Cleveland Barons

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The Cleveland metropolitan area has long been known as one of the most fervent sports cities in the country. The Cleveland Indians have provided entertainment since 1900 in the city by the Lake, Lake Ontario. Cleveland Stadium, one of the largest in the country has held many major baseball and college football games, and in 1946, the Cleveland Browns of the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) took the football world by storm.

Record attendance occurred throughout the season. Cleveland though did not have a major league winter sports team. The AHL Cleveland Barons provided entertainment for years and years, but the city did not have the NHL team it coveted.

It does now. On June 23, 1947, after a unanimous 6-0 vote by the other clubs, Cleveland now has a National Hockey League team. It will be called the Barons, taking the name of the former American Hockey League club.

It has been long anticipated for years, as the Montreal Maroons franchise folded and many thought another was going to form. Before only six teams played in the NHL, in Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, New York, Detroit and Boston. Cleveland now joins though 6 major cities.

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The Cleveland Barons have been formed, and will play as the 7th NHL team. The 1947-48 season will be extended to 66 games from 60, as each team will have 11 meetings against the other 6 teams. 33 games at home and 33 games on the road.

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There has been a revision, as NHL owners wanted a rise to 70 games played from the previous 60.

The Cleveland Barons have also done their expansion draft, picking players from the other 6 National Hockey League teams to fill out their roster. Other signees will be from free agency. Only 3 players could be picked from each organization.

That is highlighted by New York Ranger captain Neil Colville.

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The Barons have signed 19 players now, filling out a full NHL roster of 17 plus two. They are now looking for prospects for their minor league team which will feed Cleveland.

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AHL and NHL rosters on both sides

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The first games as the Barons, the annual prospect tournament have begun. The Barons lost their first game 3-1 to the Red Wings.

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The Barons lose 3-2 in OT to close the prospect tournament in Cleveland.

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Coach Stephen Roland, his 4 year old daughter Elaine, and wife Lena are preparing for the season which will be a exercise in being prepared. 70 games against the toughest opposition in the world. Stephen hails from Fort Erie, Ontario, just outside of Buffalo, NY, and is familiar with the Cleveland area having traveled through there during his early hockey career.

The first preseason game is September 20 against the New York Rangers. All Barons regular season games will be broadcast to Cleveland on local radio, including road games. Broadcasts will be joined after the first period for most home games.

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The Cleveland Barons started their 1947-48 season and their first season as an NHL club with a set of 6 preseason games.

It opened with a home game against the Rangers on Saturday, September 20.

9/20: CLE 6, NYR 1; Goals- CLE: Bauer 2 (2), Martin, Carnegie, Leswick, Kuusela; NYR: Laprade (1), A: 7,570

The Barons completely dominated in their first preseason game, up 3-0 after 2 periods before the Rangers scored 1 in the 3rd, then the Barons pulled away. Bobby Bauer scored the first goal at 17:47 of the first.

9/21: MTL 9, CLE 6; Goals- MTL: Lach 4 (4), Fillion 2 (3), Blake, Reay, Maurice Richard (PP); CLE: Porteous, Simpson (1), Martin (2), Mariucci (1), Colville (1, SH), Leswick (2); A- 11,375

Tough loss at the Forum as the Canadiens score 5 straight in the 3rd to turn a 5-4 deficit into a 9-5 lead.

9/23: CLE 3, BOS 2; Goals- CLE: Leswick (3, SH), Bauer (3), Porteous (2); BOS: Schmidt (3), Henderson (2); A- 6,918

Cleveland wins their 2nd preseason game with an overtime goal by Frank Porteous, even after getting outshot by 31, 53-22.

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The Cleveland Barons finished the preseason with Montreal, Toronto and the Black Hawks.

9/25: MTL 4, CLE 1; Goals- MTL: Chamberlain (2), Riopelle (1), Peters (1), Lach (5, EN); CLE- Bauer (4), A- 11,913

The Barons struggled in Montreal as they were out-hit and out-shot by the Canadiens.

9/26: TOR 1, CLE 1; Goals- CLE: Simpson (2), TOR: Apps (3), A- 8,470

A late 3rd period goal by Syl Apps earned the Maple Leafs a tie in the final preseason home game.

9/29: CHI 5, CLE 1; Goals- CHI: Hamill (1, PP), Rintakowski (1), Mosienko (1), Bentley (1), Nattrass (1), CLE: Kuusela (2), A- 12,343

The Barons closed out the preseason with a difficult loss to Chicago, as the Black Hawks scored 4 straight after the game was tied in the 2nd period.

