Balmoral / Thorntons Wasps Irish Ice Hockey Team 1940-1951

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Factfile

Northern Ireland Ice Hockey League & Irish Ice Hockey Association Team 1940-1950

Home Ice: King’s Hall, Balmoral, Belfast

Colours: Unknown

All-Time Record:

Honours: Iriish Ice Hockey Association Champions 1950-51 ?

History: Sponsored by Thornton’s during World War II, the Balmoral Wasps were one of the Original Seven Ice Hockey teams in Ireland, playing in the Northern Ireland Ice Hockey League of 1940 and resurected in 1949 for the new Irish Ice Hockey Association. Finished runners-up to Harlandic wolves in the Challenge Series of 1949-50 after beating the Belfast Eagles twice in a three-game series. Were possible winners of the IIHA season in 1950-51 with two wins and one tie known that they played.

Home Ice: King’s Hall, Balmoral, Belfast

Year-by-Year Record

YearLeagueRS W-L-TPts / PosPS W-L-TChampOther W-L-TChamp
1940NIIHL1-5-02 / 4th0-0-0None?-?-??
1949-50IIHA2-1-04 / 2nd0-0-0None?-?-??
1950-51IIHA2-0-15 / 1st0-0-0IIHA ??-?-??
Balmoral / Thorntons Wasps Irish Ice Hockey Team 1940-1951 [References: Compiled from 1-33]

Results Northern Ireland Ice Hockey League 1940

WeekDateH/AOppositionW/LScore
117.02.1940AHarlandic WolvesL3-4
409.03.1940HBalmoral TigersL2-7
516.03.1940HShorts & Harland RaidersL2-3
730.03.1940AShorts & Harland RaidersW3-1
1027.04.1940HBalmoral TigersL2-5
1104.05.1940AHarlandic WolvesL1-6
Thorntons Wasps Irish Ice Hockey Team 1940 [References: Compiled from 1-20]

Results Irish Ice Hockey Association 1949-50

WeekDateH/AOppositionW/LScore
116.11.1949ABelfast EaglesL4-6
210.02.1950HBelfast EaglesW5-4
411.03.1950HBelfast EaglesW11-5
Balmoral Wasps Irish Ice Hockey Team 1940 [References: Compiled from 21-24]

Results Irish Ice Hockey Association 1950-51

WeekDateH/AOppositionW/LScore
417.11.1950HShorts RedwingsW5-2
701.12.1950HHarlandic WolvesW7-2
803.02.1951AShorts RedwingsT2-2
Balmoral Wasps Irish Ice Hockey Team 1940 [References: Compiled from 25-33]

References

Websites

Belfast Telegraph

[1] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey League | Wasps Lose Their Sting | Wolves Won by Odd Goal” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, February 19, 1940. pg. 4

[2] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey League | Early Lead by Wolves | Paved WAy for Victory” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, February 26, 1940. pg. 4

[3] Anon. (1940) “King’s Hall Ice Hockey | Balmoral Tigers Beat Wasps” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, March 11, 1940. pg. 4

[4] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey League | Balmoral Tigers’ Triumph | Greer well on the Target” Belfast Telegraph. Tuesday, March 26, 1940. pg. 4

[5] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey at King’s Hall | Raiders Defeated by Wasps” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, April 1, 1940. pg. 9

[6] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey in Belfast | Harlandic Wolves Victorious” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, April 15, 1940. pg. 4

[7] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey League | Most Thrilling Game of Series” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, April 22, 1940. pg. 3

[8] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey at Balmoral | The Wolves beat the Wasps” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, May 6, 1940. pg. 6

[9] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey at King’s Hall | Raiders beat Balmoral Tigers” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, May 13, 1940. pg. 6

[10] Anon. (1940) “Gaston Cup Final Replay | Wolves beat Tigers 4-2” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, May 30, 1940. pg. 4

Belfast News-Letter

[11] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey | Wolves League Game Win” Belfast News-Letter. Monday, February 19, 1940. pg. 3

[12] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey | Wolves beat Raiders | Close League Game at Balmoral” Belfast News-Letter. Monday, February 26, 1940. pg. 2

[13] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey | Balmoral Tigers Win | Thrilling League Game in King’s Hall” Belfast News-Letter. Monday, March 4, 1940. pg. 3

[14] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey | Wasps Lose Their Sting | Decisive Win for Balmoral Tigers in League Match” Belfast News-Letter. Monday, March 11, 1940. pg. 2

[15] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey | Tigers Reach League Top” Belfast News-Letter. Monday, April 29, 1940. pg. 2

[16] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey League | Keen Belfast Game | Wolves 6 Wasps 1” Belfast News-Letter. Monday, May 6, 1940. pg. 2

Northern Whig and Belfast Post

[17] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey | First Game in Local Leagues | Harlandic Wolves beat the Wasps | High Speed Battle” Northern Whig and Belfast Post. Monday, February 19, 1940. pg. 3

[18] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey | Wolves again successful | Last minute goal beats the Raiders” Northern Whig and Belfast Post. Monday, February 26, 1940. pg. 3

[19] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey | Raiders beat the Wasps | Keen Match at Balmoral” Northern Whig and Belfast Post. Monday, March 18, 1940. pg. 3

[20] Anon. (1940) “Ice Hockey | Cup Final Results in Draw” Northern Whig and Belfast Post. Thursday, May 23, 1940. pg. 2

Sources:

[21] Anon. (1949) “Ice Hockey | First match in Ulster since 1939”. Belfast Newsletter. Saturday, December 17, 1949. pg. 6.

[22] Anon. (1950) “Ice Hockey”. Belfast Newsletter. Saturday, February 11, 1950. pg. 6.

[23] Anon. (1950) “Ice Hockey | Irish association formed”. Belfast News-Letter, Saturday, February 18, 1950. pg. 15.

[24] Anon. (1950) “Ice Hockey”. Belfast Newsletter. Monday, March 13. pg. 7.

Sources:

[25] Anon. (1950) “Ice Hockey in Belfast” Belfast Telegraph. Wednesday, November 1, 1950. pg. 2.

[26] Anon. (1950) “Ice Hockey | Harlandic Wolves beat Short’s Redwings” The Northern Whig and Belfast Post. Saturday, November 11, 1950.. pg. 5.

[27] Anon. (1950) “Harlandic Wolves win at Ice Hockey” Belfast Telegraph. Wednesday, November 15, 1950..

[28] Anon. (1950) “Ice Hockey | Exciting match at Balmoral” Belfast News-Letter. Saturday, November 18, 1950. pg. 6.

[29] Anon. (1950) “The Ice Hockey League” Belfast Telegraph”. Wednesday, November 22, 1950.

[30] Anon. (1950) “Ice Hockey | “Wolves” first defeat this season”. Belfast News-Letter. Wednesday, November 29, 1950. pg. 7.

[31] Anon. (1950) “Ice Skating | “Wolves beaten” Belfast News-Letter. Saturday, December 2, 1950. pg. 6.

[32] Anon. (1950) “Ice Hockey | Balmoral still unbeaten”. The Northern Whig and Belfast Post. Saturday, February 2, 1951. pg. 3.

[33] Edgar, Scott (2019) “Wartime Ice Hockey in Northern Ireland”. [Internet] Available from: https://wartimeni.com/article/wartime-ice-hockey-in-northern-ireland/ [Accessed 12 July 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Malachy & Liz Connolly, Belfast.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 26 August 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

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