This article was researched and contributed by Joseph Nieforth
In all the major statistical sources Carol "Cully" Wilson has been
credited with playing three games for Toronto in the 1915-16 season.
They are wrong.
I have been able to locate the three games where a Wilson is credited
with playing for Toronto in the 1915-16 season. The only problem is
that not one of them involves Cully. Claude Wilson, a goaltender
from Oshawa, is the player who should be credited with playing those
games.
The game on January 26, 1916 was the most difficult to gather
material about since it took place in Ottawa. Fortunately,
Carol "Cully" Wilson is mentioned, in the Vancouver Sun, as playing
against the Millionaires in Seattle the day before(1). The Ottawa
Citizen and Ottawa Journal list "Wilson" as a substitute but not
when, how long or what position. From researching that season I know
that Claude Wilson was with the team while Cully Wilson went west as
part of a PCHA player raid made on the Torontos, a.k.a. Blue Shirts,
in November 1915.
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The February 26, 1916 game is far easier to build a case for Claude
Wilson. For one, Cully Wilson played in Portland on February 25,
1916, knocking Dunderdale out of the game through a collision(2).
The Toronto and Ottawa sources are much clearer on which Wilson was
playing in Toronto. The Ottawa Citizen(3), Toronto Daily Star(4),
The Globe (Toronto)(5) and The Toronto Daily News(6) all mention
Claude Wilson by name as playing the entire third period, giving up
one goal to preserve the Toronto victory. Two days later the
Vancouver Sun recorded that Cully Wilson scored eight goals against
Portland in Seattle(7). Cully would have to be a true iron man to
cross the continent twice in four days, given that air travel was not
a common thing like it is today. If Cully had done this stunt it
would have made headlines all along the flight path.
The final game in question has the problem that I do not know where
to find Cully Wilson. My assumption is that he returned to his home
for the off-season. Claude Wilson played for the Toronto team
against the Montreal Wanderers on March 11, 1916 in Toronto. The
Toronto Daily News(8), The Mail and Empire (Toronto)(9) and The
Toronto Daily Star(10) all refer to the goaltender by name as playing
the entire third period. The Globe (Toronto) does not mention Claude
Wilson but does indicate a Wilson as a substitute. Claude, again,
preserved the victory for Toronto, giving up a lone goal.
So, why has this error remained in hockey statistical reports?
Simply put, an error was made many years ago and has been repeated
ever since as true.
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