Introduction
The Western Pennsylvania Hockey League (WPHL) was a Top-Player League and first ever professional hockey league that operated in the north-eastern United States during the late 19th century. The league that is the subject of this page was formed in 1896 (130 years ago). The league was originally amateur, but professionalism was introduced to the circuit in 1901.
In 1895, the Schenley Park Casino was built in Pittsburgh, featuring the first artificial ice-making plant in North America. The first hockey game was between a team from Canada (Queen’s University) playing against a group of local players from Western University (today the University of Pittsburgh) and Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost (today Duquesne University). It was reported that 2,500 to 3,000 fans showed up to watch the games, despite claims of bad weather. No score or records were kept but the local paper reported the team from Queen’s University outplayed the Pittsburghers, who had never played the game before.
Sometime between the Queen’s game and November 1896, the Casino’s management decided to organize a senior ice hockey league named the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League. The league played its first season in 1896–97 at the Casino, with four teams until December 16, when the Casino rink was destroyed by fire, along with the hockey equipment of most of the teams. The league dissolved without a championship would take a hiatus for a year and return to play in 1898-99.
The 1901–02 season is considered the first season where the league was recognized as professional, being the first-ever professional ice hockey league. The league lured players from Canada with promises of high-paid employment and small cash incentives. At this time all Canadian associations were still amateur, and many of the Canadian players had been expelled from hockey in Canada for being professionals.
In early 1903 the champion of the WPHL competed against Houghton, Michigan’s Portage Lakes Hockey Club for the “Pro Championship of the United States”. Portage Lakes played off with the Pittsburgh Bankers. Portage Lakes won the four game series 2–1–1 , but they were outscored 11–6. In early 1904 three different Pittsburgh teams challenged Portage Lakes for the U.S. Pro title that year. The WPHL champion Victorias put up the best battle, losing two games to one.
In 1904-05, the WPHL suspended itself so that its most skilled players could join the Pittsburgh Professionals who would play in the new formed International Professional Hockey League. This was the the first-ever inter-city professional league. By 1907, professional leagues were now popping up all over Canada and most of the great players went back home for a better pay day, so the IPHL folded.
The WPHL was then restarted the 1907–08 season, which started several weeks before the Canadian leagues, since there were no artificial ice rinks in Canada until 1911. It would last two more seasons before folding for good.
The WPHL’s legacy was being the first league to openly hire hockey players, and may have been involved in the first trade involving professional hockey players. Several of league’s alumni continued to make hockey history on both local and national stage but none of its teams would carry on any form.
Classification
Seasons Summary
| Year | Champion | # of Teams |
| 1896-1897 (amateur) | No champion (incomplete) | 4 |
| 1897-1898 (amateur) | On hiatus | On hiatus |
| 1898-1899 (amateur) | Pittsburgh Athletic Club | 3 |
| 1899-1900 (amateur) | Pittsburgh Athletic Club | 4 |
| 1900-1901 (amateur) | Pittsburgh Athletic Club | 4 |
| 1901-1902 (professional) | Pittsburgh Keystones | 3 |
| 1902-1903 (professional) | Pittsburgh Bankers | 4 |
| 1903-1904 (professional) | Pittsburgh Victorias | 4 |
| 1904-1905 | On hiatus | 0 |
| 1905-1906 | On hiatus | 0 |
| 1906-1907 | On hiatus | 0 |
| 1907-1908 | Pittsburgh Bankers | 4 |
| 1908-1909 | Duquesne Athletic Club | 4 |
League Championship Summary
# of seasons: 8
List of teams who won championships sorted by number of championships.
| Team | # of League Championships |
| Pittsburgh Athletic Club | 3 (1899-1901) |
| Pittsburgh Bankers | 2 (1903, 1908) |
| Pittsburgh Keystones | 1 (1902) |
| Pittsburgh Victorias | 1 (1904) |
| Duquesne Athletic Club | 1 (1909) |
Future Features
Last Updated on June 27, 2026 by Al Young