| abstract
| - The creation of the Durham Hockey Club happened in a year that seems to be unknown to most historians. Although it is known that a paramount moment in the Hockey Club's history happened in 1908. 1908 marked the building of Durham's first indoor arena. The new 200" by 75" arena was built by a Mr. Brown on the corner of George and Kincardine in the heart of the town. Early teams played in the Ontario Hockey Association's Senior and Junior leagues, as well as the late-season Northern Hockey League which operated at the Senior and Junior level as well. It was common that all these entries would have a few players playing for all of them. Some of the earliest statistics from these leagues come from the 1919-20 Northern Hockey League season. The Senior Hockey Club was in Group 2 of the NorHL with Southampton, Mildmay, Hanover, Walkerton, and Mount Forest. The Durham HC had three recorded wins and losses in that season. The Southampton team won the league. The Junior team had a better season, although the regular season statistics are missing. In the league semi-final, Durham HC defeated Mount Forest 10-6 in two games (5-3, 5-3) and met Listowel-Palmerston in the final. In game one, the L-P Combines beat Durham 8-6, but the Durham HC won game two 4-2 to level the series. The league ordered the series to be replayed, which Listowel-Palmerston won both games (4-3, 3-1). In the 1920-21 season, the Durham HC competed in the OHA Intermediate League. As members of Group 14, the HC was grouped in with Owen Sound, Markdale, and Wiarton. Markdale and Wiarton dominated their counterparts, while Owen Sound and Durham both finished with one win on the six game season. The 1926-27 season had the Durham HC win Group 18B against Paisley and Chesley. Despite winning 18B, they had to defeated the 18A winner to move on to provincials. Listowel was the winner of 18A, and defeated Durham 11-6 in two games. In 1928-29, the Durham HC was in the Group 16 loop of the OHA Intermediate League. In with Markdale and Flesherton, Durham easily dominated with a 4-0 record and outscoring their opponents 31-6. Despite this, in the first round of provincials playdowns, the Durham HC lost 12-8 in two games to neighbouring Walkerton. The next season, 1929-30, the Durham HC played a seven game season in Group 12B with five wins, a loss, and a tie. Due to their record, they had to play a tie breaker against Owen Sound to move on -- they defeated Owen Sound 2-0. Durham then faced off against the Group 12A champion, Walkerton, but were defeated 7-1 and 2-0. A year later, Durham found themselves in a reformed Group 16 with Walkerton and Owen Sound. Durham only managed one win in four games in the 1930-31 season and were eliminated from the playoffs. The 1930-31 season would also mark the last noted existance of a Durham Hockey Club Junior team. In 1931, the Junior team won the Northern Hockey League Junior championship. It would take until the 1934-35 season before the Durham Hockey Club really jumped onto the Ontario Hockey Association radar.
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