1964 Memorial Cup

{{Short description|Canadian junior ice hockey championship}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=March 2023}}

File:Memorial Cup at the 2015 championship.jpg

The 1964 Memorial Cup final was the 46th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA). The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Edmonton Oil Kings of the Central Alberta Hockey League in Western Canada. In a best-of-seven series, held at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Toronto won their 4th Memorial Cup, defeating Edmonton 4 games to 0.

The CAHA was concerned about the quality of Memorial Cup competition due to the rapid expansion in junior ice hockey, and named Lionel Fleury chairman of a committee to investigate the imbalance the competition in Eastern Canada and find a solution to include all branches of the CAHA in the national playoffs.{{cite news|title=Want Cup Standards Kept High|date=August 27, 1962|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=20|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-aug-27-1962-2297177/}}{{free access}}{{cite news|title=Memorial Cup solution sought for all leagues|date=April 9, 1963|newspaper=Winnipeg Tribune|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=22|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-apr-09-1963-2299162/}}{{free access}} During the 1963 Memorial Cup playoffs, when the junior champions from the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association and the Maritime Amateur Hockey Association declined to participate and complained that the national deadlines did not allow adequate time to decide their leagues' champions.{{cite news|title=Easterners Will Not Compete|date=April 6, 1963|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=55|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-apr-06-1963-2297274/}}{{free access}} Fleury opted to change the format of the playoffs from an elimination bracket into a round-robin format to reduce travel costs.{{cite news|title=Three-Way In East Play|date=April 6, 1965|newspaper=Brandon Sun|location=Brandon, Manitoba|page=6|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-apr-06-1965-2300576/}}{{free access}} He scheduled a three-team round-robin series for the champions of the Maritimes, Quebec and the Ottawa and District Amateur Hockey Association in 1964. After the Summerside Legionnaires lost their first two games by scores of 9–1 and 15–0, Fleury felt there was no point in continuing the series. The team withdrew but protested that they should have been allowed to play, and demanded money to cover their travel expenses to Montreal for the series.{{cite news|title=Summerside GM Bitter Over Treatment By CAHA|last=Scott|first=Bob|date=April 16, 1964|newspaper=The Gazette|location=Montreal, Quebec|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73154653/fleury-1964/}}{{free access}}

CAHA president Art Potter oversaw scheduling for the final Memorial Cup series, and disagreed with the Gardens' management who demanded more money for radio broadcast rights and refused entry to some broadcasters. Potter stated that the CAHA reserved all rights, but that there was little he could do since the CAHA had a different contract with the Gardens.{{cite news|title=Nothing to report on hassle — Potter|date=May 5, 1964|newspaper=Winnipeg Tribune|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=28|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-05-1964-2250457/}}{{free access}}{{cite news|title=Bassett, Gardens chairman, says Potter is to blame|date=May 5, 1964|newspaper=Winnipeg Tribune|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=28|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-05-1964-2250457/}}{{free access}} Potter said it was a financial failure since Gardens' management priced the tickets too high. He recommended that future Memorial Cup finals alternate between the arenas of the participating teams, and that playoffs be shortened for the final to be played in April rather than in May.{{cite news|title=Marlies whip Kings in four straight; win Memorial Cup|date=May 11, 1964|newspaper=Medicine Hat News|location=Medicine Hat, Alberta|page=8|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-11-1964-2250658/}}{{free access}}