Whitby Dunlops

The original Whitby Dunlops were founded from the remnants of the former Oshawa Generals junior team of 1952–53. After the Hambly Arena fire destroyed the Generals home ice, the team was disbanded and some of the older players on the team along with coach and manager Wren Blair, became the Oshawa Truckmen and operated from Bowmanville, Ontario for the 1953–54 season. In 1954, the Oshawa Truckmen were relocated to Whitby and were temporarily known as the Whitby Seniors, playing out of the Whitby Community Arena. The team was soon sponsored by the Dunlop Rubber Company, and renamed the Whitby Dunlops. The team started as a Senior B team, winning its division the first year. The following year the Dunlops moved up to the OHA Senior A League. The Dunlops won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as league champions in 1957 and 1959. This Senior A team would go on to win two Allan Cups, the Canadian Senior Hockey Championship, in 1957 and 1959. Their 1957 win earned them the right to represent Canada at the 1958 World Ice Hockey Championships, where they won the World Championship. Notable members of the team are, former Whitby mayor Bob Attersley, former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Sid Smith and Boston Bruins president Harry Sinden. Harry Sinden was captain of the 1958 Dunlops, while former Leaf captain Sid Smith was a playing coach. The Town of Whitby honoured this team for their achievements with their induction into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame. As Canada's representative to the 1958 World Championships, the team took an ocean liner to the championships in Norway because team manager Wren Blair was terrified of flying. Everyone was sick for six days because of the rough waters but the chance to restore Canada's pride was worth it. After a 14-game exhibition tour of Europe the Dunlops competed at the World Championships in Oslo, Norway. The 1958 Whitby Dunlops were inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. Season-by-season results == The Junior Dunlops ==

The Senior A Dunlops folded after 1960, and the void in Whitby was filled by the Whitby Mohawks, a junior ice hockey team for the 1960–61 season. The Mohawks played their first season as a Junior B team. After one season, they were promoted to play in the new Metro Junior A League. In their third season, the Mohawks were renamed the Dunlops. Unlike the previous Senior A version of the Dunlops which descended in part from the Oshawa Generals, the Junior A team played against the revived Oshawa Generals during the 1962–63 season. ;Season-by-season results • Competed in 1960 to 1962 seasons as the Whitby Mohawks. ==Current Dunlops==

The current Dunlops were revived by a group of 31 local business and hockey personalities led by former Bowmanville Eagles owner Mike Laing who became the president. The Dunlops were granted membership in the Ontario Hockey Association's Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League for the 2004–2005 season. The first revived season for the Dunlops was a success on the ice, finishing second overall in the league with a 25-7-0 record. The team played in the league finals versus the Norwood Vipers losing the series in 6 games. The EOSHL was elevated from AA status to AAA status after the 2004–05 season, becoming eligible to contend for the Allan Cup. In their second year the Dunlops finished in first place in the EOSHL. They prevailed in a rematch versus the Norwood Vipers, winning the league championship in a 6-game series for the Re/Max Upper Canada Realty Cup. The EOSHL champion Dunlops played the Major League Hockey champion Dundas Real McCoys defeating them 3 games to 1 in a best-of-five series for the J. Ross Robertson Cup. The OHA subsequently debated its rules for wearing hockey helmets, to be properly worn and securely fastened. The Dunlops lost the MLH final to the Dundas Real McCoys 4-games-to-none. Season-by-season results Note: OL= Overtime loss == NHL alumni ==

Listed in chronological order from first season played, with dates in parentheses. • Harry Sinden (54–55, 55–56, 56–57, 57–58, 58–59, 59–60) • John Henderson (55–56, 56–57, 57–58, 58–59, 59–60) • Charlie Burns (56–57, 57–58) • Connie Broden (57–58) • Roy Edwards (57–58) • Wally Maxwell (57–58) • Sid Smith (57–58, 58–59) • Pete Babando (58–59, 59–60) • Bob Hassard (58–59, 59–60) • Brent Grieve (2004–05, 2005–06) ==Other former players==

• G Bob Perani (61-62) == References ==