USNAHL | Lokka's History Project

The NAHL: Alfred “Ralph” Winsor

Posted on June 23, 2019 by Jlokka

With a multitude of accomplishments, The Boston Globe and others bequeathed the mantle of “Father of Modern Hockey” to “Ralph” Winsor Jr. To summarize, many credit Ralph with the modern hockey stick, skate curve, and effective use of substitution (prior to the on-the-fly line changes of today). In his role as the first American-born college hockey coach, Ralph devised a new tactic specifically to counter Hobey Baker. Ralph shifted the point and cover point to force the forwards to the boards. The tactic was moderately successful in stopping Hobey. To help visualize this shift:

winsorHockey

Not only did Ralph modernize hockey, he supported his country in war and hockey.

The NAHL: Roy D. Schooley

Posted on June 16, 2019 by Jlokka

Roy Dunlap Schooley, along with George Brown and Cornelius Fellowes Jr, completed the leadership triumvirate of the newly formed National Amateur Hockey League (NAHL). Like George, Roy came from more humble beginnings as a reporter in Welland, Ontario, Canada. In the early years of hockey, many reporters referreed games in order to get the story. As an independent reporter, Roy took advantage of this common practice. Roy, who apparently had a nose for a story, moved to Pittsburgh in 1901 and took this practice with him.

Outside of New York City and St. Paul, Pittsburgh attracted many Canadian hockey players. Tom Howard even played a few games there. In Pittsburgh, Roy gained renown as a referee. However, his primary means remained reporting. Working for the Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph, he focused on local politics. By 1917, Roy transitioned from a beat reporter to team owner/manager and embedded in the Pittsburgh political circles.

Between 1910 and 1930, Roy held many key city offices while maintaining the premier Pittsburgh hockey team. For example, Roy was the Chief Clerk of the Department of Public Works. These positions provided Roy the freedom to promote amateur hockey in Pittsburgh. In 1926, Roy transitioned the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets from amateur to professional hockey. With this move, Roy destroyed the NAHL and signaled the end of prominence of amateur hockey.

Roy moved through Pittsburgh Republican circles. He leveraged his knowledge of sports promotion to get several mayors elected. They rewarded Roy with the position of City Treasurer. In 1930, scandal wormed through the Republican stronghold. The city treasury came up short and several transactions appeared to be suspicious. Additional investigation identified that city funds lacked critical backing as mandated by law. The federal probe targeted Roy and other key leaders. When prosecutors were ready in 1933, Roy died from a protracted illness, and the embezzlement case against him dropped.

Roy Schooley sought local, national, and international recognition. He found it in Pittsburgh. He brought in one of the strongest teams into a fledgling amateur league. He attracted talent possibly equal to Hobey Baker with Herb Drury. Without Roy Schooley, the NAHL might have been just another New England curioso instead of near national level spectacle.

Tue, Nov 14, 1933 – Page 9 · The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) · Newspapers.com

The NAHL: Cornelius Fellowes Jr.

Posted on June 9, 2019 by Jlokka

A rebellious Cornelius Fellowes Jr. hid an unrestrained private life within a very boisterous public life. Descendant from colonial family lines, Cornelius entered into his father’s business, horse racing, possibly more from envy than following tradition. When Cornelius Sr. found out about the marriage to Nathalie Rogers, Senior disinherited Junior and cut off all support. As if in an American fairy tale, Nathalie, and by extension Cornelius Jr., inherited a quarter of million dollars from a deceased uncle in Paris. The unreported marriage, disavowal and windfall were just the start of Cornelius’ tumultuous adult life.

Cornelius Fellowes Jr. was born to a horse racing magnate in Brooklyn, 1879. Cornelius came into adulthood with a true love, news story that was more about the senior socialite than the son. Written as a socialite intrigue piece, Cornelius quietly eloped with Nathalie Rogers, the daughter of a Philadelphia merchant, “over a year ago” as of June 1900. Between a secretive marriage and possibly acquiring goods under false pretense, Senior disowned Cornelius in June 1900. Fortunately, the death of an uncle depraves Cornelius Senior from punishing his son. True love trumps over money and arranged marriage. But, this isn’t the end of this story.

