Vintage Photo of NHL Oldtimers Game in Vancouver, Part 3


In a further effort to figure out the circumstances in the above photo I found recently, I came across a few more mentions of old-timers matches played at Vancouver's Forum. Firstly is a pic from the Vancouver Sun in 1956 of ex-NHLer Clint Smith in promotion of that year's upcoming old-timers game. Smith, it turns out, was a founding member of British Columbia Hockey Benevolent Association so it only stands to reason he'd be promoting the event. I am fairly certain that Smith is pictured in my photo wearing a dark jersey, #11.
Feb 17, 1956
From the same paper a few days later I find another photo of Smith looking apparently exhausted from the game action of that evening.
Feb 20, 1956
In addition, there is a great photo of two all-time greats Sweeney Schriner and Joe Primeau wearing what appears to be the same white uniforms in my photo. The problem is, I don't see anyone in the mystery pic that looks even remotely like them. This pretty much eliminates 1956 as being the game in my photo and pushes the date closer to the late 50s or early 60s as I suspect it was from.
Feb. 20, 1956
Feb 20, 1956 Boxscore
Next I find this write-up of the 1958 Old-Timers game at the Forum in Vancouver. This one mentions Clint Smith, Babe Pratt, Cyclone Taylor and Hal Laycoe, all who I believe are in the mystery photo. The problem is, the article also mentions the referee of the match was Maurice Richard and the players included Elmer Lach, a linesman was Frank Fredrickson and one of the coaches was Lester Patrick. I can fairly safely say that none of these all-time greats are in my photo.

Therefore, I am eliminating 1956 and 1958 as possible years for the pic, still leaning toward early 1960s. More to come.


Jan. 21, 1958




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