The Halifax Wolverines (sometimes; Halifax Wolves) were an amateur men's senior ice hockey team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The team won the

1935 Allan Cup The 1935 Allan Cup was the senior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) for the 1934–35 season. In the best-of-three final, the Halifax Wolverines defeated the Port Arthur Bearcats two games to none. Final ...

, and were nominated to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics but disbanded before playing in the Olympics.

History

The Maritimes saw growth in senior ice hockey during the

Great Depression in Canada The worldwide Great Depression of the early 1930s was a social and economic shock that left millions of Canadians unemployed, hungry and often homeless. Few countries were affected as severely as Canada during what became known as the "Dirty Thirt ...

, as men sought to make a living and it was reported by '' The Winnipeg Tribune'' as common knowledge that amateurs were being paid to play in the Maritimes. In December 1934,

Canadian Amateur Hockey Association The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; french: Association canadienne de hockey amateur) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction include ...

(CAHA) president

E. A. Gilroy Edward Albert Gilroy (October 10, 1879August 8, 1942) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He served as president of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) from 1927 to 1934, and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) from ...

asked the

Maritime Amateur Hockey Association The Maritime Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) was a governing body for amateur ice hockey in the Maritimes of Canada. It was a branch member of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1928 to 1974, with its jurisdiction including the pr ...

to make a declaration on operating a commercial league which was considered professionalism and not allowed. After a month of negotiations, a senior league was approved that included the Halifax Wolverines. The Wolverines won the

and were invited to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics, but disbanded before the following season. Attempts were made to bring the Wolverines team back together for the Olympics according to Amateur Athletic Union of Canada president

W. A. Fry William Alexander Fry (September 7, 1872 – April 21, 1944) was a Canadian sports administrator and newspaper publisher. Fry founded the ''Dunnville Chronicle'' in 1896, managed local hockey and baseball teams in the 1910s, then served as pres ...

, but its players had gone separate ways for personal and financial reasons. In December 1935, Fry announced the Port Arthur Bearcats who were runners up in the 1935 Allan Cup, as "the logical choice" to represent Canada. In January 1936, four members of the Wolverines were invited to play with Port Arthur at the Olympics, but declined when travel expenses were not covered for their families. Fry defended the decision by Gilroy, stating that it was not their responsibility to cover expenses beyond the players. Canadian Olympic Committee secretary-treasurer Fred Marples denied that there had been any agreement to take care of the players' families while they were at the Olympics, and that the Halifax players had left the team voluntarily because they could not get what they wanted in terms of money. As a result of the Wolverines not playing at the Olympics due to financial issues, the CAHA formed a committee to study the definition of an amateur hockey player with relation to eligibility for international competition. This led to the amateur reforms championed by

W. G. Hardy William George Hardy (February 3, 1895 – August 28, 1979) was a Canadian professor, writer, and ice hockey administrator. He lectured on the Classics at the University of Alberta from 1922 to 1964, and served as president of the Canadian Aut ...

and George Dudley which allowed for travel expenses and compensation of lost wages.

References

{{reflist Defunct ice hockey teams in Canada Senior ice hockey teams Sport in Halifax, Nova Scotia