Grimsby Peach Kings

The Grimsby Peach Kings are a Junior "C" team based out of Grimsby, Ontario. They play out of the Niagara Junior C Hockey League. Before joining the Niagara "C", the Kings played in the Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey League.
==History==
One of the oldest hockey clubs in Ontario, the Peach Kings officially joined the Ontario Hockey Association in 1922, however the "Peach Kings" moniker had been used for local sports teams for several decades prior. The name refers to Grimsby's unique ability to cultivate peaches, a fruit that cannot be farmed without proper conditions.
In the early 1920s Col. Roberts had built a large cold storage facility for fruit in the summer that had ample capacity to make ice in the winter. In turn, work began on an arena in the summer of 1921. When the arena opened in January 1922, it was one of only 8 arenas in the world and the Montreal Canadiens soon took advantage of it for their training camp. Shortly after, the professional Saskatoon Sheiks (who were later sold to New York to become the Rangers) also held training camps in Grimsby, and the town became an overnight hockey hotspot.
For the 1924-25 season, sponsors got involved and began scouring Ontario for the best hockey players to play for the Peach Kings. When this squad took to the ice in the fall of 1924, they skated on the same ice as Hall of Famers Howie Morenz, Georges Vézina, and Aurel Joliat skated on for training camp with the Canadiens. With Harry 'Pud' Reid as their captain, they took the league title that year playing against Brantford, Niagara Falls, Welland, Port Colborne, and Dunnville. In the OHA Intermediate A playoffs, the Peach Kings eliminated Paris, Toronto, and New Hamburg on their way to the finals. They beat Kingston in a two-game series to take the OHA championship.
In accordance with the custom of the time, the Intermediate champions would play the previous year's Allan Cup champions, the top senior amateur team in Canada. What was supposed to be a decisive victory for the famous Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds over Grimsby turned out different. With only 1000 fans watching at Toronto's Mutual St. Arena (the precursor to Maple Leaf Gardens) what was expected to a blowout, the Grimsby upstarts led 3-0 after two periods. The Greyhounds scored twice in the 3rd, but it was not enough as Grimsby held on. This marked the only time in history the Allan Cup titleholders lost to the Intermediates.
From this heralded team, Gerry Carson went on the play for the Montreal Canadiens, Shorty Horne played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Pop McVicar, Artie Clark, and Harry 'Pud' Reid all played for the Chicago Cardinals of the American Association.
In 1939-40, the Peach Kings won the OHA Jr. C Final. Featuring Ralph 'Pud' Reid, Mush Miller and Red Mason, the Peach Kings defeated Bolton to face Markham in the provincial final. Games were held in Grimsby and the famed Maple Leaf Gardens. They brought home a second provincial championship and won the Clarence Schmalz Cup (however it was yet to be named that).
Returning to Intermediate hockey after World War II, the Peach Kings had more good years. They won their local Fruitbelt League in 1946 and 1947, but lost to Owen Sound in the OHA playoffs in 1946. In 1947, they made it to the OHA finals to play the Markham Millionaires in a best of 5 series. With the Peach Kings leading the series 2-1, the series shifted to Grimsby ice. Fans lined up all afternoon to get into the tiny arena, and eventually over 2000 packed the rink to watch a 3-3 tie after 60 minutes. The 10-minute overtime period was not sudden death like it is today, and Markham scored early. But with less than 2 minutes remaining, Grimsby rookie Barry Blanchard wound up behind his own net, carried the puck down the ice, and dropped it to Norman Warner who evened the score. Then with 39 seconds remaining, William Hutchison put the puck past the Markham goalie to win the Provincial Championship. Ralph 'Pud' Reid was the Captain and he was the son of Harry 'Pud' Reid Captain of the 1924-1925 Grimsby Peach King Intermediate 'A' OHA Champions.
The Peach Kings struggled through the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, but almost always retained a team wearing the Peach Kings sweater. Fortunes reversed however when the team was purchased in the mid-1990s and re-emerged as a Jr C team. By 2001, the team was strong claiming 1st place in the league for the 2002-03 season. In the playoffs, they dismissed Dunnville, Dundas, Norwich and the defending Ontario champion Essex 73's on the way to the OHA Finals. Led by captain Dean Davidson and stars Matt Hodges, Kyle Hodges, Biff Fuller, Don Forbes, Ryan Toth, and Josh Horley, the Peach Kings beat Georgina in four games to claim the Provincial "C" Championship for the first time since 1940.
