Hamilton Fincups

Last updated
Hamilton Fincups
Hamilton fincups.jpg
City Hamilton, Ontario
League Ontario Major Junior Hockey League
Operated1974 (1974)–78
ColoursBlue, white and gold
Franchise history
1946–1953 Windsor Spitfires
1953–1960 Hamilton Tiger Cubs
1960–1974 Hamilton Red Wings
1974–1978Hamilton/St. Catharines Fincups
1978–1984 Brantford Alexanders
1984–1988 Hamilton Steelhawks
1988–1996 Niagara Falls Thunder
1996–present Erie Otters
Championships
Playoff championships1976 Memorial Cup Champions

The Hamilton Fincups were a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for 4 years, from 1974 to 1978. The team played in Hamilton, Ontario for three years, and in St. Catharines, Ontario for one. The Hamilton Fincups played home games at the Barton Street Arena, also known as the Hamilton Forum from 1974–1976. The St. Catharines Fincups played in the Garden City Arena in downtown St. Catharines, Ontario in 1976–1977. After moving back to Hamilton, the Fincups played out of the Mountain Arena from 1977–1978.

Contents

History

The Fincups were a short-lived team in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League that was very successful on the ice, but did poorly generating revenue. The club bounced around in three outdated arenas in four years. Unable to turn much of a profit, the Fincups moved out of town, becoming the Brantford Alexanders.

Fincup was a combination of the surnames of the team's owners, Joe Finochio and the Cupido brothers Ron and Mario. [1] They renamed the old Hamilton Red Wings after the 1974 season; the franchise had history in Steeltown dating back to the early 1950s. The new owners did not have to go far to hire a new coach for the new regime as they hired a very young Bert Templeton as the team's new coach (Bert was coaching the Junior B team in Hamilton owned by Cupido and Finochio) which had just won the Jr B championship (Sutherland cup). Templeton was voted winner of the Matt Leyden Trophy as Coach of the Year in his first season. Templeton was let go partway through the Fincups' fourth season due to conflict with ownership and replaced by Dave Draper.

In the four short seasons that the Fincups played, the team won the Memorial Cup once, and the J. Ross Robertson Cup once. The Fincups also represented Canada at the World Junior Tournament and came away with a silver medal.

The Fincups won the Emms Division regular season title for two consecutive years in 1975–76 and 1976–77, and the Hamilton Spectator Trophy in 1976–77 as the first overall team in the OHA regular season.

The Fincups made the OHA finals all 3 years they played out of Hamilton, and came within one win of making it four consecutive appearances in the championship series in their only year in St. Catharines. [2]

The franchise issued a set of 18 sports cards for the 1974-75 season. [3]

Memorial Cup 1976

The Hamilton Fincups of 1976 were a small, hard-working and determined team which practiced meticulously and strived to be top in condition. Their hard work won the Emms division regular season in 1976 and eliminated the Kitchener Rangers, Toronto Marlboros and the Sudbury Wolves to make to the Memorial Cup hosted at the Montreal Forum. Their opponents for the 1976 national title would be the WHL's New Westminster Bruins and the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.

Hamilton lost the first game of the round-robin to Quebec 4-3, due to the 45 save performance of the Remparts goalie Maurice Barrette. The Bruins would defeat the Remparts the next day 4-2. The third game saw the Fincups score seven power play goals to beat the Bruins 8-4 in a game with many penalties, which concluded the round-robin.

The win and the large goal differential put Hamilton directly into the final game. New Westminster would solidly beat Quebec 10-3 in the semi-final game. The next day in front of 4,350 fans at the Montreal Forum, the Fincups played a tenacious forechecking game and defeated the New Westminster Bruins 5-2 in Memorial Cup Final game. The win brought the Memorial Cup back to the "Steel City" for the first time in 14 years.

