A Great Game by Stephen J. Harper

Author:Stephen J. Harper
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

The Royals, though not as bad as St. Kitts, were also a winless squad. Rumours of the two clubs’ imminent demise were circulating wildly in both centres and their morale was plunging. By comparison, the Toronto champs looked remarkably strong, although they would again be facing lineup changes.

Despite a strong performance, McNamara would not be back. Miln had signed him for only one game. Hal was aiming to get on with the Montreal Shamrocks, where his brothers were playing. Besides, the trustees’ anti-ringer rule meant he would not be eligible for Cup competition with Toronto. Fred Young, whose play had received passing grades, was pressed back into service at right wing.

At this point, however, it appears the constant changes began taking their toll on the Professionals. Lacking any teamwork, they fell 6–4 before 500 remaining Royals’ supporters. Only Tyner and (once again) Ridpath had shone during the contest. The Guelph crowd jeered them mercilessly, “declaring that the Torontos were ‘dogs,’ ‘fat lobsters,’ ‘cattle,’ ‘horses,’ ‘wooden men,’ and other things equally complimentary.”27

Less than a year after the Toronto Professionals were being praised as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, they were being laughed off the ice.

And their problems were only beginning.

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