Bulletin newsboys skinned in puck war

Saturday, 02 January 2010 05:00

January 2, 1906. "Journal Juveniles Skinned to the Hoof," headlined the Edmonton Bulletin. Could it have exaggerated a bit in its account of a puck encounter between the young carriers of the Bulletin and those of the rival Journal? The story reads:

The Journal's newsboy staff were again skinned to the hoof, their hides were hung on the fence, and their horns were sold to the junk dealer by the Bulletin Newsies yesterday afternoon. It is really a shame to tell the people what those heartless creatures did to the poor unfortunate boys who sell papers for the Journal, but when the tallyman went on strike for a raise, the score stood at 19 to 0 in favour of the Bulletin.

There was nothing to it when the game started. The only thing that stopped them was the size of the ice. Body checking when the other fellow went up in the air then bounced was considered the finest kind of play, and the ice this morning is full of soft spots where they hit. The puck was badly lacerated but it is hoped that it will survive.

The referee, according to latest accounts, was making a good recovery. The ice is getting a little worn out by such fast playing, being badly scorched in places, and the boys are considering the advisability of petitioning the city to have another water pipe burst. Next time they would prefer it a little nearer the school.

The date of the next match has not been announced to the hospital authorities nor the coroner.