The following year with many of the same players, as well as new ones such as Jay Anderson, Derek Nichols and Steve Foster playing a larger role, the Peach Kings repeated by winning again, this time over Wingham in the Finals. These were the first back-to-back championships in team history. The following year, 2004-05, the Peach Kings made a run for the finals again led by Hodges, Fuller, Toth, Nichols, Anderson, and Foster with newcomers like star goalie Steve Mason, Dan Ellis, Joel Bristo, Joel Agnew, and returnee Scott Clark, the Peach Kings played to the finals again looking to win for a third straight time. Taking a 3-2 series lead over the Essex 73's into the Grimsby Arena, it looked like Grimsby would win again having not lost at home all season. Essex, making their first of five straight CSC Finals appearances, fought back and won Game 6 and Game 7 in Essex and reclaimed the provinical title which Grimsby had held for the previous two years.
At the 2008 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, former Peach King goaltender Steve Mason led the Canadian National Team to a fourth straight gold medal. He went 5-0 with a .951 save percentage at the tournament and won various awards: First Team All-Star, Top Goalie in the tournament, as well as MVP of the Tournament.
Grimsby has claimed eight straight Niagara East division titles from 2003 to 2010, ensuring they have finished in the final eight teams in Ontario over this time, only twice (2006 and 2009) not making the semi-finals (final four teams). In the 2010-2011 season the Peach Kings won there 4th Provincial Title defeating the Belle River Canadiens in the Semi Finals and the Defending Ontario Champion Alliston Hornets in the Provincial Finals.
==Season-by-season results==
Season 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	OL 	GF 	GA 	P 	Results 	Playoffs 	 	
1959-60	24 	4 	19 	1 	- 	89 	193 	9 	6th NDJBHL 	 	 	
1960-68	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	
1968-69	19 	12 	6 	1 	- 	-- 	-- 	25 	3rd IJCHL 	Lost Semi-final 	 	
1969-70	30 	20 	8 	2 	- 	200 	148 	42 	1st IJCHL 	Won League, Lost CSC QF 	 	
1970-75	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	Statistics Not Available 	
1975-76	40 	10 	25 	5 	- 	201 	257 	25 	6th GHJHL 	 	 	
1976-77	32 	8 	18 	6 	- 	173 	220 	22 	4th GHJHL 	 	 	
1977-78	40 	23 	12 	5 	- 	273 	209 	51 	3rd GHJHL 	 	 	
1978-79	42 	21 	18 	3 	- 	254 	220 	45 	4th GHJHL 	 	 	
1979-80	44 	17 	22 	5 	- 	267 	274 	39 	6th GHJHL 	 	 	
1980-81	42 	14 	25 	3 	- 	218 	263 	31 	6th GHJHL 	 	 	
1981-82	35 	10 	21 	4 	- 	- 	- 	24 	6th GHJHL 	Lost Final 	 	
1982-83	42 	11 	30 	1 	- 	223 	295 	23 	8th GHJHL 	 	 	
1983-84	42 	12 	23 	7 	- 	193 	261 	31 	5th GHJHL 	 	 	
1984-85	42 	17 	19 	6 	- 	252 	280 	40 	5th GHJHL 	 	 	
1985-86	40 	12 	26 	2 	- 	160 	232 	26 	10th GHJHL 	 	 	
1986-87	42 	14 	25 	3 	- 	206 	238 	31 	7th GHJHL 	 	 	
1987-88	42 	12 	24 	6 	- 	209 	272 	30 	6th GHJHL 	 	 	
1988-89	42 	10 	28 	4 	- 	154 	234 	24 	7th GHJHL 	 	 	
1989-90	48 	5 	42 	0 	1 	183 	363 	11 	9th GHJHL 	 	 	
1990-91	36 	11 	19 	6 	- 	166 	218 	28 	5th NJC-E 	 	 	
1991-92	36 	23 	8 	5 	- 	228 	135 	51 	1st NJC-E 	 	 	
1992-93	42 	24 	16 	2 	- 	239 	175 	50 	4th NJC-E 	 	 	
1993-94	42 	10 	28 	4 	- 	165 	227 	24 	7th NJC-E 	 	 	
1994-95	36 	1 	34 	1 	- 	95 	284 	3 	7th NJC-E 	 	 	
1995-96	36 	11 	20 	5 	- 	130 	189 	27 	5th NJC-E 	 	 	
1996-97	36 	10 	23 	2 	1 	159 	239 	23 	5th NJC-E 	 	 	
