Toronto Aura Lee
Encyclopedia
The Toronto Aura Lee Hockey Club operated a pair of junior ice hockey
and senior ice hockey
teams in the Ontario Hockey Association
from 1916 to 1926. They played at Arena Gardens
in Toronto
. The Aura Lee juniors won the OHA championship in 1916, 1917, 1922, and 1925, and twice won the Eastern Canadian Championship, in 1922 and 1925.
In 1922, the Aura Lee juniors defeated the Iroquois Falls Papermakers for the Eastern title. The 1922 Memorial Cup
was scheduled to be played at Shea's Amphitheatre
in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
, with the Eastern Champion playing the Western Champion for the Memorial Cup
. The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
decided to save money, that Aura Lee play the Fort William War Veterans en route to Winnipeg. Aura Lee lost that game 5–3. In 1925, the Aura Lee juniors defeated the defending Memorial Cup
champions Owen Sound Greys
en route to returning to the Eastern Canadian Championship. They were victorious versus the Quebec Sons of Ireland in that series, and earning a berth in the national championship for the 1925 Memorial Cup
. The Aura Lee juniors were defeated in two games by the Regina Patricias
.
In January 1925, the trustees of the Aura Lee Athletic Club voted to turn their clubhouse and football grounds over to the University of Toronto
.
: Billy Burch
, Lionel Conacher
, Babe Dye
and Harry Watson. Watson never played in the NHL. He was offered a professional contract, but he declined, remaining an amateur. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962. Seventeen members of the Aura Lee went on to play in the National Hockey League
:
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
and senior ice hockey
Senior 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....
teams in the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
from 1916 to 1926. They played at Arena Gardens
Mutual Street Arena
Mutual Street Arena, initially called Arena Gardens or just the Arena, was an ice hockey arena and sports and entertainment venue in Toronto, Ontario...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The Aura Lee juniors won the OHA championship in 1916, 1917, 1922, and 1925, and twice won the Eastern Canadian Championship, in 1922 and 1925.
In 1922, the Aura Lee juniors defeated the Iroquois Falls Papermakers for the Eastern title. The 1922 Memorial Cup
1922 Memorial Cup
The 1922 Memorial Cup final was the fourth junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The Eastern Canada champions were scheduled to play the Western Canada champions for the Memorial Cup in a two-game, total goal series, to be held at Shea's Amphitheatre in...
was scheduled to be played at Shea's Amphitheatre
Shea's Amphitheatre
Shea's Amphitheatre, also known as the Winnipeg Amphitheatre, was an indoor arena located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, which seated 5,000 spectators....
in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, with the Eastern Champion playing the Western Champion for the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
. The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey play in Canada from 1914 until 1994 when it merged with the Canadian Hockey Association or Hockey Canada....
decided to save money, that Aura Lee play the Fort William War Veterans en route to Winnipeg. Aura Lee lost that game 5–3. In 1925, the Aura Lee juniors defeated the defending Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
champions Owen Sound Greys
Owen Sound Greys
The Owen Sound Greys are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League...
en route to returning to the Eastern Canadian Championship. They were victorious versus the Quebec Sons of Ireland in that series, and earning a berth in the national championship for the 1925 Memorial Cup
1925 Memorial Cup
The 1925 Memorial Cup final was the seventh junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto Aura Lee of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Regina Pats of the...
. The Aura Lee juniors were defeated in two games by the Regina Patricias
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
.
In January 1925, the trustees of the Aura Lee Athletic Club voted to turn their clubhouse and football grounds over to the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
NHL and Hall of Fame alumni
Four alumni of the Aura Lee have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
: Billy Burch
Billy Burch
Harry Wilfred Burch was an Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Hamilton Tigers, New York Americans, Chicago Black Hawks, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League...
, Lionel Conacher
Lionel Conacher
Lionel Pretoria Conacher, MP , nicknamed "The Big Train", was a Canadian athlete and politician. Voted the country's top athlete of the first half of the 20th century, he won championships in numerous sports. His first passion was football; he was a member of the 1921 Grey Cup champion Toronto...
, Babe Dye
Babe Dye
Cecil Henry "Babe" Dye was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto St. Pats, Chicago Black Hawks, New York Americans and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was the NHL's top goal scorer of the 1920s and is a member of the Hockey Hall of...
and Harry Watson. Watson never played in the NHL. He was offered a professional contract, but he declined, remaining an amateur. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962. Seventeen members of the Aura Lee went on to play in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
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