Was there ever a more dominant hockey team than the St.Francis Xavier X-Men in the days when the Antigonish school collected championships by the dozen? Did you know that, between 1906 and 1963, the Xaverians won Nova Scotia intercollegiate titles no less than 37 times? Did you know that, between 1950 and 1963, 14 of those provincial crowns were in succession? It was probably no coincidence that provincial championships were discontinued right after that. Did you also know, however, that, on the broader Maritime scene, the X-Men won 30 championships between 1906 and 1968, including nine in the 1950’s? No wonder the word “dynasty” is believed to have originated in Antigonish. It’s easy to understand why all that success, and all that dominance, sparked a long-standing debate: What was the best St. F. X. hockey team of all-time?

For obvious reasons, there will never be an official answer. But, for many people of the time, you would have to argue into the night to say that any club was finer than Father Andy Hogan’s outstanding crew in 1950-51, the squad that is inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Heritage Centre’s Hall of Fame. I was a 12-year-old growing up in New Glasgow that winter, but I remember that great team like it had played only yesterday. Many of the games were in Pictou County because the Xaverians were members of the highly-regarded A.P.C. Senior Hockey league, which included the New Glasgow Rangers, Stellarton Royals and Pictou Maripacs. Despite the fact other rosters were filled with veteran players, the much younger collegians ran roughshod over the opposition. Do you know what St. F.X. did that season? They won the A.P.C. championship, they were the Maritime senior champs, and they went on to become Allan Cup semifinalists in a period when the Allan Cup still meant something big in this country. Of course, the X-men also captured the Nova Scotia and Maritime intercollegiate crowns, as usual.

How strong were they?

Well, in 50 games, they posted a 37-11-2 record. But, more impressively, they scored 317 goals or 6.34 per contest – in an era when defensive hockey was supposed to be the name of the game. How good were the players? Well, Eddie Swartzack, one of the best Xaverians ever, had 60 goals and 107 points in those 50 games. And his brother, Eugene, added 35 goals and 75 points. The third member of their line, centre Jackie MacLellan, was as smooth a performer as you’ll ever see, registering 40 goals and 96 points. Look at this: Ed Swartzack had seven hat-tricks that season, Eugene scored four times in one game, while MacLellan had four hat-tricks. And the offence surely didn’t stop there. Team captain Geno Scattalone went 31-35-66, Bill Dixon had a 30-33-63 record, and Joe MacEachern was 33-34-67. Other forwards were Howie Gardiner, Acky MacSween, John Markie, Phil Sharkey, Mick Woodford and Paul MacDonald. And there was talent on the blueline too. Rearguards Duke MacDonald, Luigi Centa, Ed Murrin, George Kehoe and Phil Bowes were big assets to goaltenders Hugh McMullin and Steve Hogan.

How do you properly sum up the 1950-51 club?

Well, John (Packy) McFarland, who became the university’s new athletic director in 1992, wrote a book 20 years ago which he called “75 Years of Hockey”. In it, he recaptured the highlights of three-quarters of a century of the game on the campus. He wrote that the ’50-51 team “produced some of the best hockey ever seen at St. F.X.” Induction into the Hall of Fame confirms that belief.

Team members: Warren Allmand, B. Bartlett, Phil Bowes, Luigi Centa, F. Dempsey, Bill Dixon, Howie Gardiner, Andy Hogan (coach), Steve Hogan, George (Porgy) Kehoe (captain, 1952), B. Leonard, Duke MacDonald, Paul MacDonald, Joe (The Pro) MacEachern, Charlie MacLean, Jack MacLellan, Acky MacSween, John Markie, Hugh McMullin, Ed Murrin, Geno (Scat) Scattolon (captain, 1951), Phil Sharkey, Ed Swartzack, Eugene Swartzack, Bill Taylor, Ray Toomey, Mick Woodford.

Bio courtesy Hugh Townsend