EC's South Island League

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

A Very Special Thanks to Wikipedia... EC's source for almost all knowledge... sports, music, movies, history, culture.

MY LIFE IN 1955
EC's Tryin' To Survive in '55

Alright all you little darlin's and you buckaroos, too, let's all grab a stick, skates and a puck and let's all get aboard the Zamboni and hit the ice.

The National Hockey League just completed its 38th campaign... there are only six teams in the NHL... four of them make the playoffs... that's too many in EC's opinion... 3 teams would have been better... that way you give a first-round bye to the league regular-season champion.

For you folks that don't know a blue line from a penalty box, EC shall enlighten you... and just so you know, this was the first year a Zamboni was used to clean and smooth the ice in the NHL.

The league title is determined by total points... a team gets 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie... Detroit edged Montreal for the regular-season title 95 points to 93 points.

In the semi-finals regular season champion Detroit (42 wins-17 losses-11 ties) will play third place Toronto (24 wins-24 losses-22 ties) and second place Montreal (41 wins-18 losses-11 ties) will tangle with fourth place Boston (23 wins-26 losses-21 ties)... all series are best-of-seven.

The Detroit Red Wings swept the Toronto Maple Leafs in four straight, winning 7-4, 2-1, 2-1 and 3-0... in the other matchup the Montreal Canadiens topped the Boston Bruins in the first two games 2-0 and 3-1... the Bruins were victorious in game three 4-2... the Canadiens wrapped up the series with wins in game four and five... Montreal whipped Boston 4-3 and 5-1 in the last two games and copped the series four games to one.

Stanley Cup Finals:
The 1955 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League... it was contested between the Montreal Canadiens, appearing in their fifth straight Finals, and the defending champion Detroit Red Wings, in the third Detroit-Montreal Finals series of the 1950s and the second consecutively. The Wings won the series, four games to three, for their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, fourth in six seasons, and seventh overall.

Prior to the playoffs, Montreal's Maurice Richard was suspended and would be missed by the Canadiens... Richard punched a referee... wonder if Montreal would have won the Stanley Cup with the Rocket in the lineup?

In the second game, Ted Lindsay scored four goals to set a NHL record for most goals in one game in a Finals series. The win was also the Wings' fifteenth consecutive, another NHL record.

Gordie Howe set two NHL records, amassing 12 points in this round, and surpassing former Canadiens player (and soon-to-be-coach) Toe Blake's point mark for the playoffs with 20 points in 11 games.

This was also the first Finals in which the home team won all seven games of the series.
Game 1: Detroit 4-2 in Detroit
Game 2: Detroit 7-1 in Detroit
Game 3: Montreal 4-2 in Montreal
Game 4: Montreal 5-3 in Montreal
Game 5: Detroit 5-1 in Detroit
Game 6: Montreal 6-3 in Montreal
Game 7: Detroit 3-1 in Detroit

[jg2977]

Awesome NHL recap, thanks EC!

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by jg2977

Awesome NHL recap, thanks EC!

Have you ever heard if Montreal would have won the '55 Stanley Cup if they had had Maurice Richard?

You would think he was a huge loss in the playoffs.

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Have you ever heard if Montreal would have won the '55 Stanley Cup if they had had Maurice Richard?

You would think he was a huge loss in the playoffs.

In 1956 Maurice Richard was back and he scored the Stanley Cup series-winning goal, so yes, I think there's a good possibility that Montreal lost the Cup in '55 due to his absence.

[Eugene Church]

That's tough... not to have your star player... but, then again, Richard should not have punched the referee, who I understand was just trying to break up a fight that was started by the other team... someone hit Richard in the head with his stick... it caused a riot... police were called out... to keep order, they had 300 policemen for the next game.

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

That's tough... not to have your star player... but, then again, Richard should not have punched the referee, who I understand was just trying to break up a fight that was started by the other team... someone hit Richard in the head with his stick... it caused a riot... police were called out... to keep order, they had 300 policemen for the next game.

That's an interesting story that I've never heard before. Imagine if that happened nowadays? How long would that player be suspended for?

Montreal was dominant during that era. They made the Finals 10 years in a row from 1951 through 1960, and won the Stanley Cup 6 times (1953, 1956-1960).

[Bub13]

Originally Posted by jg2977

That's an interesting story that I've never heard before. Imagine if that happened nowadays? How long would that player be suspended for?

Montreal was dominant during that era. They made the Finals 10 years in a row from 1951 through 1960, and won the Stanley Cup 6 times (1953, 1956-1960).

It's a really interesting story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Riot

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Bub13

It's a really interesting story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Riot

Thanks for sharing that with us, Bub.

