Who Invented Ice Hockey?

"The game of hockey played on the ice was the morning sport" - Sir John Franklin (1825)

One of the oldest sports played in the world is hockey. This game was popular among the ancient Romans, Greek, Persians and the Egyptians. In the first millennium BC, a game known as Hurling, similar to hockey was played in Ireland. There are many evidences to show South Americans played a game similar to hockey during the 16th century. The English used the French term "hoquet", meaning shepherd’s hook, to name this sport "Hockey" in the 18th century. However, the game became popular only in the 19th century.

Who Invented Ice Hockey?

In reality, no one is sure when the game of "Ice Hockey" was invented. There are many arguments and debate regarding the origin of ice hockey. Many believe the British soldiers who were stationed in Nova Scotia Canada invented it. They had initially used a rubber ball and had framed a set of basic rules to play the game. The original name of ice hockey was ice-Hurley.

One of the teachers of a school called "King's View Academy" in Nova Scotia, asked his students to make up a winter sport as the part of their project work. It is also believed the games the students made up and played on the frozen pond was ice hockey. This is another of the tale regarding the invention of ice hockey.

In 1879, the students of the McGill University in Montreal, Canada framed formal rules for ice hockey and they played this game using this rule. These formal rules were known as "McGill Rules". The modern ice hockey used puck instead of rubber ball.

In 1885, the first national hockey organization was formed in Montreal, Canada. This association was first of its kind and was known as Amateur Hockey Association of Canada. There were many amateur clubs and leagues established and Ontario was the first city to have a league of four teams to be formed in 1885.

In 1890, ice hockey was played in the United States of America between the universities of Yale and Johns Hopkins. Though it is believed the game originated in Canada, it became very popular in the US and the first professional league of ice hockey was established in America.

In 1903, Pro Hockey League was established and it included both the Canadian and US teams. National Hockey League originated in 1910. Ice hockey spread to Britain and other European countries in the beginning of the twentieth century.

In 1920, at Antwerp Summer Olympics ice hockey was introduced for the first time as an Olympic sport. In 1924, Chamonix Winter Olympics ice hockey made its entry for the first time in the history of Olympics.

In 1998 Olympics at Nagano, women’s ice hockey was introduced as an Olympic sport.

The ice hockey sports equipment such as hockey skates, hockey stick, hockey goal nets and hockey pucks were developed in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotians first formulated the rules such as a forward pass and allowing the goalkeeper to lie down on the ice to protect his goal.

Today, ice hockey is popular in almost eighty nations and it is the national game of Canada.