Organized women's hockey has been played in Minnesota since at least 1909, with the University of Minnesota laying the state's most solid foundation for the sport beginning in late 1915.
Across the United States, women's hockey popped up in pockets in the first three decades of the 1900s. From less traditional locations like San Francisco in 1916 or St. Louis in the 1920s, to Michigan's earliest games in 1914, and the rinks of New York, Pittsburgh, and Boston in 1916-17, women's hockey was taking root.
One state, Minnesota, would eventually become known as the "State of Hockey" also saw women take to the ice with teams like the Minneapolis Amazons, and collegiate teams playing at the University of Minnesota, St. Olaf, Carleton College, and elsewhere.
At the root of the sport for women in Minnesota is the game being played at the high school and university levels across the state, which is how it's always ben. Perhaps no team represents the State of Hockey more quintessentially than the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.
In their NCAA history, Minnesota has won six national titles, beginning with back-to-back championships in 2004 and 2005. Prior to that they won an AWCHA National Championship in 2000. While the modern era Minnesota Golden Gophers women's hockey team was founded in 1997-1998, women have been playing hockey at the University of Minnesota since 1915.
Before women were formally allowed to play hockey at the University, they received push back in the winter of 1915.
"Ice hockey is too rough for coeds. At least that is the decision of the director of women's athletics at the University of Minnesota," the Minneapolis Journal wrote on January 18, 1915. "Several of the women who are good skaters asked permission to organize class hockey teams such as the men have," the report continued, but the idea was shot down by Dr. Anna Norris.
"Hockey is too strenuous and dangerous for women," Dr. Norris was reported to have said. "Many players have faces scarred for life by being hit with hockey clubs or pucks. It is even too rough for boys."
While the women "protested they were not afraid of spoiling their beauty" and that "men would think hockey scars were beautiful," women were not permitted to play that winter. Instead they had to settle that for "ice cricket" which was deemed a gentler game.
That decision however, wouldn't last as women would finally take to the ice at the University of Minnesota for hockey by the end of 1915.
That Fall and into the winter of 1916, two teams dubbed the "Reds" and "Greens" played.
"With much whacking of shins, the Reds won from the Greens in the girls' hockey game at the University yesterday afternoon by a score of 2 to 0," the Star Tribune wrote on November 25, 1915. "Hockey was introduced at the University for the first time this Fall" the article stated.
That winter, women who played were given an athletic association "seal" corresponding to the "M" men's athletes were given on campus. The school's assistant women's physical director, May S. Kissock was given credit for the launch of the program. The inaugural teams were captained by Roberta Hostettler (Reds) and V'Lora Welch (Greens). Kissock served as referee.
Images of the early teams appeared in local newspapers, as well as the school's yearbook, The Gopher, from 1916 and 1917. According to a February 1916 article in the Star Tribune, roughly 100 women showed up for the initial skate to earn one of 28 spots.
In the 1917 tournament, the Sophomores beat the Seniors in the to open the event 2-0 with Elizabeth Lagaard and Winifred Bailey scoring, with the Minneapolis Journal writing that "Winifred Bailey, who played rover for the sophomores, was the real star..."
The Star Tribune echoed the praise for Bailey again calling her the "star of the game" and writing that "From the time of the initial whistle until she was taken from the rink in a semi-conscious condition after colliding with an opponent, Miss Bailey was the leader of the versatile attack of the underclass co-eds."
Bailey would score the lone goal for the Sophomores that season in a 1-0 decision over the Freshman for the title. Bailey would run the charge for the women's hockey program at Minnesota as a Junior and Senior student.
From there, the women of the University of Minnesota earned more interest, and would eventually earn respect for their play, but they weren't without their critics.
""But girls can't play hockey," protested everyone when they heard that the girls at Minnesota intended to indulge in this strenuous sport," The Gopher yearbook from 1918 wrote. "Just to prove that they could, and could do it well, the girls organized four strong class teams, with 'subs' for each one."
Teams at the school were formed by grade class with Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior teams. When they didn't have enough for each year, the school's younger players often combined against the upper year students. The 1918 yearbook reported that the interclass tournament "called forth an unusual amount of interest, and convinced people that girls really could play hockey."