1997-98	42 	12 	27 	3 	0 	149 	272 	27 	6th NJC-E 	 	 	
1998-99	35 	16 	17 	1 	1 	145 	141 	34 	4th NJC-E 	 	 	
1999-00	36 	27 	6 	- 	3 	164 	114 	57 	2nd NJC-E 	 	 	
2000-01	36 	20 	11 	4 	1 	154 	114 	45 	3rd NJC-E 	 	 	
2001-02	36 	24 	9 	3 	0 	161 	110 	51 	2nd NJC-E 	 	 	
2002-03	36 	30 	2 	3 	1 	176 	95 	64 	1st NJCHL 	Won League, Won CSC 	 	
2003-04	36 	28 	5 	2 	1 	216 	77 	59 	1st NJCHL 	Won League, Won CSC 	 	
2004-05	36 	28 	5 	3 	0 	202 	83 	59 	1st NJCHL 	Won League, Lost CSC Final 	 	
2005-06	36 	33 	3 	0 	0 	194 	82 	66 	1st NJCHL 	Lost Final (CSC Quarter-final) 	 	
2006-07	36 	28 	7 	0 	1 	207 	103 	57 	1st NJCHL 	Won League, Lost CSC Semi-final 	 	
2007-08	36 	32 	2 	2 	0 	213 	62 	66 	1st NJCHL 	Won League, Lost CSC Semi-Final 	 	
2008-09	36 	26 	8 	- 	2 	150 	78 	54 	1st NJCHL 	Lost Final (CSC Quarter-final) 	 	
2009-10	36 	27 	9 	- 	0 	135 	92 	54 	3rd NJCHL 	Won League, Lost CSC Semi-final 	 	
2010-11	36 	27 	7 	- 	2 	182 	99 	56 	2nd NJCHL 	Won League, Won CSC 	 	
2011-12	36 	32 	4 	- 	0 	171 	73 	54 	1st NJCHL 	Won League, Won CSC 	 	
2012-13	38 	26 	9 	- 	3 	173 	90 	55 	2nd NJC-E 	Won League, Lost CSC Semi-final 	 	
2013-14	35 	26 	8 	- 	1 	140 	77 	53 	1st NJCHL 	Won League, Lost CSC Semi-final 	 	
2014-15	42 	31 	7 	- 	4 	162 	99 	66 	1st NJCHL 	Won Quarters - 4-0 - (Storm)Won Semi's - 4-1 - (Hawks)Won League Finals - 4-1 - (Blues)Lost CSC Quarter-finals, 2-4 (Ayr) 	 	
2015-16	42 	29 	10 	2 	1 	181 	111 	61 	2nd of 8 NJCHL 	Won Quarters - 4-2 - (Sailors)Won Semifinals 4-3 (Blues)Won League Finals, 4-3 (Rangers)Lost CSC Quarterfinals 1-4 (Ayr) 	 	
2016-17	42 	36 	5 	1 	- 	201 	91 	73 	ist of 8-PJHLBloomfield Div 	Won Div Quarters - 4-0 - (Storm)Won Div Semifinals, 4-0 (Jr. Mudcats)Won Division Finals, 4-2 (Rangers)Lost Conf. Finals, 0-4 (Ayr) 	 	
2017-18	42 	37 	3 	0 	2 	256 	89 	76 	2nd of 8- PJHLBloomfield 	Won Div Quarters 4-0 (Jr. Mudcats)Won Division Semifinals, 4-0 (Sailors)Lost Div. Final 3-4 (Rangers 	 	
2018-19	42 	36 	4 	1 	1 	194 	72 	74 	1st of 8- PJHLBloomfield 	Won Div Quarters 4-1 (Jr. Mudcats)Won Division Semifinals, 4-0 (Hawks)Lost Div. Final 3-4 (Rangers)Won Conf Final 4-2 (Applejacks)Won CSC Semifinals 4-2 (Hawks)Lost CSC Final 1-4 (Raiders)	 	
2019-20	42 	31 	8 	0 	3 	138 	80 	65 	1st of 8- PJHLBloomfield 	Division Final tied 1-1 when playoffs cancelled 	 	
2020-21	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22	30 	19 	7 	1 	3 	101 	67 	72 	1st 	Lost Semifinal 	 	
2022-23	42 	32 	10 	0 	0 	168 	105 	64 	2nd 	Lost Division Final 	 	
2023-24	42 	32 	7 	1 	2 	203 	98 	67 	1st 	Lost Conference Final 	 	
==Clarence Schmalz Cup appearances==
:1940: Grimsby Peach Kings defeated Markham Millionaires 3-games-to-2
:2003: Grimsby Peach Kings defeated Georgina Ice 4-games-to-none
:2004: Grimsby Peach Kings defeated Wingham Ironmen 4-games-to-none
:2005: Essex 73's defeated Grimsby Peach Kings 4-games-to-3
:2011: Grimsby Peach Kings defeated Alliston Hornets 4-games-to-1
:2012: Grimsby Peach Kings defeated Alliston Hornets 4-games-to-1
==Notable alumni==
*Paul Beraldo
*Bill Berg
*Bill Carson
*Gerry Carson
*George Horne
*Steve Mason
*Jack McVicar
*Dennis Ververgaert
==External links==
*Peach Kings Homepage
*Peach Kings News, Schedule and Scores
Category:Niagara Junior C Hockey League teams
Category:Ontario Hockey Association
Category:Established in 1922
Category:Canadian ice hockey teams
Category:Provincial Junior Hockey League (OHA) teams