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Almonte’s hockey history is fascinating. Perhaps one of its greatest periods were the days of the 1930-1931 Almonte hockey team. The team was a part of the Upper Ottawa Valley Hockey League, and played a season of games against teams from Renfrew, Arnprior, Pembroke, and Carleton Place. There were six men on the ice at any time, and the games were generally low-scoring. The close proximity of the competing teams made for intense inter-town rivalry, and added even more excitement to each match.In the 1930-1931 season, there must have been a bit of magic dust floating around the town. In this season, the Almonte hockey team smashed league records, and even set a world record. Bert Horton, the team’s starting goaltender, recorded fifteen shutouts, and only once allowed more than two goals to slip behind him. This team was the stuff dreams are made of, the stuff of legends.
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Advertisment from the Almonte Gazette January 1931.1931
Lanark County Archives
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From the start of the season, locals knew their team was one to watch carefully. In the previous season, they had won the league championship, but that was as far as their playoff run went. This season was their season. Anyone and everyone in the hockey scene knew that.The make-up of the team was another thing to marvel at. Each player had his own personal set of skills, and honed them, and once the team was put together, they proved unstoppable. Centre-man Eric Smith was known for his speedy skating; wingers Jerry McCabe and Ray Edmonds were outstanding scorers. George Houston and Frank Honeyborne, the burly defense-men, were almost never on the bench. And then there was Bert Horton. This goaltender’s impressive play dazzled the public so much that Horton and his team members were featured on Ripley’s Believe It or Not. He also attracted major league scouts like bears to honey. Yet, despite all this attention, Horton never joined the majors. He preferred to stay out of what he regarded the "heady" world of the NHL.
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Bert Horton, starting goaltender.1931
Almonte
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Eric Smith, Almonte's speedy centreman.1931
Almonte
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Ray Edmonds, right wing and outstanding scorer.1931
Almonte
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Gerry McCabe, left wing and outstanding scorer.1931
Almonte
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Frank Honeybourne, defense.1931
Almonte
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The team had spare players to fill in whenever needed, but there were only three who managed to gather any available ice time. Art Horton, the backup goalie; Ed McKenny, the team’s "import" from Carp; and Jack Bracewell were the most used spares. Danny LaRocque, a younger player pulled up from the juniors to watch and learn, and Claude Fraser, rounded out the roster.The coach responsible for this outstanding team was Eddie Reaume, known as an intense, tough coach, but obviously able to get the job done. There were a number of other team personnel, but perhaps the most notable was Ed Walsh, the local police chief. Walsh was the team’s physical instructor, and was quite likely one of the first regular physical instructors in hockey. He was a tough man to please, and any player knew that if they fell out of shape, there would be hell to pay to Chief Walsh.
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Art Horton, back up goaltender and Claude Fraser spare.1931
Almonte
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Danny LaRoque, junior pulled up to act as spare and Ed McKenny the 'import' from Carp.1931
Almonte
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Jack Bracewell, spare center and right winger.1931
Almonte
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Coach Eddie Reaume. The tough, intense leader.1931
Almonte
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T. Blakeney, Trainer.1931
Almonte
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