And thank you for checking out the South Island League.

[Eugene Church]

Monday, May 9, 1955

PELHAM AND JACKSON CO-LEADERS IN SI SUPREME LEAGUE, DELTA AND BRAXTON CLING CLOSE
Four teams are in a tangle in the South Island Supreme League standings... the Pelham Oaks and Jackson Jackalopes are tied after six weeks of play with 4-2 records... clinging on their heels are the Delta Stars and Braxton Bruins, just one game behind in the pennant race.

Pelham was surprised 9-2 by the last place Columbia Black Cats this weekend... this enabled Jackson to move into the top spot along with the Oaks... the Jackalopes bopped Braxton 5-2... Delta won the other clash, drubbing the Bar Harbor Acadians 16-7.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Monday, May 9, 1955

ST. PETE POUNDS GULL LAKE, TIES SAILORS FOR TOP SPOT IN SOUTH ISLAND SECONDARY LEAGUE
The two top teams in the South Island Secondary League met and it was no contest... the St. Pete Pelicans went wacky with 5 home runs and sank the the Gull Lake Sailors 13-3... the Pels are now tied for first place with the Sailors, both with 4-2 marks.

In a high-scoring extra-inning extravaganza visiting Grim Hill smacked the Moon Valley Dreamers 12-9 in 10 innings... and Littleville nudged the Billing Rams 4-2 in other action... the Smileys, Dreamers and Supermen are all tied for third place with 3-3 records... the Rams are all alone in the cellar at 1-5.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, May 14, 1955

1ST PLACE ON THE LINE IN THE SI SUPREME LEAGUE, PELHAM PLAYS IN JACKSON
This Sunday afternoon at Jackson Park will be the most important game of the inaugural South Island Supreme League season so far... the Jackson Jackalopes (4-2) will take on the Pelham Oaks (4-2) with first place up for grabs... the Jacks were victorious the first time around 6-2... Denny McCain (2-1/1.53 ERA) will be on the hill for Jackson, opposed by Rufus Chenevert (4-1/3.28 ERA).

Braxton (3-3) and Delta (3-3) will try to keep pace with the league leaders... the Bruins will be at home against the Bar Harbor Acadians (2-4) and the Stars will take on the Columbia Black Cats (2-4).

5 CONTENDERS CLOSE IN SI SECONDARY LEAGUE LOGJAM
Over in the South Island Secondary League the tops teams have some good competition, too... St. Pete (4-2) and Gull Lake (4-2) are deadlocked in first place... the Pelicans will be at home at Pelican Park, playing host to the Moon Valley Dreamers (3-3) and the Sailors will be on the road in Littleville (3-3)... and in the third game of the day, it will be the last place Billings Rams (1-5) hosting the Grin Hill Smileys (3-3).

There are only four weekends of games remaining in the South Island Leagues.

[Eugene Church]

MY LIFE IN 1955
EC's Tryin' To Survive in '55

Hi, Hey and Hello to all you little darlin's and all you buckaroos out there in OOTP Land... just keep all those good old cards and letters coming in to EC... I love to hear from you all.

Today is a day the Lord has made... so let's rejoice and be glad in it.

And to get things started, here is another Boudreaux cajun joke to perk up your day and hopefully add a smile, some mirth and merriment or a bit of laughter to your life.

The colonel commanding a regiment of soldiers from Louisiana called them to a meeting and said, "In the morning we're flying into the battle zone and jumping from 1,000 feet."
Later that evening, the colonel heard a knock on his door. It was Boudreaux, who said, "Colonel, we were wondering if we could jump from 500 feet instead of 1,000."
The colonel replied, "No, because your parachutes wouldn't have time to open."
Boudreaux said, "Oh, we goin' to have dem parachutes!"

Boudreaux is a tough act to follow, but EC will give it the old college try.

It's the merry month of May and we have new number one song high upon the Pop Billboard chart and sweeping the whole wide USA... it's "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" by Perez Prado and his Orchestra... they knocked off Bill Hayes and "The Ballad of Davy Crockett... (EC sings here) "Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier"... (feel free to sing along)... "Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier"... one of the big shows on TV is "Davy Crockett", starring Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen as Davy and his buddy Georgy Russell... Ebsen would later star in the classic 1960s TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies" as a rich oilman.

So away we go with Perez Prado.
Hope all of you little darlin's and you buckaroos are ready to hit the dance floor... we are going to mambo.

Let's turn it up loud!... Let's get down!... Let's get loud!... if the music's too loud... you're too old!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj64NlRnpDY