National Anthems Before NHL Games

[james laverance]

I've been doing a little research on the history of national anthems performed at NHL games.
It appears that this tradition began on October 16th 1946 at the old Olympia in Detroit to honour the troops coming back from the World War.(Ironically Gordie Howe's first game as a pro) Only the home team anthem was sung at first eventually leading to both anthems being sung in the 1960's.
Please feel free to add any additional information that you may know of thx.
http://www.cbc.ca/m/sports/hockey/nhl-will-continue-to-play-national-anthems-1.402942

https://books.google.ca/books?id=5Mw8AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT52&dq=national+anthem+nhl+1946&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjRjp3YhYLRAhXJ34MKHexWB5kQ6AEIIjAA#v=onepage&q=national anthem nhl 1946&f=false

The schedule for the 1946-47 season is here where it mentions that Toronto played in Detroit for the opening game of the season.
http://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_1947_games.html

[Podein25]

Are you an historian James? Genuinely curious.

[BluPuk]

I have no idea how the tradition began, but I think it is out of date now. Back in those days the league was nearly 100% Canadian players, so maybe that's why they decided on playing both? At any rate I think with the population of players being much more diverse now, maybe they ought to consider dropping the anthem(s) altogether.

[james laverance]

Are you an historian James? Genuinely curious

 

Yes I am.I've been researching Ice-Hockey for just over 13 years now and have been in contact with most other historians on the matter.Being from Ottawa you may have heard of Liam Mcguire whom taught me quite a few things.Thanks

http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/43/hockeyhistory.shtml

[WingNut722]

15 minutes ago, BluPuk said:

I have no idea how the tradition began, but I think it is out of date now. Back in those days the league was nearly 100% Canadian players, so maybe that's why they decided on playing both? At any rate I think with the population of players being much more diverse now, maybe they ought to consider dropping the anthem(s) altogether.

 

I would be against that, actually, although you do make a good case.  The anthems are a chance to honor the country in which the games are played, and an opportunity to reflect on the idea that they are able to play these games at all.  I don't want t get OVERLY patriotic here, but the freedom to assemble players, officials, and fans at a minimum, not to mention the press and executives, in one building specifically constructed and operated to house such a game.  The fans are able to assemble freely to cheer for whichever team they choose.  We've got it pretty good here in the US and Canada, but remember a few years ago when the NHL opened the season with a few games in Europe?  The Swedes and the Finns, and Czechs were all mightily proud to be able to host a game in front of their fans and thrilled to be able to play THEIR anthem for an NHL contest.

[hf101]

22 minutes ago, BluPuk said:

I have no idea how the tradition began, but I think it is out of date now. Back in those days the league was nearly 100% Canadian players, so maybe that's why they decided on playing both? At any rate I think with the population of players being much more diverse now, maybe they ought to consider dropping the anthem(s) altogether.

 

 

 

The "Teams" are still from the USA and Canada and are played in the USA and Canada, thus the USA and Canadian anthems.  

[Podein25]

12 minutes ago, james laverance said:

Are you an historian James? Genuinely curious

 

Yes I am.I've been researching Ice-Hockey for just over 13 years now and have been in contact with most other historians on the matter.Being from Ottawa you may have heard of Liam Mcguire whom taught me quite a few things.Thanks

http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/43/hockeyhistory.shtml

 

Cool. I was a member of the MHS at one point. You have an interest in the history of lacrosse too eh? 

[james laverance]

"Cool. I was a member of the MHS at one point. You have an interest in the history of lacrosse too eh?"

 

Yes I do thanks.I've been recently been conversing with the author of the First organized indoor Ice Hockey game played in Montreal Canada on March 3rd 1875 and he "Ian Fyffe" says that these rules weren't necessarily based on Lacrosse but rather Field Hockey rules. I don't really think he knows what he's talking about though.James Creighton was born in Halifax and played ice Hockey as a kid there.He saw that Lacrosse was played on skates in the Empire City Skating Rink on March 10th 1870 and 1871 in Brooklyn and New Jersey.He himself attempted to play Lacrosse on skates in the Victoria skating rink Montreal four years prior to the game on march 3rd 1875 which led to the positioning and rules of that game in 1875 simply renaming the positions goalkeeper, back, halfback, centre,outside in, outside out,etc taken from field hockey rules.So yes lacrosse is the oldest and closest ancestor to Ice-Hockey as we now today going back to the 12th century played by the Cherokee snd Iroquois nations.

 

Here are the rules for Lacrosse in 1868 tell me if you see the similarities? Thanks.

http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=92809&d=1480080169

 

[Podein25]

@james laverance

 

Did you mean to paste a link?

 

Also, you should use the "Quote" function below instead of copy/paste. Easier