St. Thomas Stars

Junior ice hockey in St. Thomas began in 1961 with the St. Thomas Barons in the Western Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League. The league was replaced by the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League in 1970, and the Barons switched to the new league and changed their name to the Elgins.{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/StThomasBarons.htm|title = OGP | Custom Sports Products by Official Game Puck}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/StThomasElgins.htm|title = OGP | Custom Sports Products by Official Game Puck}} The Elgins folded in 1973, and were merged into the St. Thomas Colonels in the Central Junior C Hockey League. The team moved into the Southwestern Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League in 1976, and then into the Western Ontario Junior Hockey League in 1978. The Colonels changed their name to the Pests in 1980, and then to the Stars in 1984.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

The Barons won the league championship during the 1968–69 season, then played against the Flin Flon Bombers from the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) for the Canadian Hockey Association east-west final, and for the Father Athol Murray Trophy. The series was a best-of-seven format which began in St. Thomas. It was the first Canadian national junior ice hockey championship played which was not under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.{{cite news|title=Bombers and Barons in East-West Final|date=April 28, 1969|newspaper=Brandon Sun|location=Brandon, Manitoba|page=7|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-apr-28-1969-1688649/}}{{free access}}

The Barons withdrew from the championship series during the fourth game, played at the Whitney Forum in Flin Flon on May 5. The team left after an on-ice brawl during the second period. The referee defaulted the game to the Bombers, who were leading by a 4–0 score at the time. The Bombers led the series three games to one after the default win. Game five was scheduled in Flin Flon on May 7, and games six and seven would have been in St. Thomas if necessary.{{cite news|title=East Quits Hockey Finals|date=May 6, 1969|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=1|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-06-1969-1688763/}}{{free access}} The Barons were escorted from the arena to their hotel by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police due to fear of violence. The Canadian Press described the Barons as being over-matched in the series and were not up to the calibre of the WCHL.{{cite news|title=Flin Flon Awarded Game|last=Davis|first=Reyn|date=May 6, 1969|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=25|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-06-1969-1688776/}}{{free access}} The Barons abandoned the series in the interest of player safety, and departed for home on May 6, despite a scheduled game on May 7 in Flin Flon. The team paid its own expenses to get home, with assistance from some of its fans who made the road trip to Manitoba.{{cite news|title=Barons Get Home On Handouts|last=Davis|first=Reyn|date=May 7, 1969|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=60|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-07-1969-1688786/}}{{free access}}

Canadian Hockey Association president Ron Butlin awarded the series to Flin Flon, and suspended the St. Thomas Barons from the association.{{cite news|title=Disgraceful, Says Butlin|date=May 7, 1969|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=60|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-07-1969-1688791/}}{{free access}} Barons' coach Keith Kewly said the decision was his to abandon the series.{{cite news|title='Worthwhile Champs' Says Kewley|date=May 9, 1969|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=47|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-09-1969-1688809/}}{{free access}}

File:St Thomas goalie 2013.jpg

File:St Thomas player 2013.jpg

{{Infobox Pro hockey team

| bg_color = green

| text_color = yellow

| team = St. Thomas Barons

| city = St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

| league = Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League
Western Ontario Junior A Hockey League
Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League

| operated = 1961–1973{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/StThomasBarons.htm|title = OGP | Custom Sports Products by Official Game Puck}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/StThomasElgins.htm|title = OGP | Custom Sports Products by Official Game Puck}}

| arena =

| colors = Green, Yellow, and White
{{color box|green}} {{color box|yellow}} {{color box|white}}

| dates1 = 1961–1970

| name1 = St. Thomas Barons{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/StThomasBarons.htm|title = OGP | Custom Sports Products by Official Game Puck}}

| dates2 = 1970–1973

| name2 = St. Thomas Elgins{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/StThomasElgins.htm|title = OGP | Custom Sports Products by Official Game Puck}}

| dates3 = 1973

| name3 = Merged with St. Thomas Colonels

}}

• 1969 Won League, lost CHA Championship

:St. Thomas Barons defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-2

:St. Thomas Barons defeated Brantford Foresters 4-games-to-none WOJAHL CHAMPIONS

:Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) defeated St. Thomas Barons 2-games-to-1 and series default

• 1970 Lost semi-final

:Chatham Maroons defeated St. Thomas Barons 4-games-to-none

• 1971 DNQ
• 1972 Lost semi-final

:Guelph CMC's defeated St. Thomas Barons 4-games-to-none

• 1973 DNQ

:1962: Waterloo Siskins defeated St. Thomas Barons 4-games-to-1

:1987: St. Thomas Stars defeated Niagara Falls Canucks 4-games-to-none

:1995: Stratford Cullitons defeated St. Thomas Stars 4-games-to-none

:1996: Niagara Falls Canucks defeated St. Thomas Stars 4-games-to-2{{Cite web|url=http://www.rauzulusstreet.com/hockey/junior/sunderland.html|title = Ontario Junior B Champions - the Sutherland Cup}}

{{Div col|colwidth=10em}}

• Gregory Campbell
• Dan Cloutier
• Logan Couture{{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=St.+Thomas+Stars |title=Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Players By Team -- St. Thomas Stars |website=www.legendsofhockey.net |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912001339/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=St.+Thomas+Stars |archive-date=2015-09-12}} {{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=St.+Thomas+Pests |title=Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Players By Team -- St. Thomas Pests |website=www.legendsofhockey.net |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910103012/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=St.+Thomas+Pests |archive-date=2015-09-10}} {{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=St.+Thomas+Barons |title=Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Players By Team -- St. Thomas Barons |website=www.legendsofhockey.net |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910034950/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=St.+Thomas+Barons |archive-date=2015-09-10}}
• John Cullen
• Rick Foley
• Bo Horvat
• Ken Murray
• Danny Schock
• Joe Thornton
• Brian Willsie

{{Div col end}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://stars.gojhl.ca/ Stars Webpage]
• [https://www.gojhl.ca/ GOJHL Webpage]

{{GOJHL}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:St. Thomas Stars}}

Category:Western Junior B Hockey League teams

Category:St. Thomas, Ontario

Category:Ice hockey teams in Ontario

Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1961

Category:1961 establishments in Ontario