Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History

CALVIN C. “CAL” MARVIN
1982 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

The name of Cal Marvin is synonymous with the Warroad Lakers, the most successful senior amateur hockey team in the United States. After returning from WWII service with the Marine Corps, Marvin helped found the team and served as sometimes coach and all times general manager.  The team never had a losing season and reached the heights of amateur achievement by winning the 1955 United States Intermediate title and Canadian Intermediate Championships in both 1964 and 1974.
    
Not only did the Lakers provide many hours of excitement and entertainment to Northwestern Minnesota fans, but inspiration and hockey “know-how” to the hopeful young.  Above all, it met a need for many young men who, having left high school, still desired the fun, fitness, challenge, and opportunity to develop their skills further.  This often led to tough international competition. Nineteen United States Olympic and National teams have had former Warroad Lakers on their roster.  The most famous of these were Bill and Roger Christian from the 1960 gold medal team and David Christian (Bill’s son) from the 1980 Olympic champions.
    
Icing a team of the Laker’s caliber was no little accomplishment in a sparsely populated area.  Local fans were the first to admit that without the drive, perseverance, and ingenuity of Cal Marvin, the team would at best be an on-again, off-again effort.  It has been said that Cal would rise – or stoop – to absolutely anything for the cause of hockey.  He donned a chorus girl’s costume for a Laker Variety Show, poured cement for the arena floor, helped make neighborhood rinks and sold everything from advertising to popcorn. Marvin also served on the arena board, coached youth hockey, and wrote weekly newspaper columns.
    
Marvin’s unique talents did not go unnoticed on the national level.  He coached the 1958 United States National team, the first American athletic team to play in the Soviet Union, to a fifth place finish in the World Tournament.  In 1965 he was selected as manager of that year’s national team. Mr. Marvin passed away in September, 2004.

WILLIAM J STEWART
1982 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinee

For twenty-two days in late March and early April, 1938, Coach Bill Stewart was the leader of a largely unknown and little regarded group of Chicago Blackhawks hockey players that brought an unexpected Stanley Cup to the Windy City.  In doing so, he became the only American developed coach in the history of the National Hockey League to capture hockey’s top prize.

During those twenty two days, Stewart’s underdog Chicago team upset the Montreal Canadiens two games to one, the New York Americans two games to one, and the Toronto Maple Leafs three games to one on the trail to the Stanley Cup.  The Blackhawks had barely qualified for the playoffs winning only 14 games, losing 25, and tying nine.  Despite that they finished ahead of the Detroit Red Wings in the American Division of the league and qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Among Chicago’s lineup were four players who would later by enshrined in the United States Hockey Hall of Fame: goalie Mike Karakas (Eveleth, MN), forwards Carl “Cully” Dahlstrom (Minneapolis) and Elwin “Doc” Romnes (White Bear Lake, MN), and defenseman Virgil Johnson (Minneapolis).  In addition, Vic Heyliger (Concord, Massachusetts) also saw service with the team and would later be enshrined as a college coach.  These players formed the core of a team that became the most American oriented to ever win Lord Stanley’s mug.

Stewart had begun his hockey career in 1921 officiating hockey games in the Boston area.  His proficiency was such that by 1928 he was appointed a referee in the National Hockey League.  He would hold that position until 1941 with time out for his stint as Chicago’s coach.  The Fitchburg native had had prior coaching experience at Milton Academy and Massachusetts Institute of Technology during the same time he was officiating college and professional hockey. In 1957, Stewart led the United States National Team to a 23-3-1 record, but the team was prevented by the Sate Dept. from participating in the World Tournament because of the Soviet intervention in Hungary.  

Bill Stewart was also well known as a baseball umpire serving in the National League from 1933 to 1954.  During this period, he umpired the 1933, 1937, 1948, and 1953 World Series.  But to hockey people, he will be remembered as the man who blazed the trail for NHL American Coaches, Herb Brooks and Bob Johnson.