By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter
July 21, 2023
REVIEW
The Trail Smoke Eaters and their coach Bobby Kromm had over a year to put their team together for the 1963 World Hockey Championship.
Trail was the 1962 Allan Cup Champions, the top senior men’s hockey team in Canada, and got the nod from the CAHA to represent Canada at the 1963 World Hockey Championship.
In an interview with Vancouver Sun reporter Roy Jukich on December 21, 1962, Kromm called it “a black Friday for Trail”, claiming “We’re not getting the cooperation we deserve. All we have received is promises. What we want is action.”
Kromm was looking for three players to help strengthen the team and was having trouble getting the players he wanted.
Smokies also were attempting to get a National Fitness Council grant to help defray costs for the 1963 World Hockey Championship and, according to Kromm, were facing a lack of support.
Kromm also claimed that promises were made by officials from both the Federal and BC provincial governments for support and none had been received with less than two and a half months left before the World Hockey Championship in Stockholm, Sweden.
PART 2
Part 2 will deal with the following questions:
- What was the outcome at the 1963 World Hockey Championship?
- What was the Smoke Eaters’ result at the 1963 World Championship?
- How would the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association react to the criticism by Bobby Kromm for lack of support?
- Was Canadian Senior hockey club representation at World Hockey Championships nearing an end to be replaced by a national team?
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1963 World Hockey Championship Result And Outcome
The tournament was held in Stockholm, Sweden from March 7 to March 17, 1963. The Soviet Union won the tournament for the third time, starting their roll of nine straight championships.For the Soviets it was also their seventh European title.
Sweden took the silver medal, followed by Czechoslovakia with the bronze medal.
The Smoke Eaters representing Canada finished out of the medals in 4th place with a 4-2-1 record, 46 goals for, and 23 goals against.
The Smoke Eaters finished out of the medals for the first time at the World Hockey Championships.
Trail goaltender Seth Martin was named as best goaltender of the Championship, and Trail forward Addie Tambellini was voted onto the media all-star team.
Martin compiled a 4-2-1 record and a 2.38 GAA.
Tambellini had 6 goals, 5 assists, and 2 penalty minutes in 7 games played.
Kromm did get three additional players for his roster. They were:
- Ted Maki and Bob Forhan from Kitchener-Waterloo Tigers of the Ontario Hockey Association Senior League
- Bob McKnight from Galt Terriers of the OHA Senior League.
I’m not sure whether the players above were originally go-to-players or last-minute choices.
Roster
CAHA Reaction To Criticism By Smoke Eaters Coach Bobby Kromm
Whether there was a public and/or private reaction by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to Bobby Kromm’s criticism of the CAHA and others of lack of support for the Smoke Eaters prior to the 1963 World Championship, I am unaware.
The article above, written less than a week after the World Championship, during the CAHA annual general meeting in Brandon, Manitoba, clearly indicates displeasure with Smoke Eaters Coach Bobby Kromm by the CAHA for, “improper and erroneous statements” before, at, and after the World tournament at Stockholm. Officials also criticised the operation of the team.
The article says further that “Kromm was widely quoted as saying the CAHA governing body …failed to give his team adequate players and financial assistance.”
As for the result at the World Hockey Championship, Potter responded, “Blame for loss in the world tournament can only be laid at the door of the coach.”
The result was that the delegates at the meeting voted in favor of passing a formal motion of censure against Bobby Kromm.
As for the final result of Canada at the World Championship, CAHA president Art Potter layed the dissatisfied result on the shoulders of Kromm, for, “poor judgement in picking hockey players, absolute disregard for authority, and continually knocking our organization. “
Potter went further and was blunt in stating Kromm had a whole year to pick players to strengthen the club. “We just didn’t have the horses. That’s why we lost.”
Trail Smoke Eaters Reaction To Censuring Of Their Coach Was Swift
There was a quick response by the Smoke Eaters club by telegram from their president, Andy Soles, as soon as he found out.
According to the Canadian Press, Soles was appalled by the
CAHA ruling censuring Bobby Kromm and asked the CAHA to retract its censuring of Bobby Kromm, in comments to Art Potter, president of the CAHA in Brandon, Manitoba.
According to CP, Soles told CAHA President Art Potter in the telegram that “no organization can be free of
criticism, not even the CAHA,” adding:
“To censure Kromm for criticising your group is hardly the action of a mature or responsible body. To lay the blame for the loss of a world
championship on Kromm is both unfair and unsportsmanlike. “
In Brandon, the next day, officials of the CAHA made it clear that no retraction of thelr ruling censuring Bobby Kromm would be forth coming, according to the CP article.
Canadian Senior Hockey Club Representation at World Hockey Championships: The Swan Song
The tournament produced one of the most dramatic finishes on record. Heading into the final day, the outcome was still in doubt for the four medal contenders. The USSR and Sweden were in contention for the gold medal but Canada could finish no higher than second.
The first game of the day featured the United States and East Germany. Although both were out of contention for the top prize, an East German win would make it easier for the Soviets to claim the gold, while an American win would mean the Soviets would have to beat Canada by 9-0 or better in their final game. A tie – and the game did end 3-3 – would mean the USSR would have to beat Canada 1-0 or by a margin of two goals. Regardless of how the Soviets did against Canada, Sweden would still claim the gold medal with either a win or tie against Czechoslovakia.
A silver medal was on the line for Canada if it could beat the Soviets in the final game, but the USSR was clearly the better team and held a 4-0 lead into the final minute.
Canada, represented for the third time by the Trail Smoke Eaters, managed to score two late goals, but the Soviets held on for the two-goal margin they needed in a 4-2 victory.
When Czechoslovakia beat Sweden 3-2, the gold medal went to the USSR. The Swedes had to settle for the silver, while the Czechoslovaks took the bronze. Canada finished fourth and out of the medals for the very first time.
It was clear now that Canadian amateur teams could no longer compete with the best Europeans.
Despite the disappointing finish, Canadian goalie Seth Martin was among those selected as the best players. Swedish defenseman Roland Stolz and forward Miroslav Vlach of Czechoslovakia received similar honors.
legendsofhockey.net
By the time the next World Hockey Championship took place in 1965, Canada had its own National Team to represent the country at the Winter Olympics (as they did at the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics) and International Ice Hockey Federation competitions.
Financial Support Given Like Never Before CAHA Claims
In the Canadian Press article, the CAHA goes to great lengths to outline the financial support given to Coach Kromm and the Smoke Eaters before, during, and after the tournament. The CAHA even suggested that Smoke Eaters adopt an accounting change for its financial tracking.
To conclude this interesting piece of Trail Smoke Eaters history, I leave the last comments to Jack Roxburgh and Art Potter, who both got what they hoped. For the most part. But that’s for another article.
Jack Roxburgh, immediate past president of the CAHA, said the hassle indicates that Canada should get a truly national team to represent it in world play.
Potter said: “We should build a national team and send the best.” He added that he hopes the building up of a national Olympic team under way at the University of British Columbia will set a pattern.
Vancouver Sun, March 23, 1963
Source: Source: ProQuest Historical Newspapers @ https://discover.clarivate.com/ProQuest_BCHistoricalNewspapers, legendsofhockey.net, quanthockey.com, Wikipedia
