// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's William Fairbrother? Fair brother to all.
William Dycer Fairbrother (born 23 Jan 1874) was a Canadian ice hockey player who is credited with inventing the ice hockey net in the 1890s.
Hockey net invention
[edit]Fairbrother was born on 23 Jan 1874 in Beamsville, Lincoln, Ontario, Canada. During the 1880s, Fairbrother played for Beamsville, Ontario's Men's Hockey team.[1][2] He played in the Southern Ontario Hockey Association.[3] At first, two poles or two rocks served as goals, and an official would watch to see if a puck passed through the goal.[1] However, disputes arose over goals and biased officiating.[1] Then, Fairbrother, who played as a goaltender, got a net from a local fisherman and strung it from the poles.[1] Players were immediately more satisfied with the new system.[1]
Later life and death
[edit]Fairbrother was Beamsville clerk 1914-1931 and treasurer 1922-1931, then county registrar until he retired in 1949. He died 11 Nov 1956.[4][5]
Legacy
[edit]The Ontario Hockey Association credited Fairbrother with the invention of the hockey net.[1] Hockey Hall of Fame records indicate that Fairbrother's idea happened in 1897 or 1898.[1] The Jordan Historical Museum of the Twenty held an exhibit on Fairbrother.[6] In February 1997, the town Lincoln, Ontario designated Fairbrother's home a historical site.[7]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Buckingham, Shane. "Lincoln touted as birthplace of the hockey net". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
- ↑ Turcotte, Dorothy (2020-03-25). "Grimsby and Beamsville have a rich hockey history". NiagaraThisWeek.com. Retrieved 2026-07-14.
- ↑ "The Brock Broadcaster" (PDF). April 2021.
- ↑ "Invented nets used in Hockey", The Ottawa Citizen, 14 Nov 1956
- ↑ "Town of Hockey Net Invention - Beamsville | Ontario". 1000 Towns of Canada. 2022-03-27. Retrieved 2026-07-14.
- ↑ Edwards, Luke. "Lincoln's hockey history on display at museum". niagarathisweek. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
- ↑ "Lincoln Bylaw" (PDF). Town Of Lincoln. Retrieved 18 October 2016.