James Wallace Conant
James Wallace Conant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | August 10, 1862 Portsmouth, Ohio, United States |
| Died | March 14, 1906 (aged 43) New York City, United States |
| Resting place | Allegheny Cemetery 40°28′19″N 79°57′04″W / 40.472°N 79.951°W |
| Occupation | Amusement manager |
| Years active | 1893–1906 |
| Known for |
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| Spouse | Margaret Conant |
James Wallace Conant (August 10, 1862 – March 14, 1906) was an amusement manager who later became the manager of the Schenley Park Casino, as well as the first manager of the Duquesne Gardens, the first indoor ice rinks in the city of Pittsburgh. Conant is credited with bringing the sport of ice hockey to Pittsburgh, since the indoor ice rinks lured many Canadian players to the city. Over time several of the Canadian players were actually paid to play hockey first at the Casino, and later at the Gardens. He was also the founder of the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League, the first hockey league to openly hire and trade players.
Biography
Early life
Conant was born in
Schenley Park Casino
After a few years of working on the river, Conant took interest in the amusement industry.[1] Throughout his twenties he worked in theater houses, located in the city's Hill District, a few downtown night clubs, and as a coordinator for a barge company with docks along the Mon Wharf. By the age of 36, Conant's reputation in the amusements industry caught the attention of Christopher Magee, a political boss in Pittsburgh, was made him the manager of the proposed Schenley Park Casino.[2]
In the fall of 1893, the goal of the Casino was to provide Pittsburgh with a facility that would be a place for theater, recreation and social gathering for all social classes of people. The idea sputtered through a committee of capitalists until Conant convinced his boss, who was the head of the Casino, Harry Davis, that the new building could feature an indoor ice skating rink. After learning that an artificial ice surface was possible, investors were quick to agree to financing $400,000 for the construction of the Casino, which was completed before opening to the public May 29, 1895. While managing the Casino, Conant introduced ice hockey to Pittsburgh. Conant knew of ice hockey through a fellow amusement mangager involved with traveling ice skating demonstrations, and convinced his bosses that the city would be entertained by the speed and elegance of hockey.[3]
Soon the Casino's patrons were captivated the new sport and organized games, which were scheduled on Friday nights after the public ice skating session. Many Canadian players flocked to Pittsburgh to use the artificial ice. The ice surface provided the Canadian players two months of play before they returned home to play in outdoor leagues back home. It was at this time that several players were openly paid to play in Pittsburgh.[2] However, nineteen months after its opening, the Casino was destroyed by a fire. The cause of the blaze was determined to come from an ammonia pipe in the icemaking department. The pipe began leaking and the gas mixed with grease and created an explosion resulting in a fire that consumed the equipment room in the rear of the Casino and spread to the ladies' dressing room.[3] The fire not only destroyed the Casino, it also left Conant without a job.[2]
Duquesne Gardens and the WPHL
Coanant spent the next three winters in
It was during this time, that Conant formally established the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League, with three teams the Pittsburgh Bankers, Pittsburgh Athletic Club and Pittsburgh Keystones. However the three team league also played exhibition games against the best amateur teams from all over North America. As with the Casino, Canadian players once again took to Pittsburgh's artificial ice surface. In 1901 Pittsburgh had lured future Hall-of-Famers like Riley Hern and Alf Smith into the league, along with several of the era's top players such as; Lorne Campbell and Arthur Sixsmith. The success of the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League, resulted in Pittsburgh earning a team in the brief International Professional Hockey League in 1904.[4] Conant is also credited with bringing the Metropolitan Grand Opera Company to Pittsburgh.[2]
Mysterious death
Conant then managed the
On March 14, Conant died under mysterious circumstances at the Navarra Hotel in New York. Controversy soon surrounded his death, since two versions of death were published in the Pittsburgh newspapers. While the morning newspapers said it was sudden and natural, the afternoon papers suggested that the events surrounding his death involved
References
- ^ New York Times. March 16, 1906. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "James Conant, father of Pittsburgh Hockey". Steel City Legends. Pittsburgh Hockey.net. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
- ^ a b "1895-1896 Pittsburgh's Schenley Park Casino". Pittsburgh Hockey.net. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
- ^ Fitzsimmons, Ernie. "Is Pittsburgh the Birthplace of Professional Hockey?". Pittsburgh Hockey.net. Retrieved April 30, 2012.