Sports History in Ottawa and the Valley
August 17, 2007:
Thanks to Marlene O'Neil for the following photograph. A few of the names still need to
be identified. Do you recognize any of the persons in the photo? This
championship team probably played its home games at Brantwood Park between Main
Street and the Rideau River.
Ottawa East
Best Baseball Team 1910
Hi there - above is the photo - have added some information to hopefully twig
some descendant to maybe take a look and can identify this small window on the
German community in Ottawa and their passion for baseball.
The cardboard pressed frame is labeled on top in rather crude white lettering
by hand - 1910 Rideau League Valley Champs - on the back it says Ottawa East
Best Ball Team 1910. The names written at the bottom are: Alex Wolfe, Bill Shandler,
Archie Graham, Fred Martz, Ernie Romhild, Frank Schroeder, Fred Wings,
(Geo Noffre, sic, George Noffke), Gus Romhild, Robert Romhild, Fred Wing, Fred Romhild.
Ernie Schroeder, Bill Romhild, John Shandler, Mascot - Henry Wings (sic Winges) --
Noted as written on bottom of frame. There are 16 names written on the farm but
19 persons in the photo to add to the confusion.
1 - Mascot Front Middle - this is Henry Winges (1899-1981) son of Charles Winges
and Annie Elizabeth Romhild. Family were residents at 236 Main Street in 1911.
Henry married Johanna Fabricius in 1923.
Left to Right - Row 1 behind Mascot
2 - unknown but looks like a Romhild
3 - Gus Romhild (1885-1983) son of Charles and Caroline Romhild - her married
Elsie Risto from Pembroke in 1909 and was living in Nepean in 1911.
4 - unknown but looks like Romhild
5 - unknown but has age it appears over many of the players
Row 2
6 - unknown but resembles Romhild
7 - unknown
8 - unknown
9 - unknown but looks like Romhild
10 - unknown
ROW 3
11 - 19 - all unknown.
NAMES TO MATCH TO FACES -- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT NAMES
Gus Romhild had two brothers Fred 1893-1916) living on Glenora Ave who
was killed in action in WW1 and Ernie (1889-1976) who was married to Olga
Risto and also like Fred fought overseas in WW1. Other than Gus have never
seen a picture of them so not sure who is who per his brothers.
Robert Romhild (1891-1978) son of Wilhelm and Bertha Cornelius was living at 56
Evelyn Street, He married Emma Thom and a second marriage Violet Kerr
Bill Romhild - would assume name is actually Wilhelm or William but have no record
to date for this person but he is related as this is the only line of Romhild in Canada
Fred Martz - found him in the 1901 census in Carleton Ott East - son of Henry
and Pauline Frosch - his birth delayed birth registration by his mother (192?)
indicates Frederick August Henrich Martz, December 27, 1887 and the family were
living at 186 Main Street.
Bill and John Shandler are obviously related - possibly bros but the spelling
could be incorrect of surname. Schroeders - mostly they lived in Renfrew so
hard to figure out who is who given the duplicates of the names in census
Fred Winges (1888-1966) believed to be the brother of the mascot Henry Winges
son of Charles Winge and Annie Romhild - he married Wilhelmina Nutsheke(?).
Archie Graham and Alex Wolfe - still nothing tangible at this time.
... Marlene O'Neil
E-Mail: oneilm@rogers.com
January 3, 2008:
Stittsville Hockey Team, 1927-28
The team members are:
Front Row, L to R: C. Cathcart, S. Bradley, W. Paul (goalie), H. Argue, W. Wilson
Back Row, L to R: C. Rothwell, E. Bradley, R.A. Bradley, J. Vaughan (manager), C. Wilson, O. Rothwell
This is the team which travelled to Carp, Richmond, etc. by horse-drawn sleigh.
C. Wilson is Clarence Wilson. W. Wilson is my uncle, Wilbert Thomas Wilson (Uncle Wib).
Only the first initial of the players is given on the picture. Can anyone fill in
the first names of the other players? C. Cathcart may be Clifford Cathcart.
