The Lost Original STL NHL Team

OK, not technically part of the "Original 6" (Rangers, Bruins, Blackhawks, Redwings, Canadians, Leafs). There were teams in the NHL prior to the 1942-1967. One of which was the original Ottawa Senators, or "Sens" who were founded in 1883. The Sens became a charter member of the NHL in 1917. However, they struggled with their finances until 1931-32 when they suspended operations, this after winning the Stanley Cup in 1927.  I learned that the Stanley Cup was an inter-league championship between the now defunct National Hockey Association, of which the Montreal Canadiens were a founding member, and the NHL.

After getting back on their feet they decided they couldn't make a go of it and decided to move to the STL. Yes, St. Louis had a NHL team BEFORE the Blues. The Senators became  the St. Louis Eagles.  However, the Eagles weren't meant to last. Still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression they lasted just one season (1934-35). The Eagles were named the Eagles because they were inspired by the Anheuser-Busch Eagle logo. Interesting enough, Wiki tells me that St. Louis applied for an expansion team in 1932 but were denied because travel to St. Louis was deemed too expensive. The Eagles were in the Canadian Division and had to travel to Montreal and Toronto much of the season.

Wiki also tells me the old St. Louis Arena was "Once the Eagles began play the St. Louis Arena gained the distinction of being the only NHL stadium with racially segregated seating." Though there is facto and de facto segregation-I don't take much stock of this shameful part of our past as being unique to STL. No St. Louis was not unique, I am pretty sure if an African-American showed up to watch the Bruins the result would have been the same.

The Eagles weren't that good, lost a ton of money, slashed ticket prices and went 11-31-6.

In 1938, the Montreal Maroons tried to move to St. Louis but the NHL said no again because of the high cost of travel.

Recently I won a number of Eagles' matchbooks. The ever and not so popular Diamond Matchbooks of he 1930s-which encompassed the major sports, including hockey. The ones I picked up were Irvine Frew, Vic Ripley, Glen Brydson, Vernon Ayers, Max Kaminsky, Bill Beverage, and Gerald Shannon.

 That leaves Ralph Bowman, Bill Cowley, Frank Finnigan, Syd Howe, Desse Roche, Earl Roche, and Carl Voss. These are the only collectables that resemble in anyway cards. There isn't much out there for the Eagles.