United States Central Hockey League

The United States Central Hockey League was an amateur hockey league located in the upper mid-western United States that played from 1956 to 1961. It was ancestor league of the United States Hockey League (1961-1979) which was a semi-pro/senior in the mid-western United States and central Canada from 1961 to 1979. When the Midwest Junior Hockey League collapsed prior to the 1977-78 season three junior teams were absorbed into the league. The junior and professional teams were divided into their own divisions but played against each other in regular season games. Starting in 1979-80, the United States Hockey League has been strictly a junior league when the three remaining professional teams became junior teams.
==History==
The American Amateur Hockey League was established in 1947 as the Minnesota-based American Amateur Hockey League with teams in Minneapolis, Rochester and St. Paul. Since its debut, the league had progressed and changed its name several times: In 1952, it became the Central Hockey League (1952-1953); then the next season it became the Minnesota Hockey League (1953-1955) ; and in 1956 the name was changed again to the United States Central Hockey League. In 1961, it adopted the name United States Hockey League (USHL).
==United States Central Hockey League (1955-61)==
===Teams===
Team name 	City 	Arena 	Seasons 	Fate
Rochester Mustangs 	Rochester, Minnesota 	Mayo Civic Auditorium 	1955-1961	join United States Hockey League
Minneapolis Bungalows 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1955-1958	replaced or renamed by Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Culbertsons 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1955-1958	renamed Minneapolis-Lincoln Culbertsons when also play games in Lincoln, Nebraska
St. Paul Peters 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1955-1957	possibly renamed St. Paul K.S.T.P.
St. Paul K.S.T.P. 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1957-1958	possibly renamed St. Paul Capitols
Des Moines Ice Hawks 	Des Moines, Iowa 	Des Moines City Auditorium 	1958-1961	
join United States Hockey League as Des Moines Oak Leafs
Minneapolis Millers 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1958-1960	join International Hockey League (1945-2001)
Minneapolis-Lincoln Culbertsons	Minneapolis, Minnesota & Lincoln, Nebraska	Minneapolis Arena & Pershing Auditorium	1958-1959	withdrew when Millers join International Hockey League (1945-2001)
St. Paul Capitols 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1958-1959	join International Hockey League (1945-2001) as St. Paul Saints
Green Bay Bobcats 	Green Bay, Wisconsin 	Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena 	1959-1960	sit out 1960-61 season; return for 1961-62 season in United States Hockey League
 Marquette Sentinals 	Marquette, Michigan 	Palestra 	1959-1960	withdrew
Minneapolis Jr. Millers 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1960-1961	withdrew
St. Paul Jr. Saints 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1960-1961	withdrew
==Seasons==
*1960-61 United States Central Hockey League Season
*1959-60 United States Central Hockey League Season
*1958-59 United States Central Hockey League Season
*1957-58 United States Central Hockey League Season
*1956-57 United States Central Hockey League Season
*1955-56 United States Central Hockey League Season
Category:United States Central Hockey League