Instability

St catharines fincups.png

The team's move to St. Catharines, Ontario in 1977 was necessitated by the closure of the old Barton Street Arena in Hamilton. During the 1976 Memorial Cup run, the Hamilton Spectator was filled with speculation about a possible move to Brantford, Ontario, as the old arena in Hamilton was obviously on its last legs. However, the city of Hamilton refused to make a decision about a new arena, and debated whether to build a 5,000-seat building for the Fincups or a 16,000 seat arena in hopes of pursuing a World Hockey Association team. In August 1976, the ice-making machinery in the dilapidated, 67-year-old barn broke down and Fincup ownership, who also owned the building, chose to demolish the battered, ancient arena rather than repair it. The team was unable to negotiate a short-term lease to use the only other semi-suitable arena in Hamilton, the Mountain Arena, due to opposition from local residents, and so the homeless team was forced to move to St. Catharines, Ontario, about thirty minutes down the QEW, who had recently witnessed the departure of their own OMJHL team, the Black Hawks.

Team ownership was able to negotiate a lease for Mountain Arena for the 1977-78 OHL season, but at the end of the year the city of Hamilton was still no closer to building a new arena than they had been two years earlier. Moreover, the team was losing money at the tiny, out of the way Mountain Arena. Out of long-term options in Hamilton, the team was moved at the end of that season to Brantford, where they were renamed the Brantford Alexanders.

Players

Hamilton Fincups blue jersey, 1976 Fincupsjersey.jpg
Hamilton Fincups blue jersey, 1976

The heart and soul of the Fincups was their captain Dale McCourt . He led the team to the Memorial Cup title in 1976, and the Hamilton Spectator Trophy in 1977. He was voted CHL Player of the year for his efforts. There are 21 Fincups alumni who made the NHL.

Award winners

NHL alumni

Yearly results

Regular season

Season CityGamesWonLostTiedPointsPct %Goals
for		Goals
against		Standing
1974–75 Hamilton7037249830.5933372713rd OMJHL
1975–76 Hamilton6643158940.7123792321st Emms
1976–77 St. Catharines66501151050.7954382421st Emms
1977–78 Hamilton68312314760.5592732233rd Emms

Playoffs

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peterborough Petes</span> Ontario Hockey League team in Peterborough

The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sudbury Wolves</span> Ontario Hockey League team in Sudbury

The Sudbury Wolves are an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) ice hockey team based in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornwall Royals</span> Canadian junior ice hockey team

The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team based in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981, and the Ontario Hockey League from 1981 to 1992. This team shared its name with other Cornwall Royals teams that played in the QSHL, MMJHL, or OHA-B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niagara Falls Flyers</span> Ice hockey team

The Niagara Falls Flyers were two junior ice hockey franchises that played in the top tier in the Ontario Hockey Association. The first, a Junior "A" team existed from 1960 until 1972, and the second in Tier I Junior "A" from 1976 until 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Catharines Black Hawks</span> Canadian junior ice hockey team

The St. Catharines Black Hawks were a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1962 to 1976. The team was based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montreal Junior Canadiens</span> Ice hockey team in Montreal, Quebec

The Montreal Junior Canadiens were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Junior Hockey League from 1933 to 1961, and the Ontario Hockey Association from 1961 to 1972. They played out of the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The St. Catharines Teepees were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1947 to 1962. The team was based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brantford Alexanders</span> Ice hockey team

The Brantford Alexanders were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League from 1978 to 1984. The team was based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton Red Wings</span> Ice hockey team in Hamilton, Ontario

The Hamilton Red Wings were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1960 to 1974. The team was based in Hamilton, Ontario, at the Barton Street Arena, also known as the Hamilton Forum.

In 1970, the Junior A level was divided into two more levels, Tier I and Tier II. In 1974, the "Major Junior A" division of the OHA became the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) and began to operate independently of the OHA. Finally in 1980, the OMJHL became the Ontario Hockey League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hap Emms</span> Canadian ice hockey player and coach (1905–1988)

Leighton Alfred Emms was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, team owner, and general manager, during nearly 60 years in hockey. Emms played 17 seasons of professional hockey as a left winger and a defenceman, including 10 seasons and 320 games in the National Hockey League. After playing, Emms had a 33-year presence in the Ontario Hockey Association, as the owner of the Barrie Flyers, Niagara Falls Flyers, and St. Catharines Black Hawks between 1945 and 1978. Teams that Emms coached or owned appeared in eight Memorial Cup tournaments, winning four Memorial Cups. He was nicknamed "Happy Emms" due to the sour look on his face, which was later shortened to "Hap Emms".

