Cleveland Barons (1937-1973)
| Cleveland Barons | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Cleveland, Ohio |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Operated | 1937–February 1973 |
| Home arena | Cleveland Arena |
| Colors | Royal Blue & White |
| Franchise history | |
| 1929–1934 IHL | Cleveland Indians |
| 1934–1937 IHL/I-AHL | Cleveland Falcons |
| 1937– February 1973 I-AHL/AHL |
Cleveland Barons |
| Feb/73– 1974 |
Jacksonville Barons |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 8 (1937–38, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1952–53) |
| Division Championships |
10 (1937–38, 1940–41, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1961–62) |
| Calder Cups |
9 (1938–39, 1940–41, 1944–45, 1947–48, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1963–64) |
The Cleveland Barons were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, at the Cleveland Arena. The most successful team in AHL history, the original incarnation of the Barons played in the AHL from 1937 to 1973. In that time, they won ten division titles and nine Calder Cups, which, although the team had been defunct for over three decades, remained a record until 2009, when the Hershey Bears won their 10th Calder Cup. In 1973, they relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, where they were known as the Jacksonville Barons; they lasted only through the 1973–1974 season before folding.
The team traces its roots back to the 1929–30 season of the International Hockey League, as the "Cleveland Indians." The Indians played for five seasons, until being renamed the Cleveland Falcons for the 1934–35 season. The Falcons played for three more years, when they became the Barons in 1937–38.
From 1934 to 1949, the team was owned by Al Sutphin, who was also an owner of the Braden-Sutphin Ink Company in Cleveland. Sutphin, a true sportsman, was known to often pay better salaries than NHL teams at the time (1930s and 1940s), and some players preferred to remain in "minor league" Cleveland instead of playing in the "major" NHL. Sutphin built the Cleveland Arena, at the time one of the largest and most beautiful hockey facilities in North America. It was rumored that the dormant Montreal Maroons NHL franchise would be transferred to Cleveland but nothing came of it.
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