 | |
| Founded | 1920 |
|---|---|
| Ceased | 1930 |
| Replaced by | American Hockey Association |
| No. of teams | 8 to 15 |
| Country | United States |
TheUnited States Amateur Hockey Association (USAHA) was anice hockey governing body in theUnited States from 1920 to 1930, which operated an amateur league from 1920 to 1925. The league was filled with predominantly Canadian-born players, but struggled to achieve consistent attendance figures in the days before large arenas with artificial ice. The league disbanded in 1925, with some teams eventually joining theAmerican Hockey Association, and one team joining theNational Hockey League. It continued as a governing body until 1930, when its responsibilities were assumed by theAmateur Athletic Union.
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The United States Amateur Hockey Association (USAHA) was founded on October 25, 1920 inPhiladelphia. TheInternational Skating Union of America which had governed ice hockey until then, resolved to turn over control of the sport with the approval of theAmateur Athletic Union (AAU). The USAHA also inherited the existing affiliation agreement with theCanadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA), which allowed teams from the USAHA to play against teams in either the AAU or the CAHA.[1]
William S. Haddock from Pittsburgh was elected the first president of the USAHA. The original eight teams in the USAHA included thePittsburgh Yellow Jackets, and teams fromBoston,Cleveland,New York City, Philadelphia, and three fromMinnesota includingDuluth,Eveleth, andSaint Paul. Later additions were theBoston Athletic Association, theFort Pitt Hornets,Milwaukee,Minneapolis, and three transfers from theAmerican Amateur Hockey Association which included teams fromCalumet,Houghton andSault Ste. Marie, Michigan.[1] The USAHA divided its team into three divisions for the first two seasons, with teams grouped in the east, the mid-west and northwest. From 1922 onward, the association was grouped into eastern and western divisions.[1]
In 1922, an annual post-season series was arranged for the USAHA champion to play the senior hockey champion of the CAHA for theHamilton B. Wills Trophy,[2] but no such series was played for various reasons.[3] In 1923, the USAHA and the CAHA negotiated an agreement to govern the migration of senior hockey players between the associations.[4] Persistent disagreements on player movements between the USAHA and the CAHA, led to CAHA presidentSilver Quilty cancelling the agreement in 1925.[5] The USAHA stopped league play after the 1924–25 season. The Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets joined theNational Hockey League, and the western teams were reorganized as the Central Hockey League in 1925, which later became theAmerican Hockey Association in 1926.[1]
The association had faced difficulties with consistentrefereeing, and the lack of suitable ice for the whole season since most teams played on natural outdoor ice surfaces instead of arenas. TheMinneapolis Arena, and theDuquesne Garden in Pittsburgh were the largest rinks at the time. The association also struggled with attendance figures due to the varying arena capacities.[1]
Although league play ceased in 1925, the USAHA continued to oversee amateur hockey in the United States, includedUnited States Olympic hockey team. The USAHA selected theAugsburg College hockey team to represent the US at the1928 Winter Olympics, however theAmerican Olympic Committee, led byDouglas MacArthur, refused to certify the Augsburg team due to the lack of Olympic trials.[6] Haddock insisted that the Augsburg team was the only one in the country that had the ability and the funds to compete in the Olympics and refused to approve any other team.[7] As a result, the United States did not have an Olympic hockey team in 1928. In 1930, the USAHA was dissolved and the AAU took control of ice hockey.[8]
USAHA players were predominantlyCanadians, with the St. Paul and Duluth teams being the exceptions. Rosters were typically small and ranged from nine to twelve players, and teams did not usually have an alternate goaltender.[1]
Notable players from the USAHA include:[1]
United States Amateur Hockey Association regular season and playoff champions.[9]
| Season | Regular season champions | Playoff champions |
|---|---|---|
| 1920–21 | Group One: Boston A.A. Group Two: Cleveland HC Group Three: Eveleth | Cleveland HC (14-12 on total goals) |
| 1921–22 | Group One: Westminster Hockey Club Group Two: St. Paul Group Three: Canadian Soo* | Westminster Hockey Club |
| 1922–23 | Eastern division: Boston A.A. Western division: St. Paul | Boston Athletic Association |
| 1923–24 | Eastern division: Boston A.A. Western division: Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets | Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets |
| 1924–25 | Eastern division:Fort Pitt Hornets Western division (1st half): Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets Western division (2nd half): Eveleth | Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets |
*Canadian Soo was ineligible to compete for the U.S. championship, so group runner-up Eveleth entered the playoffs instead.