1903 Ottawa Senators Bouse Hutton Jersey

One of history's most accomplished multi-sport talents, John "Bouse" Hutton, was born on this date in 1877. His hockey career began in 1899 with two appearances for the Ottawa Hockey Club, then members of the Canadian Amateur Hockey League.

John "Bouse" Hutton

Hutton, a goaltender, then took the reigns by playing in 7 of the team's 8 games in 1900, completing the season with a 2.71 goals against average which was second best in the CAHL. He would go undefeated in 1901 with a 7-0-1 record to carry Ottawa to the league championship while lowering his goals against average to 2.50 to lead the league.

The 1901 Ottawa Hockey Club

After the conclusion of the hockey season, Hutton also played in goal for the Ottawa Capitals for the summer lacrosse season and won the inaugural Minto Cup as the top senior team in Canada.

A Bouse Hutton lacrosse card

He would again tie for the best goals against average in 1902 at 1.70, which included a pair of shutouts while once again playing in all 8 games. Prior to the start of the winter hockey season, Hutton would win another championship, only this one as a fullback for the Ottawa Rough Riders of Canadian football.

Ottawa would return to the top spot in the standings in 1903 as Hutton again contributed a pair of shutouts.

At the conclusion of the regular season, Ottawa defeated the Montreal Victorias in a two-game total goals series. After a 1-1 tie in the opening game, Ottawa cruised to the title with a 8-0 romp in game two to be awarded the Stanley Cup as league champions. Four days later they defended the cup by defeating the Rat Portage Thistles 6-2 and 4-2 in a best-of-three.

The 1903 holders of the Stanley Cup - The Ottawa Silver Seven

Prior to the start of the 1904 season, Ottawa, now known as "The Silver Seven" after the players were each awarded a silver nugget for winning the Stanley Cup, defended their trophy against a challenge from the Winnipeg Rowing Club. They successfully turned back the visitors in their best-0f-three series by winning the first game 9-1 and, after dropping the second 6-2, retained the cup following their 2-0 win as Hutton added another shutout to his record.

As the landscape of the hockey world was an unsettled one during it's formative years, Hutton won all four of Ottawa's games in the CAHL before the team withdrew from the league at mid-season.

Having retained possession of the cup despite leaving the CAHL, Ottawa would easily turn back the challenge of the Toronto Marlboros 6-3 and 11-2 in their best-of-three series in late February. A week later a two-game total goal series was arranged against the Montreal Wanderers. Regulation time of the first game ended 5-5, Montreal refused to play an overtime, demanding the game be considered a no-contest and requested the series start over as a best-of-three. When that proposal was turned down, Montreal abandoned their challenge and Ottawa not only retained the cup, but were also named champions of the Federal Amateur Hockey League (the league the Wanderers were members of and Ottawa was scheduled to join the following season after leaving the CAHL) despite never having played a game in the league at the time!

The Silver Seven had one more challenge to face that season, this from the Brandon Wheat Cities club, whom Ottawa would easily handle 6-3 and 9-3. Hutton's record in Ottawa's cup challenge games was 6-1-1 with a 2.90 goals against.

Following the 1904 hockey season Hutton retired from hockey to focus on lacrosse where he won a second Minto Cup with the Capitals. Following their championship, the Capitals toured England and won 23 out of 24 games.

Having been retired from hockey for five years, Huton returned to the ice in 1909 with a new club named the Ottawa Senators in the same FAHL as his original team, the Ottawa Silver Seven, who had by then moved onto yet another league. In five games, Hutton finished with a record of 3-2 with one shutout to end his career for good.

Hutton was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962.

Today's featured jersey is a 1903 Ottawa Silver Seven Bouse Hutton jersey with the Senators trademark black, red and white horizontal "barberpole" stripes. This style of jersey was first adopted in 1903, and except for one season with vertical stripes in 1910-11, remained in use through the original Senators final season in Ottawa of 1933-34, with the addition of the letter "O" crest from 1929-30 on.