The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.2002, Page 20

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 57 #3
The Romance of the Falcons
Respectfully dedicated to the memory of the late “Buster” Thorsteinson,
a sportsman and gentleman.
Trudging through a driving snowfall
with his skates and hockey outfit, a big
broad-shouldered Icelander from the
South End set out to walk to the mile-dis-
tant rink for a crucial game in the great
winter sport to decide the supremacy
between the North and the South. Turn
back the pages some thirty years and
endeavour to catch an impression of the
spirit which motivated his activities. We
can picture him as the snow swirled up and
about his sturdy figure, with no thought of
the rigours of the elements but with glow-
ing heart and with sinews straining with
eager anticipation of the pulsating action of
the game he loved. He hugs a couple of
well-taped sticks under one arm. These are
more than pieces of wood to him - his
trusty aids. One is almost a “boner” (an
expression used for an old worn out stick)
but endeared to him through his familiari-
ty with the feel of the handle, its balance
and the spring of the wood as the flying
puck leaves the blade.
Gentle of manner, modest of speech,
tender of heart - qualities ingrained in him
as his heritage from deeply religions fore-
bears; yet in keen competition he revelled
in his virile power and was at all times eager
to match his skill with no quarter asked or
given; with a supreme will to victory, no
matter what the odds.
Thus can be described a youth, typical of
the young men who thrilled their friends
and supporters with their exploits on the
ice in the old “Viking - I.A.C.” (Icelandic
Athletic Club (IAC) days.
Exhibiting strong evidence of the tradi-
tional fighting spirit of their forefathers the
Vikings, the Icelandic hockeyists of the
early days, beginning about 1897 with play
between the Icelandic Athletic Club and
the Vikings, waged many a strenuous battle
on the blades. In those days, heavy body
checking was permitted under the rules and
there was much give and take along the
boards. The boys played for the thrill of
the game and even under a great handicap
as to equipment and rink accommodation.
Nor was it the fashion to pad to any extent.
A small pair of bamboo shin-guards and
some padding in the knee-length pants, but
no knee, elbow or shoulder pads. Old-time
fans will recall that the hockey gauntlets of
that day afforded little protection for those
who wore them compared with the won-
derful gloves now available for hockey
players.
The old Felag’s Hus (Club House) on
Jemima (now Elgin) Avenue, and later club
rooms on Princess Street, were the centres
for boxing, wrestling, fencing, gymnastics,
and so on, among the energetic young
Icelanders of that period. The later Olafur
Eggertson was a prime mover in the
Icelandic Athletic Club while Frank
Frederickson (No relation to the Frank of
Olympic Hockey fame) was a fine athlete
and a leading figure in the organization
work (also a leader in dramatic presenta-
tions). Another prominent member of the
club was Harry Sivertson, son of Sigurdur
“Homeopathi,” that grand old man of
medicine who ministered to the needs and
ills of the old-time Icelandic settlement in
Winnipeg. The IAC Hockey Club was
organized by some of the boys of the
Athletic Club - the Swanson brothers, Jack
and “Swanny,” and Harry Sivertson being
largely instrumental in bringing this about.
At first, there was no hockey opposition
from the young Icelanders residing in the
then Southern part of the city, but not to be
outdone by the North-end IAC, a meeting
was one day held at the home of Oliver
Olsen, then on Maryland Street, and the
Vikings came into being. The rivalry which
existed between the North-enders and the
South-enders through occasional competi-
tions in football and baseball, was to be