Hall of Fame
The Varsity Grads 1928 hockey team holds a very special place in University of Toronto, Canadian and international sports history. Their accomplishments are unique: intercollegiate champions, national senior champions, and Olympic Gold medallists.
Success followed the team to St. Moritz Switzerland in 1928, having won the 1925 Allan Cup (national) and 1926 intercollegiate crown. The Grads refined their skills at the newly finished Varsity Arena until they departed for St. Moritz.
Their level of skill and play astounded the Swiss officials at pre-Olympic practices, prompting them to create a qualifying system that allowed the Varsity Grads to sit-out round-robin divisional play and proceed directly to the medal round. Contemporary accounts of the fourteen players on the Varsity squad recount a team of outstanding individual players who functioned extremely well as a team. The skills with which they played were second only to their sportsmanship, style, dedication, and enthusiasm. The Grads faced three opponents Sweden, Great Britain and Switzerland in games that they won decidedly: 11-0, 14-0 and 11-0 respectively. The final win over Switzerland gave Canada its third consecutive Olympic Gold hockey medal.
The team was comprised of captain and defensive player John C. Porter; goal keepers Dr. Joseph Sullivan and Norbert Mueller; defensive players Ross Taylor, Frank Fisher, Roger Plaxton; centre Hugh Plaxton; wingers Dr. Louis Hudson and Dave Trottier; and substitute forwards Frank Sullivan, Chas Delahay, Bert Plaxton and Grant Gordon.
