About the Book
A celebration of thirty-two heroes of the First World War enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Praise for Remembered in Bronze and Stone:
“A remarkable look at the many ways we honoured our war dead.”—Canada’s History
“A fine tribute and a call to current and future generations.”—Mark Zuehlke, author of the Canadian Battle Series and Through Blood and Sweat
This year marks the centenary of two pivotal events in Canadian history—one of them weighty, the other an enduring source of delight. In November 1918, the catastrophe of the First World War came to an end. That same year, the first season of the National Hockey League concluded with the Toronto Arenas winning the NHL championship over the Montreal Canadiens. This book deals with the nexus, or collision, between hockey and war.
Unbeknownst to many modern-day fans, thirty players, one referee, and one builder now enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame were also soldiers in the Great War. Most of them served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force—the Canada Corps that distinguished itself on the battlefields of Ypres, the Somme, Vimy, and Passchendaele. Four of these men were killed in action. Four were decorated for gallantry. Twenty-seven were volunteers, and five were conscripted under the Military Service Act of 1917. All have remarkable stories. From Rinks to Regiments resurrects the memories of these national heroes and celebrates their contributions on both the ice and the frontlines.
About the Author(s)
Alan Livingstone MacLeod has a lifelong passion for history and hockey. Since retiring from the field of labour relations, he has transformed his passion into writing. He has published two previous books, Remembered in Bronze and Stone: Canada’s Great War Memorial Statuary and From Rinks to Regiments: Hockey Hall-of-Famers and the Great War, and has given a number of public lectures commemorating Canadian efforts in the First World War.
Reviews
"MacLeod provides a lively history of the evolution of ice hockey and the several leagues that led to the formation of the National Hockey League and its appropriation of the Stanley Cup. At the same time, he makes no attempt to sanitise the horrors of the Western Front and often manages to refer to unexpected details, such as specifics of 'And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda,' written by Eric Bogle in 1971. The diverse subject matter in the hands of a less capable writer could easily have resulted in a choppy, unsatisfying narrative. Yet here the result is a pleasure to read." —Wayne Norton,
Ormsby Review
"From Rinks to Regiments is a fascinating exploration of hockey's connections during the conflict, told through the stories of the men who played and served (and managed and refereed). There's enough detail on the military side of things to satisfy that side of the equation, and plenty of hockey for fans—and a whole lot for everyone to learn." —Greg Oliver, Bulletin of the Society for International Hockey Research
"There are so many stories, all well-presented and very interesting. MacLeod . . . has been a hockey fan all his life and dedicated the book to John (Junior) Hanna. He has a knack for telling a tale, and these are interesting yarns indeed." — Dan MacDonald,
Cape Breton Post
"MacLeod recounts the tales of men like [Percy] LeSueur who served their country between 1914 and 1918. MacLeod’s writing is lively and brisk, and the book features plenty of historical hockey photos that fuel our nostalgia for “the good ol’ hockey game.”—
Canada's History