Women at the University of Minnesota played on an outdoor rink behind the Armory, a building on campus that still stands today. Due to the fact all games were played outside, weather often disrupted play, including in 1920 when no class title could be awarded because of "unfavorable weather."
In 1921, outdoor play moved to Northrop Field on Minnesota's campus where passersby could "see the rink fairly swarming with girls armed with most ferocious-looking sticks and speeding around on skates with little or no regard for life or limb." That season saw three teams in action with the Freshman roster, captained by Almira Ruckoff defeating Blanche Martin's Junior-Senior team 2-1 in overtime for the title. The third team that season was captained by Duluth's Olga Wellberg. According to the Duluth News Tribune, hockey was "a prominent sport with the university girls" at the time.
As the years went on, and the popularity of other "winter" sports at Minnesota grew, specifically swimming and basketball, made fielding teams more difficult. Combined grade teams like to "SOS" team (seniors and sophomores), the "Jufros" (Juniors and Freshman), and the O.C.'s (Freshman, Sophomores, Seniors) were formed.
By the late 1920s, Helen Hazleton was running the women's hockey program at Minnesota, and men's hockey head coach Emil Iverson was a regular attendee to their practices and training sessions to help impart his knowledge.
Hockey continued in various forms at the University of Minnesota, but would die off in the 1930s and not make a formal return for decades.
History Of Women's Hockey In Minnesota Goes Back Even Further
While women's hockey at the University of Minnesota may have been where the game found lasting roots, the sport was played even earlier elsewhere in Minnesota.
In the first decade of the 1900s, local papers made several mentions of groups of women organizing in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth to form women's hockey teams at the high school, college, and club levels. One of those teams was dubbed the Minneapolis Amazons, under the umbrella of the Minneapolis Amateur Hockey Association.
In an article in the Star Tribune from 1909, it stated that "girls of Minnesota have taken to hockey" saying other teams would be formed from Macalester College in St. Paul and elsewhere. According to the report, the Amazons were a "clever combination of skaters who know the fine points of the game" and planned to take on not only other women's teams, but men's teams as well. One of those games occurred on February 20, 1909 with the women's team facing the Lake Shore Jr. hockey team at the M.A.H.A rink at Lake Street and Girard Ave. South in Minneapolis. That game was won 5-3 by the women's team with Miss Sherman and Miss Mason each scoring once, and Miss Bauman scoring the other.
The connection between the teams came from "Miss Bennewitz" who organized the club. Her brother Cleve Bennewitz is considered one of Minnesota's founders and builders of the sport. To date, no record has been found regarding which one of Cleve Bennewitz's sisters was the "Miss Bennewitz" mentioned to founded the teams.
Other Schools Join The Foray
While the University of Minnesota has found their place in Minnesota's hockey history books, other schools in the opening decades of the 1920s were also running women's hockey. On the campus of Carleton College, women's hockey was being organized in November 1921 to be played on Lyman Lakes.
"Arrangements have been made byt he women's athletic association for the organization of several ice hockey teams. Instruction will be given in physical education classes from which these teams will be chosen," The Carletonian wrote on November 23, 1921.
By January of 1922, the women "hockeyists" were receiving recognition.
"Ice hockey for women, altho a new sport here, is meeting with decided success," The Carletonian wrote. The paper stated three teams of players were practicing, and a public tournament, with the best players selected, would be held the following month. The paper encouraged other women to try the sport writing "All girls interested in ice hockey, regardless of their ability, are urged to come."
The two teams, nicknamed "Maize" and "Blue" were named with Florence Johnston captaining Maize, and Catherine Ranta captaining Blue. Maize won the opening game 3-2 with Johnston scoring for her team. After a scoreless second game, the third game was cancelled due to weather. It was the start of another women's program, with players like Leonore Loring, Elizabeth Bagley, and Edith Carlisle.
Hockey was played in all corners of Minnesota, and wherever men played the game, women were present as well.
For well over a century women have played in the State of Hockey.