As I research the history of the game of hockey in California for my upcoming book, I have discovered that ice rinks existed in Los Angeles as far back as 1917. I now can document it. Whether or not those were used for ice hockey is another matter.
However, I did find some record of hockey being played in the Los Angeles area during the early 1920s. So it’s not a stretch to say the game is at least 85 years old in California.
I also have uncovered concrete evidence of organized youth hockey beginning around 1960, meaning we are approaching nearly 50 years of youth hockey in the state. This predates several sources I’ve spoken to for the book.
I keep plugging away, one shift at a time.
I stumbled on your site by accident. I played for the Van Nuys Hawks Bantam through Jr. B from 1963 until 1968. I played against Mike Lampman, Peter McNabb and Guy Hildebrand and was a team mate of Brian Bird who set the Yale freshman scoring record. I also reffed during high school. I was one of the Kings first stick boys and attended hockey clinics at Van Nuys Iceland with Willie O’Ree and Ronny Van Gompel (he was also an off ice official for the NHL at Kings games). I played freshman hockey at Wisconsin, had a chance to play for the Milwaukee Admirals but ended up going to law school and now work professionally for a number of NHL, AHL and European clubs. Interested in your book about hockey in California. My Dad remembered seeing hockey played at the old Pan Pacific Auditorium by USC and Loyola teams in the 30’s. I have some old programs and trophies from the 60’s including the midget team I played on that won the USHA western regionals in ‘66.
By: Bob Leib on July 28, 2009
at 5:46 am
During the middle/late 60’s it was my job to shadow Guy Hildegrand and Peter McNab whenever we (Burbank) played them. They never scored and Guy even got 6 or 8 stitches when he tried to trip me and I pulled him off his feet. Just ask my linemates Grnt Goodwin and Ronnie Deitz.
By: Walter Goad on September 2, 2009
at 7:52 pm