Deceptions and Doublecross: How the NHL Conquered Hockey

by Morey Holzman, Joseph Nieforth

Overview

Hockey lovers will be fascinated by the truth about how the National Hockey League was founded and how, through less than savory means, it captured permanent possession of the Stanley Cup.

Deceptions and Doublecross begins with the 1917 conspiracy among a Montreal contingent of the National Hockey Association to oust Toronto owner Edward James Livingstone from the league. The result was the transformation of the NHA into the NHL, with Frank Calder as president, leaving Livingstone out in the cold.

Under Calder's iron-fisted direction, the NHL became the only major hockey league in North America, and gained exclusive claim to the Stanley Cup.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459721340
Publisher:	Dundurn Press
Publication date:	10/01/2002
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	392
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Morey Holzman, a member of the Hockey Research Association, has contributed to Total Hockey: Second Edition, The Official WHA Encyclopedia, and The Canada Cup. He is respected for his pioneering efforts with his Web site, epenaltybox.com. He is a corporate controller in California.

Joseph Nieforth, a member of the Society of International Hockey Research, has contributed research to many web sites, STATS Inc., and Total Hockey: Seond Edition. He is involved with television productions and operartions in Toronto.

Joseph Nieforth, a member of the Society of International Hockey Research, has contributed research to many web sites, STATS Inc., and Total Hockey: Seond Edition. He is involved with television productions and operartions in Toronto.

Table of Contents

	Introduction and Acknowledgements	9
Chapter 1	Birth of the Legend	20
Chapter 2	Frank Calder's Beginnings	27
Chapter 3	The Trash King and the Yarn Spinner	36
Chapter 4	The Western Raiders and an Ottawa Power Play	41
Chapter 5	Livingstone, We Presume	52
Chapter 6	Livingstone's Battles Begin	65
Chapter 7	The War of 1915: Real or Imagined?	84
Chapter 8	Two to One in Toronto	92
Chapter 9	Eddie Livingstone Goes to War	101
Chapter 10	Toronto: Shipped Out and Drummed Out	112
Chapter 11	The Litigious Era Begins	131
Chapter 12	The Penny Drops	144
Chapter 13	Quebec Bows Out	152
Chapter 14	Lichtenhein Loses the War	160
Chapter 15	Dey's Deceptions	171
Chapter 16	The Short, Chaotic Life of the Toronto Arenas	193
Chapter 17	The Battle for Hamilton	214
Chapter 18	Livvy Wins, but the NHL Gains Some Relief	225
Chapter 19	Hamilton is Hoodwinked	230
Chapter 20	The Steeltown Strike	241
Chapter 21	Stop Spreading the News	259
Chapter 22	The Original Ten	266
Chapter 23	Livvy's Comeback	270
Chapter 24	The Real Curse of Muldoon	274
Chapter 25	Leafs of a Different Colour	295
Chapter 26	Conspiracy, Chicago Style	302
Chapter 27	Calder Steals the Cup	311
Chapter 28	Frank Calder Dies	329
Chapter 29	Livingstone at Peace	335
Appendix A	What Happened to Them	339
Appendix B	Hamilton-born Players in the NHL	347
Appendix C	The Closing of Canada	349
Appendix D	Calder's Damage	351
	Notes	354
	Index	384

What People are Saying About This

Bill Fitsell

It fills a void in the early history of pro hockey in Canada and throws new light on such people as Frank Calder [the NHL's first president] and Elmer Ferguson [the famous sports writer].
— the founder of the Society For International Hockey Research

Editorial Reviews

Although most hockey fans probably have no clue how their beloved National Hockey League came to be, they likely also never figured it had somewhat of an unsavoury past.

But it did.

The book begins with a 1917 conspiracy among the Montreal entry of the National Hockey Association trying to dump Toronto owner Edward James Livingston from the loop. It resulted in the NHA becoming the NHL with Frank Calder as president and leaving Livingston on the outside looking in.

But, in truth, that was only the tip of the iceberg, as it kicked off a lengthy feud between the hated Livingston and the NHL featuring court battles, back room deals and personal vendettas. And once things finally calmed down, the NHL used some very questionable practices to gain exclusive control of the Stanley Cup.

This little feud makes the Enron controversy look downright boring by comparison.

Toronto Sunday Sun

..there's a fascinating array of small press titles this year, all researched by dedicated authors...

"There are also some fascinating history books, such as Deceptions and Doublecross..."

"In a well-researched historical challenge to the standard view of the NHL's birth, the authors see the outcast Toronto owner Eddie Livingstone as a victim of his nefarious NHA colleagues.

Hockey News

It fills a void in the early history of pro hockey in Canada.

Globe and Mail

"This refreshing history reminds us that the NHL resulted frtom a bitter power struggle that included courtroom battles, backroom dealing and personal grudges as brutal as anything seen today on the ice."

New Brunswick Reader

It fills a void in the early history of pro hockey in Canada.

"a well researched historical challenge to the standard view of the NHL's birth"

"This refreshing history reminds us that the NHL resulted frtom a bitter power struggle that included courtroom battles, backroom dealing and personal grudges as brutal as anything seen today on the ice."

From the Publisher