Because women’s hockey is getting into full swing at the Olympiques d’hiver, (Canada and the U.S. have won their seven matches by a combined score of 77-4, if you haven’t been watching), I thought I’d show you this: A photo circa 1916 (or thereabouts) of the Edmonton Swastikas. I first saw this over at Puck Daddy in 2008, and was reminded of it while perusing a post on the old Boston Braves at SportsbyBrooks, which featured a 1915 photo of the Braves’ Rabbit Maranville wearing a cap with a Swastika on it. Of course, before the German Nazi Party hijacked it prior to World War II, the Swastika had been around for centuries as a symbol of good luck. Even knowing that, this looks a little disquieting.
From Wikipedia:
Swastika is the name of a small residential community in northern Ontario, Canada, approximately 580 kilometres north of Toronto, and 5 kilometres west of Kirkland Lake, The town of Swastika was founded in 1906. Gold was discovered nearby and the Swastika Mining Company was formed in 1908. The government of Ontario attempted to change the town’s name during World War II, but the town resisted and many posted signs “The hell with Hitler. We came up with our name first!”.
In Windsor, Nova Scotia, there was an ice hockey team from 1905 to 1916 named the Swastikas, and their uniforms featured swastika symbols. There were also hockey teams named the Swastikas in Edmonton, Alberta (circa 1916), and Fernie, British Columbia (circa 1922).
***
Edmonton Swastikas: Suddenly, Mighty Ducks isn’t so offensive [Puck Daddy]
Those 1914 Braves Throwback Caps? Burn Them [SportsbyBrooks]
-
- Jim Guida - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:22 AM
-
This is not to be confused with the exhibition archery team from the Upyoors Native American tribe in Vancouver and their unfortunate symbol.
-
- William J. Ash - Feb 18, 2010 at 8:01 PM
-
Swastikas have been around for many years. I saw them etched in stone on ancient temples in India. They are not a product of the holocaust industry. Just let them be.