The article hints at an indecent indiscretion of Young Fellowes. While only hinted at, Cornelius probably got married around 1895 or 1896 at the age of 16 or 17. Nathalie would have been approximately 14 or 15, and quite possibly with their first child, William Fellowes. Although 16 is too young for 1890s New York, it is the legal age for Pennsylvania. When the story was published, Cornelius fathered three children with Nathalie, William, Gertrude, and Celia. The lack of documentation and abbreviating his name for the 1905 census demonstrates Cornelius’ efforts to separate his private life from his public profile.

To reinforce the concept, Cornelius’ divorce and remarriage lacked documentation just like his marriage to Nathalie. When reporters inquired Mademoiselle (mlle) Dazie about her marriage, she remarked that friends knew, but was surprised that the news had not leaked out before. The article from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle posted in March 1914. Unlike with Nathalie, no records seem to exist that indicate children between Cornelius and Dazie. Until about 1920, reporters detailed Cornelius Fellowes’ bankruptcies, various dealings and even a suspicious death. Afterwards, the news seem to focus solely on his sporting enterprises. When he passes in August 1957, a small blurb in the New York Times reminds us of how he failed to secure the great horse “Man o’ War” by a hundred dollars.

Despite all the high profile drama, Cornelius Fellowes Jr. played a significant role in the National Amateur Hockey League. For starters, he sponsored the Fellowes Challenge Cup. That cup symbolized the U.S. national amateur hockey champions until 1926. He managed the St. Nicholas Rink from 1905 until 1920. Additionally, he ran the Wanderers of New York. As a rink and team owner, he was a hand behind the professional as amateurs in that role. Between Cornelius, George Brown, and Roy Schooley, they would forge a hockey powerhouse that would carry to two Olympic silver medals and rival even the Canadian teams.

Research notes:
– Cornelius Fellowes was written as Col. Fellowes on the 1905 New York Census and Fellows in some U.S. Government documents and newspaper accounts
– Nathalie Rogers was written as Natalie in some U.S. Government documents and newspaper accounts
– Celia was also written as Consuelo on Census documents
– Mlle Dazie falls prey to the multitude of spellings.

Sources:
1. Ancestry.com. Colonial Families of the USA, 1607-1775 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors.
2. The Evening World, New York, New York 09 Jun 1900, Sat • Page 5
3. New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1905; Election District: A.D. 07 E.D. 37; City: Brooklyn; County: Kings; Page: 63. Courtesy of Ancestry.com
4. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Brooklyn, New York 21 Mar 1914, Sat • Page 16
5. Brian McFarlane, Golden Oldies: Stories of Hockey’s Heros, 2015
6. Cornelius Fellowes, Sportsman, 78, Dies; Lost Bid for Man o’ War by $100 in 1918. (1957). New York Times (1923-Current File), p. 15.

The NAHL: 1917, Hockey’s Year of Reckoning

Posted on May 25, 2019 by Jlokka

On the eve of WWI, a medal of honor awardee, prominent sports personalities and the best hockeyists in the United States gathered on a world stage. A legend had been building since the early 1900s starting in the New York City area. That legend, the legend of amateur hockey, came to fruition in 1917. The foundation for the next decade of hockey, both professional and amateur, were laid in that fateful year.

This blog over the next few months will provide brief biographies on key characters. Knowledge known and forgotten will be here in an attempt to provide a more complete picture of the hockeyists and their managers.

To note, amateur hockeyists can’t be paid for playing hockey. So, what were their jobs? Some times, they worked for a sporting goods store, like A. G. Spalding. Other times, they worked as car mechanics. And, as Brian McFarlane discovered, their work really was hockey and not lacing footballs at Spalding [1].

Getting back to the main topic, many will hopefully recognize the key players. From Boston, George V. Brown, Raymie Skilton and Frank Synott will be documented. From the US Navy, CAPT. William R. Rush, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions at Veracruz [2], plays a role. From Pittsburgh, Roy Schooley, Herbert Drury and the McCormick brothers drive action. Finally, New York’s Mickey Roach and “Duke” Wellington will be outlined. And, yes, Mickey Roach used be a Bostonian.

1917-18 season was a disruptive season for hockey. The creation of the National Hockey League, the infamous Montreal Arena fire [3], and the politics of amateur vs professional hockey that built to a crescendo in that season. The larger than life personalities, the hockeyists and the organizations all vying for control of the final outcome. But, first, we need to know who the entities are, and I hope you enjoy the journey.

Sources:
1. https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Oldies-Stories-Hockeys-Heroes/dp/1770412506
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_R._Rush
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Arena