#668-670 AHL All Stars
Fun Fact #668
A Starry Night’s Dream
Before the US had even joined the war, The International Association Hockey League (I-AHL) had it rough. Spring of 1941 saw the team roster get whittled down from 12 teams to just 8 between the east and west divisions. This was in large part because Canada had been involved in World War 2 by that point and had placed several restrictions on players, including that all Hockey players had to spend a minimum of 2 months in conscription before being allowed to play in US Stadiums. The I-AHL did their best to accommodate this by playing a majority of 1940-1941’s games in Canada but alas the events saw more players leaving the league than those who joined. Additionally, to make up lost revenue some of the stadiums in The US evicted their teams and rented out the space to The US Military.
Seeing the dire situation for what it was, Cleveland Barons Owner Al Suptin came up with the idea for an exhibition game showcasing the best players of the league, and having the proceeds donated to The American & Canadian Red Cross branches, letting “The Puck raise money for The Stars and Stripes”. He then pitched the idea to the I-AHL President Maurice Podoloff, who then championed the idea to the rest of the League. Along the way they also rebranded the league to The American Hockey League (AHL) which was announced with the News that the first AHL All-Stars game was going to be played (Where else) but at The Cleveland Baron's Stadium in Ohio.
Image of Maurice Podoloff. Also, for those of you curious, yes This is also the same Maurice Podoloff who organized the first ever season of The BAA and then reorganized it into NBA (National Basketball Association) making him the De Facto 1st Commissioner in NBA History. He did this with money he earned from his time as president of the AHL so if you are a fan of the NBA, you have the AHL to thank for it. Not bad for a man born under The Russian Empire in August 1890.
Fun Fact #669
Rise of The All-Stars
1942 The first ever AHL All-Stars Game was played (where else?) at The Cleveland Barons Stadium in Ohio. The Game faced the Eastern Division Led by Coach Bill Cook, against the Western Division Coached by Bill’s Brother Bun Cook. Before the game, the league had a dinner with the fans at The Alcazar hotel where one player proposed to his (future) wife, and another (Augie Herchnratter) announced it would be his final game before being deployed. The game itself was fast paced but described as unusually tame for hockey games of the time (only 5 players were injured) and the game itself was ultimately won by the East division 5-4. {If you’re curious, the original Radio Transcript is still available online}.
By the Games end The All-Stars had raised $5000 dollars (Nearly 100,000 today) individually for both The American and Canadian Red Cross Branches, In addition to ～1,300 packs of Smokes, and 90 tins of Tabacco. Additionally, it got the local Children hooked on Hockey when the Barons’ owner Al Suptin paid for multiple local Orphanages to send their children to the game –an act which also made international news.
The game also helped get Canada and The US to ease their restrictions for AHL players –but notably not the NHL who they were in direct competition with at the time. This didn't stop The US military from seizing the Indian’s Massachusetts stadium however, leading both leagues to start their 1943 season with only 6 teams each. As a result, the All-stars game for 1943 was postponed indefinitely, despite Suptin’s attempts to reintroduce it as an exhibition game between the AHL and NHL. However, an unofficial All Stars Game was played in the off season for the next 3 years where Suptin paid for both League's best players to come face the Barons in a series of exhibition games (The Barons got trounced every time). The All-star games were then revived in 1954-55 and then again in 1995 where they seem to have become a permanent fixture with the AHL Hall of fame.
Fun Fact #670
Rival Starpower
Despite the success of the first All Star Game, one player was royally ticked off at not being invited, Bob “The Red” Herron, who went into his next regular season game and made two records which still stand to this day. 1 for getting 6 goals in a single game, and the 2nd record for getting in the most fights in a single game (which is actually why his 7th goal didn't count. Apparently hitting a Defensemen with a Hockey stick like a bat before using the opportunity to score is VERY Frowned upon.) His actions allowed the Hornets to defeat Newhaven 13-4 –although supposedly both Newhaven AND the Hornets’ players kept their distance from him for the rest of the game. If he had been in the All-stars Game, he would have played for the West Division and might have changed the game’s outcome. Sadly, he left Hockey after the 1942 season ended.
As for Coach Fredrick “Bun” Cook, even though his division lost the game to The East Coached by his brother (Bill), Bun would go on to have the last laugh coaching the most Calder Cup winning teams in AHL history. Despite this, he went on record saying his favorite time in Hockey was when he was actually a player for the NY Rangers (NHL) winning two Stanley cups alongside his brother Bill. No matter his victories, Bun’s brother continued to hold the fact he was the first Team captain for the NY Rangers over his brother's head, leading to Bill’s nickname as “The Original Ranger”. Today both are remembered in multiple Hockey Halls of fame. While The NHL claims both, their rivalry lives on with The Canadian Hall of Fame claiming Bill, while the AHL holds Bun Cook in theirs.
