History Lesson On Ice Continues

The 39th Annual Historic Hockey Series was played on Sunday, February 11, 2007 at Kingston's Market Square. For the third consecutive year, RMC claimed the RCHA Brigade Association Trophy by wining both their games. Visit Feb Fest in 2008, as RMC defends their title in the 40th Annual Historic Hockey Series on Sunday, February 10th, 2008.

Historic Hockey is a celebration of the first game played in Kingston in 1886. The series involves the traditional teams, Queen's University and Royal Military College who continue the oldest rivalry in hockey that dates back to 1886 when they first met on the Kingston harbour. The third team in the round-robin series is the 2nd Regiment from Royal Canadian Horse Artillery from CFB Petawawa, Ontario. The gunners represent the Kingston garrison soldiers who played 'shinny ' on the Kingston harbour as early as 1843. The teams compete in three 20-minute games for the RCHA Brigade Association Trophy.

The historical reenactment began in 1969 as part of the Kingston Winter Carnival and is now a fixture at Feb Fest -Kingston's celebration of winter.

The game is played with the same rules as in the 1880's. Seven players per side including one 'rover', two 10-minute periods, no forward passing and its played with a 'square ' puck and shorter field hockey type sticks. The square puck is similar to the cut down rubber lacrosse ball that was first used in hockey games 120-years ago. The referees wear a white smock and ring a bell to signal one-minute penalties. The goal judges raise a white-flag to signal a goal while the RCHA gun regiment actually fires a real cannon at Market Square each time a goal is scored.

The detailed story of this unique series is available in ' Hockey's Hub - Three Centuries of Hockey in Kingston'- authored by Bill Fitsell and Mark Potter in 2003.

For more information please contact:

Mr. Mark Potter
President
International Hockey Hall of Fame & Museum
Website: www.ihhof.com

Phone: Work (613) 544-3008
Home (613) 545-1718
Cell: (613) 583-1718
Email: mark.w.potter@td.com