19 Feb 1948 Jahr - RCAF Flyers Won the Ice Hockey Gold medal

Beschreibung:

Earlier in the year, the International Olympic Committee had announced that only “amateur” statuse Olympic athletes would be eligible to compete in the 1948 Winter Olympics.This change of rules meant that the previous winners of the Allan Cup (who received financial benefit from playing the sport), and who were normally selected to represent canada in the hockey competitions, would not be eligible to compete. Squadron Leader Alexander Watson thought this was unacceptable and decided to do something about it. Within 24 hours he had obtained the permission of chiefs, air marshals, ministers, and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association for his idea of forming a Royal Canadian Air Force hockey team to compete in the Olympics. Since RCAF persoannel met the defintion of an “amatear” a team was ready to be assembled.

After the RCAF suffered numerous defeats and challenges, the Flyers were finally made unbreakable and unstoppable. Such courage and heroism from the whole team earned the Flyers a spot into the Canadian Armed Forces Sports Hall of Fame in 1971, and in 2008 they were admitted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.

Against all odds, RCAF Flyers won the ice hockey Gold medal at the Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland and changed Canadian hockey forever.

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