United States Hockey League (1961-1979)

The United States Hockey League was a semi-pro.senior in the midwestern 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 otehr 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; then the next season it became the Minnesota Hockey League; and in 1956 the name was changed again to the Central Hockey League. In 1961, it adopted the name United States Hockey League (USHL).
Precursors to this league were:
===American Amateur Hockey League (1947-1952)===
====Teams====
Team name 	City 	Arena 	Seasons 	Fate
Minneapolis Bermans 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1947-1950	consolidated into Twin City Fords
Minneapolis Jerseys 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1947-1951	replaced by Minneapolis Millers
Rochester Mustangs 	Rochester, Minnesota 	Mayo Civic Auditorium 	1947-1952	join CHL
St. Paul 7-Up 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1947-1950	consolidated into St. Paul 7-Up Koppys
St. Paul Koppys 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1947-1950	consolidated into St. Paul 7-Up Koppys
St. Paul Tallys 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1947-1948	withdrew
St. Paul 7-Up Koppys	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1950-1951	replaced by St. Paul Saints
Twin City Fords 	Minneapolis, Minnesota/St. Paul, Minnesota	Minneapolis Arena/St. Paul Auditorium	1950-1951	replaced by Minneapolis Millers
Eveleth Rangers 	Eveleth, Minnesota 	Eveleth Hippodrome 	1951-1952	join CHL as Eveleth-Virginia Rangers
Hibbing Flyers 	Hibbing, Minnesota 	Hibbing Memorial Building Arena 	1951-1952	join CHL
Minneapolis Millers 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1951-1952	join CHL
St. Paul Saints 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1951-1952	join CHL
Sioux City Sunhawks 	Sioux City, Iowa 	Sioux City Municipal Auditorium 	1951-1952	folded
===Central Hockey League (1952-1953)===
====Teams====
Team name 	City 	Arena 	Seasons 	Fate
Eveleth-Virginia Rangers	Eveleth, Minnesota & Virginia, Minnesota	Eveleth Hippodrome 	1952-1953	withdrew
Hibbing Flyers 	Hibbing, Minnesota 	Hibbing Memorial Building Arena	1952-1953	join MHL
Minneapolis Millers 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1952-1953	withdrew
Rochester Mustangs 	Rochester, Minnesota 	Mayo Civic Auditorium 	1952-1953	join MHL
St. Paul Saints 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1952-1953	withdrew
===Minnesota Hockey League (1953-55)===
====Teams====
Team name 	City 	Arena 	Seasons 	Fate
Grand Forks Redwings 	Grand Forks, North Dakota	Winter Sports Building 	1953-1954	withdrew
Hibbing Flyers 	Hibbing, Minnesota 	Hibbing Memorial Building Arena	1953-1954	withdrew
Rochester Mustangs 	Rochester, Minnesota 	Mayo Civic Auditorium 	1953-1955	join CHL
Minneapolis Bungalows 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1954-1955	join CHL
Minneapolis Culbertsons	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Minneapolis Arena 	1954-1955	join CHL
St. Paul Saints 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1954-1955	join CHL as St. Paul Peters
===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
===United States Hockey League (1961-1979)===
The USHL welcomed the first female professional hockey player in 1969-70, when the Marquette Iron Rangers signed Karen Koch.
By the late 1970s, the USHL had fallen on hard times. In the summer of 1977, clubs from the recently folded Midwest Junior Hockey League contacted the USHL. A unique merger was formed, with the three junior teams (Bloomington Junior Stars, Austin Mavericks, St. Paul Vulcans) and three remaining pro teams (Sioux City Musketeers, Waterloo Black Hawks, Green Bay Bobcats) gathered under the USHL banner. League governors decided on a two-division format, with the junior-aged teams in the Midwest Division and the professionals in the U.S. Division. The teams played an interlocking schedule that was, predictably, dominated by the professionals. The USHL's split existence would last just two seasons. The minor-pro wing of the league folded following the 1978-79 season, providing junior hockey operators with the opportunity to redefine the circuit. The 1979-80 season was the league's first as an entirely junior arrangement.
The league's last season as a senior hockey league was 1978-79. During this final season the league comprised seven teams in two conferences. The U.S. Conference (with the Green Bay Bobcats, the Sioux City Musketeers and the Waterloo Black Hawks); while the Midwest Conference (with the Anoka Nordiques, the Austin Mavericks, the Bloomington Junior Stars, and the St. Paul Vulcans. All seven teams were made up with players categorized as "Senior Amateur". Following the 1978-79 season the senior league teams in the U.S. Conference folded and the USHL became an all-junior league the following season.