The Barons open their home schedule with the Montreal Canadiens at home on Saturday, October 4.

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The Cleveland Barons opened their first NHL campaign with a Saturday night special against the Montreal Canadiens at the Arena in Cleveland on October 4, regionally broadcast in parts of Canada on CBC radio.

10/4: MTL 9, CLE 6; Goals- MTL: Richard (1), Blake 3 (3), Klukay (1), Locas 2 (2), Peters (1), Lach (1); CLE: DeMarco (1), Leswick (1, PP), Bouchard (1), Kuusela (1), Colville (1), Simpson (1); A- 8,499

The Canadiens won a crazy game where the first period ended at 5-4, as two goals were scored in the first two minutes of the game. Ab DeMarco scored the first for the Barons, as the 5 goal first period for Montreal held up.

10/6: MTL 4, CLE 1; Goals- MTL: Brodeur (1), Richard (2), Reardon (1, PP), Lach (2); CLE: Leswick (2); A- 14,011

A back breaker for the Barons as they started the game up 1-0 with Leswick's goal, but Rocket Richard scored with just :04 in the 1st period and Montreal never gave the lead back.

10/9: NYR 6, CLE 2; Goals- NYR: Gardner 2 (3), O'Connor 2 (3, PP), Laprade (1), Warwick (1); CLE- Bauer (1), Fashoway (1); A- 8,078

A dominant win for the Rangers as they got out to a 2-0 lead and never held back.

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The Cleveland Barons went on the road for 3 of 4 games after starting the year with 2 of 3 at home.

10/12: CLE 5, NYR 2; Goals- CLE: Bauer 2 (3), Smith (1, PP), Dawes (1), Reardon (1); NYR: Moe (1), Kullman (1, SH); A- 15,694

The Barons get their first victory in NHL history with four unanswered goals and a great defensive game. They got it in their 4th regular season game.

10/14: NYR 2, CLE 0; Goals- NYR- Hextall 2 (PP); A- 15,516

The Barons get shutout by Chuck Rayner, limited to 17 shots on the game.

10/16: MTL 6, CLE 5; Goals- MTL: Klukay 3 (4), Richard 2 (7), Locas (3); CLE: Bauer (4), Fashoway (2), Porteous (1), Smith (2), Colville (2); A- 7,988

A difficult loss in overtime, as Joe Klukay gets the overtime winner to keep the winning skein going for the Canadiens. Neal Colville had 3 points on the night.

10/17: DET 2, CLE 1; Goals- DET: Guidolin (5), Lindsay (3, SH); CLE- Bauer (5); A- 14,393

Another tough loss, giving up a shorthanded goal to Ted Lindsay with under 4 minutes to play. The Barons are playing very tough in most of their games, but are not getting the results to show for it.

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The Barons had a road trip through Detroit, Boston and Montreal before they headed back home to Cleveland.

10/21: BOS 4, CLE 1; Goals- BOS- Peirson (4), Jackson (1), Gallinger (4, PP), Harrison (3, SH); CLE- Colville (3), A- 13,200

The Barons were down 3-0 early before Colville added one to try to make things closer, but Ed Harrison's short handed goal gave them enough margin to hold on, 4-1.

10/22: DET 5, CLE 2; Goals- DET: Abel (6, PP), Howe (5), Bruneteau (4), Guidolin 2 (8, 2nd an EN), CLE: Carnegie (1), Smith (3); A- 14,041

The Barons got out to a quick 2-0 lead with 2 goals in the first 6 minutes but could not hold on, allowing five straight markers to lose again. Cleveland outshot the Red Wings 27-25.

10/24: MTL 5, CLE 4; Goals- MTL: Chamberlain (1), Leger (1), Klukay 2 (7), Cain (1); CLE: Colville 2 (5), Pratt (1); A- 15,294

The toughest loss yet for the Barons, blowing a 3-0 lead and losing after Joe Klukay's goal with 1:31 to play. Cleveland scored 4 goals on just 18 shots.

10/28: BOS 3, CLE 1; Goals- BOS: Carveth (4), Peirson (5), K. Smith (4, ENG); A- 13,114

The Barons play another tough, closely-contested game, within one goal most of the way before allowing an empty netter with 4 seconds left.