As Toronto hosts the 2024 NHL All-Star Game, THN's Archive has a story detailing the first-ever all-star game in 1947 – a game that was also situated in Toronto.
The NHL is set to stage its All-Star Game Saturday in Toronto. And in this cover story from THN’s second-ever edition – Vol. 1 Issue 2 – writer Ed Fitkin set the stage for the NHL’s first All-Star Game that also was situated in Toronto.
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The 1947 All-Star Game was the first of its kind, and it was held at the beginning of the regular season, with a team of all-star selections taking on the previous season’s Stanley Cup champions. And in this case, the all-star team took on the defending-champion Toronto Maple Leafs in front of approximately 15,000 fans at the iconic Maple Leaf Gardens. This would turn out to be the first of three showdowns between the Leafs and the all-stars, with the all-stars winning all three contests.
The proceeds of the game went to the NHL Players Pension Fund and the Community Chest humanitarian fund. Attendees included NHL president Clarence Campbell, and memorable people such as Lester Patrick, James Norris, Jack Adams and Frank Selke. In addition, all-stars from the 1946-47 campaign – including Charlie Conacher, Gordie Drillon, Syl Apps, King Clancy, Babe Pratt and Turk Broda, among others – were awarded engraved gold pucks.
Before the game, the Leafs and all-stars were guests of the Maple Leafs management at the Thanksgiving Day football game at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium and at a “victory and all-star dinner at the swanky Royal York Hotel. The Ontario provincial government presented each of the players with a set of gold cufflinks inscribed with Ontario’s coat of arms.
All things considered, the all-star festivities were a huge hit in Ontario’s capital city, and Toronto has hosted nine All-Star Games in total, including this season’s game at Scotiabank Arena.
TEAMS PREPARE FOR MONDAY’S ALL-STAR GAME
Vol. 1, No. 2, Oct. 8, 1947
By Ed Fitkin
TORONTO – Hockey’s biggest show in years comes up for customer approval on Monday, October 13, when the world champion Toronto Maple Leafs and the National Hockey League All-Stars usher in the 1947-48 season at Maple Leaf Gardens.
Judging by fan interest already manifested, the S.R.O. sign will be hung out quickly and some 15,000 citizens will be on deck, thus assuring the N.H.L. Players Pension Fund and the humanitarian Community Chest welfare project of substantial financial returns. Entire proceeds of the game go to these two funds.
Premier George Drew of Ontario, Mayor Saunders of Toronto and the most glittering cast of hockey celebrities ever brought together will be in attendance, both at the game and at the pregame Victory-All-Star dinner to be provided by the Toronto management.
Details are still being mapped out regarding the ceremonial part of the hockey game. But it has been tentatively established that Premier Drew of Ontario and President Clarence Campbell of the N.H.L. will participate in the opening face-off.
Presentation of awards to the N.H.L. All-Stars of the 1946-47 season will be made, each member of the first team receiving an engraved gold puck. In addition special honor will be conferred upon the Toronto team’s 11 All-Star award winners since the selection were first inaugurated in 1931.
Slated to receive gold pucks in this respect are:
Dave (Sweeney) Schliner, Charlie Conacher, Lorne Carr, Gordie Drillon, Syl Apps, Wally Stanowski, King Clancy, Gaye Stewart, Harvey Jackson, Turk Broda and Babe Pratt.
Howie Meeker, chunky right-winger who stepped from amateur ranks to stardom with the Leafs in one jump, will receive the Calder Memorial Trophy as the 1946-47 season’s Rookie of the Year.
Prior to the game the Leafs, All-Star and hockey notables will be guests of the Maple Leaf Management at the Thanksgiving Day football game at Varsity Stadium and at the combined Victory and All-Star dinner at the Royal York Hotel.
The Ontario Government, which held a dinner in honor of the Leafs last spring is presenting each of the players with a set of gold cuff links bearing Ontario’s coat-of-arms.
The Stanley Cup which was not available last spring when the Leafs defeated Canadiens in the final game of the playoffs in Toronto, will be presented to the champions on October 18 when they open the N.H.L. season against Detroit Red Wings at the Gardens.
Hockey notables expected to attend the dinner and All-Star game are: President Clarence Campbell of the N.H.L.; Gen. John Reed Kilpatrick, Lester Patrick and Thomas F. Lockhart of New York Rangers; James A. Norris, and Jack Adams of the Detroit Red Wings; Hon. D. Raymond, William Northey, Frank J. Selke of Montreal Canadiens; Weston W. Adams and Arthur H. Ross of Boston Bruins and William J. Tobin of Chicago.
The Hockey News Archive is a vault of more than 2,640 issues and more than 156,000 articles exclusively for subscribers, chronicling the complete history of The Hockey News from 1947 until today. Visit the archives at THN.com/archive and subscribe today at subscribe.thehockeynews.com