| THE
PACIFIC
COAST
HOCKEY
ASSOCIATION Thomas D. Picard
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| Page 1 of 11 >> |
| THE
PACIFIC
COAST
HOCKEY
ASSOCIATION Thomas D. Picard
|
|
|
|
| Lester Patrick | 
Patrick
probably
will
go
down
in
the
annals
of
hockey
history
as
one
of
the
most
innovative
and
shrewd
individuals
to
be
associated
with
the
game.
Aptly
nicknamed
“the
Silver
Fox,”
Lester
Patrick
contributed
deeply
to
the
improvement
and
evolution
of
professional
hockey
on
every
level.
He
was
a
player,
playing
every
position
from
defense
to
rover
to
goalie.
When
the
challenge
presented
itself,
he
would
take
on
the
extra
duties
of
coaching,
managing
and
operating
the
Victoria
franchise.
His
ultimate
ambition
was
to
manage
his
own
team
and
his
own
league.
That
dream
became
a
reality
with
the
formation
of
the
Pacific
Coast
Hockey
Association. |
Page 1 of 11 >>
...
ambition
...
power
...
all
played
a
part
in
the
building
of
the
Pacific
Coast
Hockey
Association.
Lester
and
Frank
Patrick
realized
their
dreams
when
father
Joseph
Patrick,
a
millionaire
lumberman,
retired
after
having
successfully
moved
his
business
from
Quebec
to
British
Columbia.
Using
their
father’s
financial
support,
the
Patrick
brothers
announced
the
formation
of
the
PCHA
at
the
Hotel
Vancouver
on
December
7,
1911.
At
that
meeting
Frank
Patrick
drafted
a
constitution
that
was
similar
to
the
eastern-based
National
Hockey
Association.
The
playing
rules,
including
the
use
of
seven-man
hockey,
were
adopted
by
the
founders
of
the
PCHA.
W.P.
Irving,
a
well-known
executive
of
the
Ontario
Hockey
Association,
was
appointed
as
the
first
president.
Three
franchises,
Vancouver,
Victoria
and
New
Westminster,
were
granted
for
the
initial
PCHA
season.
The
Vancouver
Millionaires
chose
the
uniform
colors
of
maroon
and
white.
Victoria
Aristocrats
chose
red,
white
and
blue
and
the
New
Westminster
Royals
were
clad
in
orange
and
black
attire.