... Al
________________________
March 21, 2008: (players names updated)
Thanks to Robert Sample, Debbie Prince and Sid Bradley for the following names of
hockey players in the above picture:
The team members are:
Front Row, L to R: Franklin Anthony "Clifford" Cathcart -10 April 1904 to 20 Aug 1937,
Silas Christopher Bradley-October 15, 1898 to April 20, 1972 William Paul (goalie),
Thomas 'Howard' Argue - October 01, 1906 to January 04, 1972, Wilbert Thomas 'Wib' Wilson
December 19, 1903 - February 11, 1992
Back Row, L to R: C. Rothwell, Eldon Bradley, Richard A.(Gus) Bradley,
J. Vaughan (manager), Clarence Bertram Wilson- March 10, 1902 to December 22, 1977,
(brother to Wilbert), Osborne Rothwell
January 28, 2008:
Hi folks - I am not sure if you have come across any references to Hugh Masson's
plough or Hugh and Donald's participation in what might be Canada's 1st Hockey game
Dec. 25, 1852 (beating McGill University's claim by more than 40 years...).
I finally found a picture of the 1852 hockey medal and quotes from Hugh himself in a
1904 publication. The original medal was donated to the Bytown Museum along with
other Masson [and Anderson] artefacts (but they are not on display and are held in
the Museum's facilities at the "Diefenbunker").
I am not certain if your Borthwick family connections include 1898 Ottawa
Mayor William Borthwick, but thought I would send along a photo of him.
Cheers - Bruce Hurley
(I believe that the text below is from Anson Gard's The Hub and the Spokes. ... Al)
Here is a text version containing the surnames from the article above:
(for the search engine)
Shinny
This is one of the oldest sports, and from which grew hockey. It is our "shinny on
your own side" which we used to play on the "crick" down there by the old bridge.
Again I run across of ex Mayor Bingham. No wonder he loves children so much. I find
he was one of the boys himself. In shinny he was an expert, with a goodly following
of many old Ottawans, in which I find the names of the late Alexander Lumsden,
James Mulroney, Terrence O'Neill ("Trickey Terry"), John Bulger, James McLaughlin,
Hugh Masson and many others, now gone.
Medal of 1852 - A find in Shinny
Months after writing the foregoing, while looking up data a la Bytown, I ran right
into a real "find" in shinny. It was a silver medal given in 1852. Mr. Hugh Masson,
the last one of those who played in the match between New Edinburgh and Ottawa, is
the holder. "Who are the players?" was my first question on seeing the relic of 52
years ago. "Of the Ottawa twelve I remember but one name," said Mr. Masson, "as I was
then a stranger, having just arrived. That one was James Peacock, the hatter. My
friends being in New Edinburgh I played on their team. We were dressed in our Scotch
costume, the Ottawas were 'plain clothes' men. Of our team I remember seven of the
players: John Lumsden, father of Alex, D.M. Grant, Allen Cameron, Peter Fraser,
William McDonald, my brother Donald and myself. It was Christmas Day. The game was
refereed by Captain John McKinnon, son-in-law of the Hon. Thomas McKay. We beat two
to one. The medal was passed on to me; I am the last; all the rest having gone on
ahead. I wonder will we have any shinny there?
________________________________
also posted on January 28, 2008:
History of the Ottawa Curling Club.
February 14, 2008:
Our local NHL hockey Team, the Ottawa Senators, are making a strong run for the
Stanley Cup this year. Listen to the games live on the Team1200 Radio Station.
Ottawa Silver Seven Hockey Team, 1904-05
Stanley Cup Champions
Photo Source: The Ottawa Sports Book by Jim McAuley
Names: Dave Finnie, Harvey Pulford, Alf Smith, Arthur Moore, Harry Westwick,
M.H. McGilton (trainer), H.L. Gilmour and Frank McGee (nephew? of Darcy McGee)
E-mail Marlene O'Neil, Bruce Hurley and Al Lewis
Back to Bytown or Bust - History and Genealogy in the Ottawa, Canada area