The 1976–77 OMJHL season was the third season of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL). The St. Catharines Black Hawks moved to Niagara Falls, Ontario, becoming the Flyers. Their owner Hap Emms using the name of his former team. The Hamilton Fincups then moved to the vacant Jack Gatecliff Arena in St. Catharines, Ontario after the ice-making machine at the ancient Hamilton Forum broke down irreparably a month before the season began. Twelve teams each played 66 games. The Ottawa 67's won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the London Knights.

The 1975–76 OMJHL season was the second season of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL). The Windsor Spitfires were added as an expansion team, becoming the twelfth team in the league. The OMJHL splits into two divisions of six teams each. The southern and western teams joined the Emms division, named for Hap Emms. The northern and eastern teams joined the Leyden division, named for Matt Leyden. The OMJHL created three new trophies for the season. The Emms Trophy and the Leyden Trophy are awarded to the regular season champion of their respective divisions. The F. W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy is inaugurated for the first-year goaltender with the best goals-against-average. Twelve teams each played 66 games. The Hamilton Fincups won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Sudbury Wolves.

The 1974–75 OMJHL season was the first season of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League. The league operated semi-autonomously while still being part of the Ontario Hockey Association. The OMJHL inaugurated the William Hanley Trophy, awarded to the most sportsmanlike player. Eleven teams each played 70 games. The Toronto Marlboros won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Hamilton Fincups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1977 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1977 Memorial Cup occurred May 8–14 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was the 59th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Ottawa 67's, Sherbrooke Castors and New Westminster Bruins. New Westminster won their first Memorial Cup, defeating Ottawa in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1976 Memorial Cup occurred from May 9 to 16 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. It was the 58th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Hamilton Fincups, Quebec Remparts and New Westminster Bruins. Hamilton won their second Memorial Cup, and first since changing their name to Fincups, defeating New Westminster in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1975 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1975 Memorial Cup took place May 3–11 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex in Kitchener, Ontario. It was the 57th annual Memorial Cup competition, organized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) to determine the champion of major junior A ice hockey. Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Toronto Marlboros, Sherbrooke Castors and New Westminster Bruins. Toronto won their 7th Memorial Cup, defeating New Westminster in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1974 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1974 Memorial Cup occurred May 5–12 at the Stampede Corral in Calgary, Alberta. It was the 56th annual Memorial Cup competition, organized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) to determine the champion of major junior A ice hockey. Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Hockey Association, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the St. Catharines Black Hawks, Quebec Remparts and Regina Pats. Regina won their 4th Memorial Cup, defeating Quebec in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1973 Memorial Cup occurred May 7–12 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. It was the 55th annual Memorial Cup competition, organized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) to determine the champion of major junior A ice hockey. Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Hockey Association, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Toronto Marlboros, Quebec Remparts and Medicine Hat Tigers. Toronto won their 6th Memorial Cup, defeating Quebec in the final game.

The 1984–85 OHL season was the fifth season of the Ontario Hockey League. The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds were undefeated in all 33 home games during the regular season. The Brantford Alexanders move back to Hamilton becoming the Hamilton Steelhawks. Fifteen teams each played 66 games. The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Peterborough Petes.

References

  1. ↑ Buist, Steve. "Forum fans were 'tough, scrappy' - like their teams," The Hamilton (ON) Spectator, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2014
  2. ↑ Annual Report: Constitution, Regulations and Rules of Competition. Cambridge, Ontario: Ontario Hockey Association. 2006. p. W-13.
  3. ↑ "1974-75 Hamilton Fincups Checklist" . Retrieved June 26, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.