Archibald Stinchcombe
Encyclopedia
Archibald "Archie" Stinchcombe (November 17, 1912 - November 3, 1994) was a British
ice hockey
player from Cudworth
near Barnsley
, Yorkshire
. The right-winger is best known for representing Britain
at the international level, including at the 1936
and 1948 Winter Olympics
. Stinchcombe was somewhat of a novelty among hockey players in that his vision was limited - he could only see out of one eye, and yet was able to enjoy an extremely successful career.
.
The British team was a prohibitive underdog at the Olympics, with Canada
favoured to take gold in ice hockey
. However, behind the strong play of goalie Jimmy Foster
and several other players with dual Canadian-British citizenship, Great Britain was able to win every game and capture its first (and only) Olympic gold in ice hockey.
After the Second World War
, Stinchcombe played with the Wembley Lions
and Wembley Monarchs
. He was one of the first British hockey players to score over one hundred goals in the post-War period.
Stinchcombe continued to represent Great Britain on the national team until 1948. As captain of the team, Stinchcombe led Great Britain to a respectable fifth-place finish at the 1948 Winter Olympics
in St. Moritz
.
Upon his retirement in 1949, Stinchcombe went on to coach the Nottingham Panthers
, leading them to English National Championships in 1951 and 1953. He was inducted into the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1951.
Ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player from Cudworth
Cudworth, South Yorkshire
Cudworth is a semi-rural village on the outskirts of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. Cudworth has a busy village centre surrounded by some housing and green belt countryside...
near Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. The right-winger is best known for representing Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
at the international level, including at the 1936
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
and 1948 Winter Olympics
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
. Stinchcombe was somewhat of a novelty among hockey players in that his vision was limited - he could only see out of one eye, and yet was able to enjoy an extremely successful career.
Career
Stinchcombe's first appearance in British hockey was playing for Streatham in 1935. In his rookie season, he was selected as an All-Star. The recognition was enough to earn him a spot on the national team for the 1936 Winter Olympics1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
.
The British team was a prohibitive underdog at the Olympics, with Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
favoured to take gold in ice hockey
Ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics
At the 1936 Winter Olympics, Great Britain won the men's ice hockey competition. While only one player on the team was born in Canada, nine of the thirteen players on the roster grew up in Canada, and eleven had played previously in Canada.-Medalists:...
. However, behind the strong play of goalie Jimmy Foster
James Foster (ice hockey player)
James "Jimmy" Foster was a Scottish-born Canadian goaltender. Born in Glasgow, Foster emigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1912. He is best known for his role in leading Great Britain to its only Olympic gold medal in ice hockey.-Early career:Foster first rose to prominence as a hockey player in the...
and several other players with dual Canadian-British citizenship, Great Britain was able to win every game and capture its first (and only) Olympic gold in ice hockey.
After the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Stinchcombe played with the Wembley Lions
Wembley Lions
The Wembley Lions were an English ice hockey team.The team were founded in 1934 but showed a continuity with the London Lions team which had played at various venues since 1924. The Wembley team were based at the newly built Empire Pool which they shared with the Wembley Monarchs until 1950.The...
and Wembley Monarchs
Wembley Monarchs
The Wembley Monarchs were an ice hockey team in the United Kingdom. They were founded in 1929 as the Grosvenor House Canadians, transferred to Wembley Canadians for the 1934-35 season and became the Monarchs in 1936...
. He was one of the first British hockey players to score over one hundred goals in the post-War period.
Stinchcombe continued to represent Great Britain on the national team until 1948. As captain of the team, Stinchcombe led Great Britain to a respectable fifth-place finish at the 1948 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics
In Ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics, Team Canada returned to its dominance, winning their fourth Gold Medal out of the first five Olympic Games.-Rival United States teams:...
in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
.
Upon his retirement in 1949, Stinchcombe went on to coach the Nottingham Panthers
Nottingham Panthers
The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...
, leading them to English National Championships in 1951 and 1953. He was inducted into the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1951.
See also
Ice hockey at the 1936 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics
At the 1936 Winter Olympics, Great Britain won the men's ice hockey competition. While only one player on the team was born in Canada, nine of the thirteen players on the roster grew up in Canada, and eleven had played previously in Canada.-Medalists:...
Ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics
In Ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics, Team Canada returned to its dominance, winning their fourth Gold Medal out of the first five Olympic Games.-Rival United States teams:...