Port Arthur Marrs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Port Arthur Marrs |
|
|---|---|
| City | Port Arthur, Ontario |
| League | Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League Thunder Bay Junior B Hockey League |
| Operated | 1925 – July 6, 1980 |
| Home arena | Port Arthur Arena |
| Colours | Unknown |
| Head coach | Unknown |
| Franchise history | |
| c. 1925–1943 | Port Arthur Juniors |
| 1943–1946 | Port Arthur Flyers |
| 1946–1949 | Port Arthur Juniors |
| 1950–1953 | Port Arthur Flyers |
| 1953–1966 | Port Arthur North Stars |
| 1966–1970 | Port Arthur Marrs |
| 1970–1971 | Thunder Bay Marrs |
| 1971–1978 | Thunder Bay Case Eagles |
| 1978–1980 | Thunder Bay North Stars |
| Previous franchise history | |
| 1978 | Merged with Thunder Bay Blades |
The Port Arthur Marrs was a junior ice hockey team from Port Arthur, Ontario. This city is now part of Thunder Bay. The team got its name from its sponsor, W.H. Marr, Ltd., a trucking company. In 1967, the Marrs played for the famous Memorial Cup, which is a big championship in junior hockey. They lost that game to the Toronto Marlboros.
Contents
A Look Back: Team History
The Marrs played in the Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League, which was part of Hockey Northwestern Ontario. Over the years, the team changed its name a few times.
Changing Names and Locations
The team started around 1925 as the Port Arthur Juniors. They later became the Port Arthur Flyers for a few years, then went back to being the Juniors. They were the Flyers again before becoming the Port Arthur North Stars in 1953.
In 1966, they officially became the Port Arthur Marrs. Just a few years later, in 1970, they changed their name to the Thunder Bay Marrs. The next year, in 1971, they became the Thunder Bay Case Eagles. Finally, from 1978 until they stopped playing, they were known as the Thunder Bay North Stars. The team stopped playing on July 6, 1980, because their league no longer existed.
Big Wins and Playoff Excitement
The team had many exciting seasons and won several championships throughout its history. They were known for their strong play in the Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League.
Championship Titles
The team, under its various names, won the TBJHL championship many times. They were league champions in:
- 1932, 1933, 1935, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1946, 1956, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1980.
They also achieved other important titles:
- In 1967, they won the Abbott Cup, which was a major Western Canadian junior hockey championship.
- They were finalists for the Abbott Cup in 1944 and 1956.
- As mentioned, they were also finalists for the prestigious Memorial Cup in 1967.
Playoff Highlights
The team had many memorable playoff runs. For example, in 1971, as the Thunder Bay Marrs, they won their league championship and the TBAHA Jack Adams Trophy. They then played in the semi-finals for the Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy.
Later, as the Thunder Bay Eagles, they won their league in 1975, 1976, and 1977. In 1977, they also won the TBAHA Jack Adams Trophy again. As the Thunder Bay North Stars, they continued their winning ways, taking the league championship in both 1979 and 1980.
Famous Players: Marrs Alumni
Many talented hockey players played for this team before moving on to bigger leagues. Here are some of the notable players:
Juniors
Flyers
North Stars
- John Adams
- Bruce Gamble
- Stu McNeill
- Dennis Olson
- Ralph Stewart
- Gary Veneruzzo
Port Arthur Marrs
- John Adams
- Bill Fairbairn
- Gerry Hart
- Bob Kelly
- Vic Venasky
- Juha Widing
Thunder Bay Marrs
- Lee Fogolin Jr.
- Nelson Pyatt
