Emil Waldemar Iverson (November 2, 1892February 21, 1960) was a Danish-American

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

player and coach, and an

anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...

. The

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ice hockey team of the

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won seven national championships while Emil Iverson was coach. His training programs were so ahead of the times, that some are still used today. Iverson was head coach of the

Chicago Black Hawks Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

for one season, 1932–33, along with Godfrey Matheson.

Biography

He was born on November 2, 1892, in

Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the Øresund strait. The Øres ...

. When Emil Iverson and his brother Kay first arrived in America they coached different ice hockey teams in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

and

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, before starting coaching at universities in

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and

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

. Iverson did anthropological work on the

Ojibwa The Ojibwe (; syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the northern plains, extending into the subarctic and thro ...

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people in areas around the Great Lakes and Minnesota/

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border. He died on February 21, 1960, at the Illinois Masonic Hospital in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Anthropology and other pursuits

Emil Iverson was responsible for discovering 50 Ojibwa skeletons and native artifacts in 1928. The site was one of the last undisturbed dwellings inhabited by the Kawawaigamak people of the First Nation

people. He continued to conduct extensive research regarding the history of the Ojibwa people that seasonally migrated throughout Hunters Island and the Border Lakes. The thriving tribe of Kabwawiagamaks, located at Kawa Bay, were eventually decimated by the Spanish influenza epidemic and the forced removal by the Canadian Government. The people of the village were known by the European settlers as the Kabwawiagamaks – because of their proximity to, and reliance on, what is now called the Wawiag River. After discovering the village Emil Iverson made sure the dead got the proper burial rites and brought back many artifacts to the Nett Lake people – their reservation being adjacent to his outfitting headquarters. This act of kindness was greatly revered by the Kawa Bay Band; to show their gratitude, Emil was given a ceremonial drum and the Annishinabe name "Chief of the Big Waters". The survey and graves proved once and for all, the size and scope of the Kabwawiagamak village was much larger than previously thought. His movie and photos of the expedition were shown to President Coolidge to help preserve the Quetico and

Boundary Waters The Boundary Waters, also called the Quetico-Superior Country, is a region of wilderness straddling the Canada–United States border between Ontario and Minnesota, in the area just west of Lake Superior. While "Boundary Waters" is a common nam ...

area. The complete story of his expedition and the history of Two Rivers, a leader of the Kabwawiaigamak Ojibwa, can be found in the novel ''Hunters and Hearts''. Educational information can be found in past issues of The Ely Echo, The Chicago Area Pioneer Press, Minnesota Sun, U. of M newspapers, 13 Moons, The McHenry County Living Magazine, or by going to www.huntersandhearts.com. In addition to his advocacy for the Annishinabe people, Emil Iverson developed one of the first fishing and exploration programs for women. Iverson also traveled throughout Asia and Africa hunting big game and exploring both continents. A previously unknown location, southeast of Kawa Bay is currently being researched by this family in an effort led by his grandsons.

Head coaching record

NHL

College

References

*''Hunters and Hearts'' by Iverson, James and Iverson, John – U. of M news articles – 1927–28 Expedition journals – Expedition photo and survey record – Bois Forte Heritage Museum, numerous Minneapolis and St. Paul newspapers, circa 1927–29 – U. of M. ice hockey alumni – Quetico Archives

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Iverson, Emil Canadian ice hockey coaches Chicago Blackhawks coaches Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey coaches 1892 births 1960 deaths Danish ice hockey coaches Danish ice hockey players 20th-century American anthropologists Danish emigrants to the United States