attendance, assurance having been received that hockey clubs from Nelson, Sandon, Revelstoke and Boundary will participate in the senior championships, and there is some prospect of teams coming from Calgary and other points. Ladies teams will also likely come from Nelson and Revelstoke.”
The Rossland Warriors
1956-57 Season
“The Rossland Warriors
by Darlene Gibbard
Fletcher, Fletcher, heavy and tall
When he checks, watch them fall.
Pesky Pinoke the other teams say,
Always getting in their way.
Jones, Jones, our shining light,
Skate and check from morn to night.
Fergy, Fergy, Go. Go. Go!
You’re a worker we all know.
Lenardon, Lenardon, he’s our man,
He can go if anyone can.
Who’s our goalie, Reno, ah yes,
The saves he makes all make us guess.
There’s Bud Andrews, when the chips are down,
He will really go to town.
Chorney, Chorney, do not wait
Grab that puck and skate, skate, skate!
Turik is a fighter too,
He will score when we are blue.
Demore, Demore, another small one,
But he just skates up and stops them.
Kraiger is a player fiar,
Winning cups here and there.
Birukow, he has had bad luck,
But he sure has lots of pluck.
Desrosiers will skate and pass,
Working hard at his task.
Lucchini is another man,
Who has many a loyal fan.
Lofvendahl can hit them hard,
They think there’s a bear in their back yard.
Steliga, Steliga, not often seen,
But when he’s on he lights a beam.
Last but not least Mike Buckna we see,
In there pitching for his boys is he.
We hoped you’d win, but just the same,
Warriors! Warriors! Win or lose,
You’ll always be the team we choose!”
Juicy Studios: After flooding the ice in Rossland for 40 years our beloved 1972 Ford 3000 tractor is being retired. This is his story.
Special Thanks / Jim Fike, Ford 3000 care taker / operator. Written and Directed by / Scotty Carlson Narrated by / Rob Sulman Narration Recored by/ Graham Tracey @ High Lonesome Recording Shot by / Andre Nutini Derek Frankowski Rob Sulman Dan Gaud Edited by / Rob Sulman Andre Nutini Dan Gaud
Seth Martin
Seth Martin was born in Rossland on May 4th, 1933. He played goalie in youth hockey in Rossland until joining the Lethbridge Junior A team in 1949. He returned to the area to join the Trail Smoke Eaters (of the Western International Hockey League -WIHL) in 1952. Between 1952 and 1973, Martin was named top goaltender for the WIHL nine times.
He helped the Trail Smoke Eaters win the World Championship in 1961 and played in the Allan Cup twice with Trail in 1962 and Spokane in 1970. He even coached the Spokane team to the 1972 Allan Cup. Seth also played for the Rossland Warriors from 1963-66.
Martin, the goaltender and Cominco fireman, was the first to introduce the goalie mask internationally when he wore his own creation at the 1961 World Championships. - BC Sports Hall of Fame
Martin was called on to play in the NHL for a number of teams but chose to stay home and remain an amateur as he could depend on his Cominco fireman job for life - up until he played in the 1967-68 season (30 games) for the NHL’s St. Louis Blues; the Blues made it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs that year.
2285.0016: Seth Martin
Seth Martin presented with WIHL Outstanding Goalie Award by Don Adams. Circa 1966.
Seth Martin was selected to the IIHF World Championship all-star team three times (1961, 1964, 1966) when representing Canada.
Hockey Hall of Fame Image Ref: 000076-000025862
Martin was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1988 and the International Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.
Seth Martin passed away in Trail, BC in 2014 at the age of 81.
For more information on Seth Martin:
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