HOCKEY PIONEERS

   The early days of hockey featured games on frozen rivers, lakes and ponds. Skates were crude and player's padding as we know it was non-existant, and they used sticks fashioned from tree branches, often from hornbeam trees which is also known as ironwood. Leather skates with  better blades appeared in the 1860's. One of the first games took place on March 3, 1875 in Montreal with nine players per team competing for a wooden puck. No forward passes were allowed and the rules were much similar to rugby, and the game itself resembled the hurling games played in The United Kingdom. By 1883 the generally accepted riule of seven skaters per side was practiced, but still there were still no boards and players usually wore turtleneck sweaters and wool caps. Some players had huge moustaches and beards, as was  common in those days for men. Women were expected to have no facial hair, and often played wearing long flowing dresses. The outside elements of rain, sleet and snow could have a deciding factor in winning or losing.