London Nationals
| London Nationals | |
|---|---|
| City | London, Ontario |
| League | Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League |
| Conference | Western Ontario Conference |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Home arena | Western Fair District Sports Centre |
| Colours | Blue and white |
| General manager | Pat Powers |
| Head coach | Pat Powers |
| Captain | Austin Kemp |
| Affiliate(s) | Lambeth Lancers (PJHL) |
| Championships |
Sutherland Cup Champions: 2013 WOC Champions: 2012, 2013, 2015 WOJHL Champions: 1981,1983,1984,1992 WJBHL Champions: 1964,1965 Big 10 West Champions: 1952 |
| Website | www.londonnationals.on.ca |
| Franchise history | |
| 1950–1958 | London Lou Ball Juniors |
| 1958–1960 | London Diamonds |
| 1960–1961 | London Athletics |
| 1961–1965 | London Nationals |
| 1965–1966 | Ingersoll Nationals |
| 1966–1967 | London Bees |
| 1969–1973 | London Squires |
| 1973–1976 | London-Glencoe Squires |
| 1976–1991 | London Diamonds |
| 1991–present | London Nationals |
The London Nationals are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in London, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Ken Eansor is the current owner of the London Nationals. The general manager and Head Coach of the Nationals is Pat Powers. The Nationals play their home games at the Western Fair Sports Centre. The arena's seating capacity is 1,800, and features an international-sized ice surface measuring 100' X 200'.
The team's life began in 1950, playing in The Big '10' Western Division out of the Ontario Arena at the Western Fair grounds. They won the Western Division title in 1952 as the London Lou Ball Juniors, after sponsor Lou Ball's clothing store. In 1956 the 'Big 10' was divided, and London became a member of the Western Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League.
Consistent representation of the city of London at the Jr. B level began in 1950 with the London Lou Ball Juniors, playing in The 'Big 10' Western Division out of the Ontario Arena at the Western Fairgrounds. The team was named after Lou Ball Clothes, which were stores owned by coach Lou Ball, and they won the championship the following season. The team was known as the London Collinson Flyers during the 1955–56 season before reverting to Lou Ball Juniors for 2 more seasons. The name changed to London Diamonds in 1958, then to Athletics in 1960. In 1961 the team was renamed again. They were called the Nationals, after sponsor Canadian National Recreation Association, an organization of Canadian National Railways employees.
In 1963 the Toronto Maple Leafs began sponsoring the Nationals. The Maple Leafs traditionally had affiliations with the Toronto Marlboros and St. Michael's Majors, however with the withdrawal of the Majors from the OHA, and the collapse of the Metro Junior A League, the Leafs were left with only one team. They decided to sponsor the junior team in London, which they wanted to play at the new London Gardens and be promoted to the Ontario Hockey Association.
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