Pittsburgh Hornets
| Pittsburgh Hornets | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| League |
American Hockey League IHL Canpro |
| Operated | 1936–1956 1961–1967 |
| Home arena |
Duquesne Gardens Pittsburgh Civic Arena |
| Colors | Red, White (1936–1950) Black, Gold (1951–1953) Blue and Gold (1961) Red, White (1961–1967) |
| Affiliates |
Detroit Red Wings (1927–45) Toronto Maple Leafs (1946–56) Detroit Red Wings (1961–67) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1927–1936 | Detroit Olympics |
| 1936–1956 1961–1967 |
Pittsburgh Hornets |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles |
3 (1951–52, 1954–55, 1966–67) |
| Division Championships | 4 (1951–52, 1954–55, 1963–64, 1966–67) |
| Calder Cups | 3 (1951–52, 1954–55, 1966–67) |
The Pittsburgh Hornets were a minor-league professional men's ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Contrary to popular belief, the Pittsburgh Hornets did not evolve from the International Hockey League's Pittsburgh Shamrocks. The franchise started play in 1927, playing their first nine seasons as the Detroit Olympics. Then on October 4, 1936, after winning the IHL championship, the Olympics moved to Pittsburgh to become the Hornets. Bill Anderson and Bill Hudson were the only two players from the Shamrocks to be on the Hornets roster at the start of the 1936–37 season.
The Hornets wore wool jerseys that were likely recycled from the Olympics. The Hornets, which were still a minor-league team for the NHL's Detroit Red Wings, made their debut in the International-American Hockey League in 1936–37. The league transformed into the American Hockey League in 1940.
The Hornets disbanded after the 1955–56 season. The franchise was suspended because the archaic Duquesne Gardens was torn down. The Hornets reappeared in the new Civic Arena in 1961 and, after a poor start, they became AHL contenders again, this time as a farm club for the Detroit Red Wings. They won a division title in 1964 and won the Calder Cup in 1967. Following the 1967 win, the Hornets were closed for good, victims of NHL expansion. The Pittsburgh Penguins have served the market since. The Hornets were three-time winners of the American Hockey League's Calder Cup.
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