====Teams (1961-1979)====
Team name 	City 	Arena 	Seasons 	Fate
Des Moines Oak Leafs 	Urbandale, Iowa 	Des Moines Ice Arena 	1961-1963	join International Hockey League
Green Bay Bobcats 	Green Bay, Wisconsin 	Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena 	1961-1979	stay with league when continues as a junior level league
Milwaukee Metros 	Milwaukee, Wisconsin 	Milwaukee Arena 	1961-1962	(Milwaukee folded Jan 16, 1962 due to financial trouble)
Minneapolis Rebels 	Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Road team 	1961-1962	folded
Rochester Mustangs 	Rochester, Minnesota 	Mayo Civic Auditorium 	1961-1970	folded
St. Paul Steers 	Saint Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1962-1966	folded replaced by U.S. Nationals
Waterloo Black Hawks 	Waterloo, Iowa 	McElroy Auditorium 	1962-1969	join Central Hockey League (1963-1984) as Iowa Stars
Marquette Iron Rangers 	Marquette, Michigan 	Palestra (Michigan) 	1964-1976	folded
Fox Valley Astros 	Dundee, Illinois 	 	1965-1966	withdrew
U.S. Nationals 	Saint Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1966-1967	replaced by Minnesota Nationals
Minnesota Nationals 	Saint Paul, Minnesota 	St. Paul Auditorium 	1967-1968	(U.S. 1968 Olympic team)
Duluth Port Stars 	Duluth, Minnesota 	Duluth Entertainment Center 	1968-1968	dropped out of league on December 30, 1968, replaced by Grand Rapids Bruins
Grand Rapids Bruins 	Grand Rapids, Minnesota 	IRA Civic Arena 	1968-1969	withdrew; the team previously played in the Minnesota Hockey League (1966-1967)
Sault Ste. Marie Canadians 	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario 	Sault Memorial Gardens 	1968-1972	renamed Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Thunder Bay Twins 	Thunder Bay, Ontario 	Fort William Gardens 	1970-1975	join OHA Senior A Hockey League
Waterloo Black Hawks 	Waterloo, Iowa 	McElroy Auditorium 	1970-1979	stay with league when continues as a junior level league
Calumet-Houghton Chiefs 	Calumet, Michigan 	Calumet Armory 	1972-1973	renamed Copper Country Islanders
Chicago Warriors 	Chicago, Illinois 	 	1972-1975	folded
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario 	Sault Memorial Gardens 	1972-1973	folded
Sioux City Musketeers 	Sioux City, Iowa 	Sioux City Municipal Auditorium 	1972-1979	stay with league when continues as a junior level league
Copper Country Islanders 	Calumet, Michigan 	Calumet Armory 	1973-1974	renamed Copper Country Chiefs
Madison Blues 	Madison, Wisconsin 	Hartmeyer Ice Arena 	1973-1974	transferred to Continental Hockey League
Milwaukee Admirals 	Milwaukee, Wisconsin 	Milwaukee Arena 	1973-1977	transferred to International Hockey League (1945-2001)
Copper-Country Chiefs 	Calumet, Michigan 	Calumet Armory 	1974-1976	folded
Central Wisconsin Flyers 	Stevens Point, Wisconsin 	 	1974-1976	folded
Traverse City Bays 	Traverse City, Michigan 	Glacier Dome 	1975-1977	folded
Grand Rapids Blades 	Grand Rapids, Michigan 	Stadium Arena 	1976-1977	folded; city get Grand Rapids Owls  on December 15, 1977 when the IHL's Dayton Owls relocate to the city
Austin Mavericks 	Austin, Minnesota 	Riverside Arena 	1977-1979	stay with league when continues as a junior level league
Bloomington Junior Stars 	Bloomington, Minnesota 	Bloomington Ice Garden 	1977-1979	stay with league when continues as a junior level league
St. Paul Vulcans 	Saint Paul, Minnesota 	Aldrich Ice Arena (Maplewood) Columbia Arena (Fridley)	1977-1979	stay with league when continues as a junior level league
Anoka Nordiques 	Coon Rapids, Minnesota and/or Fridley, Minnesota	Cook Memorial Arena and/or Columbia Arena 	1978-1979	become New Hope, Minnesota based Hennepin Nordiques when league becomes a junior level league
Note: The Anoka Nordiques are listed on other websites as playing in Anoka, Minnesota. The Columbia Arena in Fridley, Minnesota opened in 1968 as the first indoor arena in the area and the Cook Memorial Arena in Coon Rapids, Minnesota opened in 1973. These were the only two indoor arenas in Anoka County until the Anoka Area Ice Arena opened in 1981.http://www.anokaicearena.com/history.html
==See also==
*List of USHL Seasons
==References==
Category:Canadian-American Amateur Leagues
Category:Defunct ice hockey leagues
Category:United States Hockey League (1961-1979)