Photograph as originally submitted to this page in the Historical Marker Database www.HMdb.org. Click on photo to resize in browser. Scroll down to see metadata.

Photographer: Mike Wintermantel
Taken: August 14, 2014
Caption: Dee Stadium-The Birthplace of Professional Hockey
Additional Description: panel left The Amphidrome 1902-1927
The 1901-02 Portage Lakes
In 1900, Dr. John L. "Jack" Gibson, who had played hockey in Ontario, settled in Houghton to pursue a profession in dentistry. He would soon become known as "Doc" Gibson and he would become one of a small circle of pioneers who helped develop hockey into a professional sport. With his enthusiasm and drive, Houghton had the first professional hockey team (1903-04 Portage Lakes) and was a founding member of the first professional hockey league. International Hockey League (Founded 1904

After an the Portage Lakes went undefeated in the 1902-03 season, Gibson started to recruit for the 1903-04 season. The 1903-04 Portage Lakes is recognized as the first professional hockey team. Gibson played one year for the Portage Lakes (1903-04) and eventually moved to Calgary where practiced dentistry and died in 1955. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder (1976) and he was one of the original inductees into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame (1973)
Submitted: August 16, 2014, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Database Locator Identification Number: p282881
File Size: 2.518 Megabytes

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