Robert Wyman
Encyclopedia
James Robert Wyman also known as Bob Wyman, was an ice hockey
player who played in Great Britain
. He also played for the Great Britain national ice hockey team which won the gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympics
(see Ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics
). He is a member of the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
Wyman was also a successful schoolboy athlete, becoming the English schoolboy long jump
champion when he was 15-years-old, and speed skater, having held the British indoor half mile record and then winning the 440 yards outdoor crown in January 1934 — a feat which earned a Gallaher
cigarette card
.
During World War II
, Wyman served with the Royal Navy
and reached the rank of Lieutenant-Commander
.
was spent with the Grosvenor House Canadians
during the 1933–34 season in the English League
. The team moved to the Empire Pool
at Wembley
in October 1934 and changed their name to the Wembley Canadians
. Wyman stayed with the Canadians for the 1934–35 and, in the newly formed English National League
(ENL), 1935–36 seasons before joining the Richmond Hawks for the 1936–37 season.
Wyman joined the Princes
club in the London and Provincial League for the 1937–38 season before he returned to the ENL to play with the Harringay Greyhounds
during the 1939–40 season. Wyman, as defensive defenceman, recorded a personal best of two goals
and three assists
during the season with Harringay and Percy Nicklin
, Great Britain's Coach
, described him as having "an accurate and formidable body check
as good as any Canadian".
After the War, Wyman returned to playing ice hockey when he joined the Wembley Monarchs
during the 1946–47 season in which he only played in nine games. Wyman continued to make fewer appearances before he finally retired from ice hockey in 1950 playing with Sussex in the Southern League.
held in Davos
, Switzerland
. Wyman scored the only goal in a win against the French team, helping the team to a bronze medal in the championships, which also earned the team a silver medal in the European Championships.
Wyman was again selected for Great Britain for the 1936 Winter Olympics when he helped the team win gold by playing in the second game when GB beat the Japanese team
3–0. Following the game, Wyman stayed at the tournament commentating
for the BBC
.
Wyman played twice more for Great Britain at the 1938 and 1938 World Championships, winning a silver medal at the 1938 tournament and taking his total number of appearances for the team to twenty.
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 played in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. He also played for the Great Britain national ice hockey team which won the gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympics
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...
(see Ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics
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:...
). He is a member of the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
Wyman was also a successful schoolboy athlete, becoming the English schoolboy long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
champion when he was 15-years-old, and speed skater, having held the British indoor half mile record and then winning the 440 yards outdoor crown in January 1934 — a feat which earned a Gallaher
Gallaher Group
Gallaher Group is a major United Kingdom-based multinational tobacco company. It was traded on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, prior to its April 2007 acquisition by Japan Tobacco.-History:...
cigarette card
Cigarette card
Cigarette cards are trade cards issued by tobacco manufacturers to stiffen cigarette packaging and advertise cigarette brands.-History:Beginning in 1875, cards depicting actresses, baseball players, Indian chiefs, and boxers were issued by the US-based Allen and Ginter tobacco company. These are...
.
During World War II
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...
, Wyman served with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and reached the rank of Lieutenant-Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
.
Club
Having learned to play ice hockey whilst living in London in the late 1920s and early 1930s, Wyman's first season playing senior ice hockeySenior ice hockey
Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition for players too old to play junior ice hockey. The top senior amateur teams in Canadian leagues compete annually for the Allan Cup....
was spent with the Grosvenor House Canadians
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...
during the 1933–34 season in the English League
English League (ice hockey)
The English League was an early ice hockey league in England. It was founded in 1931 and operated until 1936 when it disbanded, being replaced by the English National League.A new league of the same name was founded during 1988 and continued on until 1997....
. The team moved to the Empire Pool
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
at Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
in October 1934 and changed their name to the Wembley Canadians
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...
. Wyman stayed with the Canadians for the 1934–35 and, in the newly formed English National League
English National League
For the current league see English National Ice Hockey LeagueThe English National League was an early ice hockey league in England. It was founded in 1935 by most of the teams who had previously competed in the English League. It was suspended during the Second World War, but returned in 1946...
(ENL), 1935–36 seasons before joining the Richmond Hawks for the 1936–37 season.
Wyman joined the Princes
Princes Ice Hockey Club
Princes Ice Hockey Club was one of the most influential early European ice hockey teams and is sometimes considered the first ice hockey club in Britain....
club in the London and Provincial League for the 1937–38 season before he returned to the ENL to play with the Harringay Greyhounds
Harringay Greyhounds
Harringay Greyhounds were a British ice hockey club based in Harringay, England.The side was founded in 1936 and initially played alongside Harringay Racers at the Harringay Arena. Both sides entered the English National League, which Greyhounds won in 1938/9 and again in 1939/40...
during the 1939–40 season. Wyman, as defensive defenceman, recorded a personal best of two goals
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
and three assists
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
during the season with Harringay and Percy Nicklin
Percy Nicklin
Percy Harold Nicklin was an ice hockey coach who is best known for putting together and coaching the Great Britain national ice hockey team which won gold at the 1936 Winter Olympics ....
, Great Britain's Coach
Coach (ice hockey)
Coach in ice hockey is the person responsible for directing the team during games and practices, prepares strategy and decides which players will participate in games....
, described him as having "an accurate and formidable body check
Checking (ice hockey)
Checking in ice hockey is any one of a number of defensive techniques. It is usually not a penalty.- Types :There are various types of checking:...
as good as any Canadian".
After the War, Wyman returned to playing ice hockey when he joined the 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...
during the 1946–47 season in which he only played in nine games. Wyman continued to make fewer appearances before he finally retired from ice hockey in 1950 playing with Sussex in the Southern League.
International
Wyman was first selected to play for the Great Britain national team for the 1935 World ChampionshipsIce Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
held in Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Wyman scored the only goal in a win against the French team, helping the team to a bronze medal in the championships, which also earned the team a silver medal in the European Championships.
Wyman was again selected for Great Britain for the 1936 Winter Olympics when he helped the team win gold by playing in the second game when GB beat the Japanese team
Japan national ice hockey team
The Japanese men's national ice hockey team is the national men's ice hockey of Japan. They are currently ranked 22nd in the IIHF World Ranking and currently compete in IIHF World Championship Division I...
3–0. Following the game, Wyman stayed at the tournament commentating
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
Wyman played twice more for Great Britain at the 1938 and 1938 World Championships, winning a silver medal at the 1938 tournament and taking his total number of appearances for the team to twenty.
Awards
- World ChampionshipIce Hockey World ChampionshipsThe Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
bronze medalist in 1935. - OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medalist in 1936. - World Championship silver medalist in 1938.
- Inducted to the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993.