Blaine Sexton
Encyclopedia
Blaine Nathaniel Sexton (May 3, 1892 – April 29, 1966) was a British
ice hockey
player who competed in the 1924 Winter Olympics
and in the 1928 Winter Olympics
. In 1916 he joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force
and fought in the trenches of France
on the Western Front
during World War I
. After the war he was instrumental in not only expanding Ice Hockey in the United Kingdom
but across Europe. Known in Europe as B.N.Sexton he was inducted into the UK Hockey Hall of fame in 1950.
. He was a student at the King's College School where the game of hockey was started. He then started to play for the Windsor Swastikas
.
and was posted to the UK as an infantry
officer during World War One. While fighting on the western front in France he was wounded twice before being transferred to the cavalry where he became the army sabre champion.
team. Four years later he finished fourth with the British team in the 1928 Olympic tournament
.
In 1924 he founded the London Lions
a hockey team mainly composed of expatriate Canadians. The Lions made it to the finals of the 1924/25 Coupe de Davos and made it through to the quarterfinals of the prestigious club tournament - the Spengler Cup. In May 1930 during the first playoffs for the British League title Sexton pushed the Lions to defeat the Glasgow 2-1 to win the Patton Cup, a title they held for one more year. At almost 40 Sexton was selected for the British team during the first World Championships staged in 1930, Great Britain came last.
as renamed the Wembley Lions
. The team was reformed in the 70s by Detroit Red Wings
owner Bruce Norris
. Sexton's business in the London fruit brokers and commission merchants went on to become a successful enterprise.
Sexton was inducted to the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950 and died in Folkestone
, England
, in 1966. In 1993 he became a member of the Birthplace of Hockey Hall of Fame in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Sexton's photos and Olympic crest as well as his nine-layered laminated childhood puck, complete with hand-carved initials, are on display at the Windsor, Nova Scotia Hockey Heritage Centre.
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 who competed in the 1924 Winter Olympics
1924 Winter Olympics
The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France...
and in the 1928 Winter Olympics
1928 Winter Olympics
The 1928 Winter Olympics, officially known as the II Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 11–19, 1928 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The 1928 Games were the first true Winter Olympics held on its own as they were not in conjunction with a Summer Olympics...
. In 1916 he joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
and fought in the trenches of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the war he was instrumental in not only expanding Ice Hockey in the United Kingdom
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...
but across Europe. Known in Europe as B.N.Sexton he was inducted into the UK Hockey Hall of fame in 1950.
Early life
Sexton was born Blaine Nathaniel Sexton to Mr. and Mrs. John Sexton in Falmouth, Nova ScotiaFalmouth, Nova Scotia
Falmouth, Nova Scotia is a village located along the Avon River in Hants County between Mount Denson and Windsor.Falmouth and area was known as Pisiguit by the Acadians. Having migrated from Port Royal, Nova Scotia, the Acadians were the first to settle in the area, around 1685...
. He was a student at the King's College School where the game of hockey was started. He then started to play for the Windsor Swastikas
Windsor Swastikas
The Windsor Swastikas were a Canadian ice hockey team in Windsor, Nova Scotia, from 1905–1916. Not to be confused with the Fernie Swastikas across the country in British Columbia, the Swastikas chose their name as at the time the swastika was a symbol associated with luck and success.-Team...
.
World War I
With the outbreak of war Sexton joined the Canadian Expeditionary ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
and was posted to the UK as an infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
officer during World War One. While fighting on the western front in France he was wounded twice before being transferred to the cavalry where he became the army sabre champion.
Spreading Hockey
After the war he moved back to Nova Scotia Canada with a women he met and married in while stationed in England. He spent a few years before returning to the UK because his wife was homesick. In the UK as well as mainland Europe he was instrumental in advancing the sport of Hockey. Known as England's "MISTER HOCKEY" newspaper reports of the time show that Sexton was lead hockey player in Europe. In 1924 he was a member of the British ice hockey team, which won the bronze medal. The same year, he founded the London LionsWembley 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...
team. Four years later he finished fourth with the British team in the 1928 Olympic tournament
Ice hockey at the 1928 Winter Olympics
At the 1928 Winter Olympics, the ice hockey event was contested by 11 teams. The competition was held from Saturday, February 11, 1928 to Sunday, February 19, 1928....
.
In 1924 he founded the London Lions
London Lions
The London Lions based out of London, England was an independent professional ice hockey team that played 72 games during the 1973-74 season against the top European hockey teams. It was started by Detroit Red Wings owner Bruce Norris with a vision of building a league to be affiliated with the...
a hockey team mainly composed of expatriate Canadians. The Lions made it to the finals of the 1924/25 Coupe de Davos and made it through to the quarterfinals of the prestigious club tournament - the Spengler Cup. In May 1930 during the first playoffs for the British League title Sexton pushed the Lions to defeat the Glasgow 2-1 to win the Patton Cup, a title they held for one more year. At almost 40 Sexton was selected for the British team during the first World Championships staged in 1930, Great Britain came last.
Retirement and later life
When Sexton turned 40 at the end of the 1932-33 season he retired to concentrate on his canning plants. He was one of the last players to use the ‘D’ or automobile bladed skates. His retirement saw the end of the London Lions when the team moved to Wembley ArenaWembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
as renamed 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...
. The team was reformed in the 70s by Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
owner Bruce Norris
Bruce Norris
Bruce Arthur Norris was owner of the Detroit Red Wings from 1952 to 1982. He was the son of James E. Norris and half-brother of James D. Norris. Members of the Norris family owned the Red Wings for almost fifty years before selling the franchise to Mike Ilitch in 1982. Bruce and Marguerite Norris...
. Sexton's business in the London fruit brokers and commission merchants went on to become a successful enterprise.
Sexton was inducted to the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950 and died in Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in 1966. In 1993 he became a member of the Birthplace of Hockey Hall of Fame in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Sexton's photos and Olympic crest as well as his nine-layered laminated childhood puck, complete with hand-carved initials, are on display at the Windsor, Nova Scotia Hockey Heritage Centre.