1937 to 1942 The Guelph Indians began play during the
1937–38 OHA season and reached the playoffs finals for the
J. Ross Robertson Cup, but lost to the
Oshawa Generals. Following the
1938–39 OHA season, seven players from the Indians went to the
Detroit Red Wings training camp. Despite junior-aged players enlisting during
World War II, Indians' team president Roy Mason planned to rebuild the team with physically bigger players, to compete with Oshawa Generals for the
Memorial Cup. During the
1939–40 OHA season, the team became known as the Guelph Biltmores. They were coached by
Norman Himes, and had only two returning players from the previous season. Due to natural ice in Guelph, the Biltmores played their first home game of the season at the
Galt Arena Gardens. The team was sponsored by the Guelph Biltmore Hat Company, which rewarded any player scoring three or more goals in one game, the choice of a hat in the tradion of a
hat-trick. During the
1941–42 OHA season, Roy Mason reportedly wanted out of the hockey business, and had been losing money until the profits from the 1942 playoffs. Mason felt that as long as a natural ice rink arena stood in Guelph, a rink with an artificial ice surface would unlikely be built. Mason sold the Guelph Arena building in September 1942, for conversion to other purposes. The team ceased operating and its players dispersed for the 1942–43 season.
1947 to 1952 The Biltmores were resurrected for the
1947–48 OHA season following a six-year hiatus. Coached by
Bobby Bauer, they operated as a
farm team of the
New York Rangers, and began training at the
Waterloo Memorial Arena. The Biltmores returned to the OHA junior A division, despite not having a rink in Guelph, and played home games at the
Galt Arena Gardens. Bauer resigned as coach in November 1947, and was succeeded by William "Jack" Sherry who played
senior ice hockey with the Hamilton Tigers. The Biltmores opened a new rink in Guelph during the following season, played their first home game at
Guelph Memorial Gardens on November 19, 1948, versus the
Toronto Marlboros. Ken Holmeshaw coached the Biltmores for the 1948–49 season, followed by
Alf Pike for five seasons from 1949 to 1954.
1952 Memorial Cup The Mad Hatters won the
Memorial Cup in 1952 as national junior ice hockey champions of
Canada, and the
George Richardson Memorial Trophy as eastern Canadian champions the same year. Guelph won the
J. Ross Robertson Cup three times as OHA champions.
1952 to 1960 Eddie Bush coached the Biltmores for six seasons from 1954 to 1960. The Biltmores became the
Guelph Royals for the
1960–61 OHA season. ==Players==