Buffalo Bisons (AHL) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buffalo Bisons |
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| City | Buffalo, New York |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Operated | 1940–1970 |
| Home arena | Memorial Auditorium |
| Colors | Red, white, blue |
| Affiliates | Montreal Canadiens Chicago Black Hawks New York Rangers |
| Franchise history | |
| 1926–1930 | Hamilton Tigers (CPHL, IHL) |
| 1930–1940 | Syracuse Stars (IHL, IAHL) |
| 1940–1970 | Buffalo Bisons |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 5 (1945–46, 1953–54, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1968–69) |
| Division Championships | 8 (1942–43, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1962–63, 1968–69, 1969–70) |
| Calder Cups | 5 (1942–43, 1943–44, 1945–46, 1962–63, 1969–70) |
The Buffalo Bisons were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL). They were based in Buffalo, New York, and played from 1940 to 1970. The Bisons were an important part of Buffalo's sports history for three decades. They took the place of an earlier Buffalo Bisons hockey team that left the area in 1936.
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Team History
The Buffalo Bisons played their home games at the Memorial Auditorium. Over the years, they worked with several bigger hockey teams. These included the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, and New York Rangers.
Team Ownership and the Pepsi Logo
The team was first brought to Buffalo by Louis M. Jacobs. He owned a company called Sportservice. In 1955, Jacobs sold the team to Arthur Wirtz, who owned the Chicago Black Hawks. Chicago wanted to use Buffalo as its main farm team. A farm team is where younger players develop their skills before joining the main team.
Later, local bottling owners, the Pastor Brothers, bought the team. In 1956, Ruby Pastor, who owned the local Pepsi-Cola business, bought the Bisons. She changed the team's colors and logo to match the Pepsi brand. The Bisons kept this unique Pepsi-inspired logo for the rest of their time as a team.
Championship Wins
The Buffalo Bisons were very successful. They won the Calder Cup five times. The Calder Cup is the championship trophy for the American Hockey League. They won in 1943, 1944, 1946, 1963, and 1970. They also reached the finals but lost in 1948, 1951, 1955, 1959, and 1962.
The End of the Bisons
The Bisons stopped playing after the 1969–70 season. This happened because the National Hockey League (NHL) decided to add a new team in Buffalo. This new team was the Buffalo Sabres, which started playing in 1970–71. The Bisons ended their time just like the Pittsburgh Hornets team did a few years earlier. Both teams closed after winning one last championship.
A sports announcer named Rick Jeanneret called some of the Bisons' games in their last season. He then became an announcer for the Sabres in 1971. After the Bisons team ended, the Sabres were given permission to start a new AHL team. This team became the Cincinnati Swords in 1971. The Sabres even used some old Bisons jerseys for their first training camp in 1970. However, the Swords were a new team, not a continuation of the Bisons.
Remembering the Bisons
On September 18, 2010, the Buffalo Sabres announced something special. They said they would wear a third jersey during their 2010–11 season to honor the Bisons. This Bisons-inspired jersey was used for two seasons. Later, parts of this throwback jersey were used in the Sabres' 2018 NHL Winter Classic jerseys. These designs also influenced the Sabres' new uniforms starting in 2020.
Team Performance Overview
The Buffalo Bisons played 30 seasons in the American Hockey League. They had many successful years, winning division titles and regular season titles. Their consistent performance led to their five Calder Cup championships.
