Victory on Ice

Epic battles, fatal sacrifices, and highly improbable circumstances brought the Stanley Cup to Chicago twice during the 1930s. Long overlooked, the city’s 1934 and 1938 championships evoked a sense of triumph and jubilation during the darkness and gloom of the Great Depression.

By combining tales of old-time hockey with broader elements of history, Victory on Ice recreates a near-century-old landscape, teleporting readers to a bygone era when the Blackhawks’ earliest heroes played a brutal game against bitter rivals. Many players and their families lived simple, interconnected lives in small apartments and hotels. Teammates forged a unique camaraderie during long train rides between NHL cities. Salaries were modest, and players without cars took the bus to practices and games at the cavernous and electrifying Chicago Stadium. Underworld figures, intent on fixing games, occasionally threatened players.

As the only detailed account (players, regular seasons, and playoffs) of these milestones, Victory on Ice is both unprecedented and different from typical sports books. Seven years in the making, it was written with strong cooperation from the families of many former players, coaches, and officials. Retired Northwestern University Professor Emeritus Virgil C. Johnson, son of defenseman and 1938 Stanley Cup team member, Virgil Johnson, wrote the foreword. Through rare photographs and insight gleaned from letters, telegrams, scrapbooks, and interviews, Victory on Ice puts readers in the middle of the action on the ice, while also providing a window into players’ everyday lives.

Experience all the action and excitement in this detailed account of two unforgettable seasons, concluding with one of the greatest Cinderella stories in professional sports.