Remembering The Winnipeg Falcons - 1920 Olympic Gold Medalists
- Shaune Jonasson
- 17 hours ago
- 7 min read
by Shaune Jonasson
In this article Icelandic Roots pays homage to our own Icelandic-Canadian hockey heroes. As we approach this year's XXV Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina, we acknowledge The Winnipeg Falcons - the first team to win an Olympic Gold Medal for amateur hockey.
Many of us in North America are blanketed in white. It’s winter and it’s cold. Regardless of how we spend the season, outdoors or inside staying warm, one thing is certain: it’s hockey season.
Winter is synonymous with hockey. Now, I must admit to not being much of a hockey fan, but I enjoy a good competitive game. This year it’s the Olympic games where the best of the best convene to vie for gold.
A group of boys, Icelandic descendants of parents that had immigrated to Canada, grew up together in Winnipeg’s West End, many of them living on Sergeant Avenue. They attended the same school and church and played sports of all kinds. Hockey became their passion. In their younger years, they played mostly on backyard rinks, sometimes on the frozen river.
The city had other leagues for hockey, but the Icelanders, often referred to in the day as “goolies”, weren’t included on team rosters. The immigrants weren’t welcome. However, the Icelandic boys ignored them and their prejudice. They created their own teams, the Vikings and the Icelandic Athletic Club. They knew the game, were skilled and played hard. From these teams grew the Winnipeg Falcons, now a part of the Manitoba Independent League for the 1910-1911 season. The Falcons continued with the league and won league titles. They proved their worth.
With Britain’s call for Canada to support WWI, the Falcon’s competitive hockey opportunities ceased, or so they thought. Seven members of the team enlisted with the 223rd Scandinavian Battalion. Pre-deployment training was held at Camp Hughes, an area located west of Winnipeg. The intensity of training was offset by recreational sport leagues. The Falcons’ members played as part of the 223rd Battalion hockey team. Some also participated in boxing, winning many of the meets.
On 23 April 1916, the 223rd Battalion left for overseas. Upon arriving in England, the soldiers were reassigned to other units: infantry, artillery, the Royal Flying corps, and general duties, each with their own area of combat. The teammates’ paths rarely crossed.
When the war ended, units demobilized, and soldiers went home. Vestiges of war were carried by many, few returned unscathed. Sadly, two of the Falcon’s paid the ultimate sacrifice, each killed in different battles within two weeks of each other. In their eternal rest, Frank “Buster” Thorsteinson and George Cumbers lie only eight headstones apart in the vast Barlin Communal Cemetery in Northern France.
Back home in 1919, the Falcon’s resumed adding more players as well as a coach and a manager. All but one of the players, Allen “Huck” Woodman, was of Icelandic descent. Once again treated as outcasts, they were turned away from joining the Manitoba Senior Hockey League. None of the other leagues were willing to come to the aid of the Falcons. Racial tensions lingered.
Perseverance persisted. The Falcon’s never gave up, nor did their fans. Soon they were allowed to play in larger venues. Their fan base grew as did their support with game tickets selling out leaving many fans standing outside of the arenas. The team could now reap some of the proceeds, a benefit put toward the cost of equipment and other kit.
Intense training paid off. They were a fast, strong, skilled and solid team. A successful season advanced them to a playoff position. They earned the right to play for the Allan Cup, the prized title and the trophy of the Canadian amateur hockey organizations. The game for the championship cup was held in Toronto on March 27th where the Falcons, representing the West, played against the Thunder Bay team from the East, the former champions defending the Cup.
The Winnipeg Falcons honourably won the Allan Cup, deeming them the best amateur hockey team in Canada. This catapulted them to represent Canada in hockey at the VII Olympic games in Antwerp, Belgium in April 1920.
This honour bestowed upon them came with its own challenges. The Falcon’s were not prepared for anything more than the Allan Cup meet, thus unprepared for travel and arriving at the Olympic games' opening on April 20th. Family, friends and fans rallied and in short order the Falcon’s had the kit required including their new Olympic sweaters. They sailed overseas with the team staff for the game of their life.
1920 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team Roster:
Jacob Walter “Wally” Byron | I529762 | Goaltender |
Robert John (Bobby) Johannesson / Benson | I529679 | Defence |
Konrad “Konnie” Johannesson | I344721 | Defence |
Allen “Huck” Woodman | Non-Icelander | Defence |
Sigurdur Franklin Fridriksson / Fredrickson “Frank” Fedierickson | I529664 | Captain Forward |
Kristmundur Numi “Chris” Fridfrinnson | I211358 | Forward |
Magnus “Mike” Goodman | I530240 | Forward |
Halldor “Slim” Halldorson/Halderson | I22416211 | Forward |
Guðmundur Sigurjónsson / Gordy Hofdal | I190403 | Coach |
Herbert “Hebbie” Axford | I523757 | President |
William Hewitt | Non-Icelander | Secretary |
Fred “Steamer” Maxwell (didn’t attend in Antwerp) | Non-Icelander | Manager |
Vilhjalmur “Bill” Fridfinnson | I530239 | Treasurer |
Seven national teams competed in the Olympics. During the games the Falcons were praised for their outstanding qualities of sportsmanship and citizenship, as well as being credited for their prevailing Viking spirit.
The Canadian Winnipeg Falcons played against Sweden winning by a score of 12 – 1. The Gold was theirs.
Before departing for home, the victorious team took the opportunity to tour the battlefield areas of France and Belgium, areas where some had fought. The remnants of war were apparent; only a few years had passed since it ended. The team wasn’t able to visit the gravesites of their fallen friends, but no doubt Buster and George were foremost in their thoughts.
Two teammates, Frank Fredrickson and Gordon Sigurjónsson relocated to Iceland rather than returning to Canada. Frank became a pilot with Iceland’s first airline. Gordon, a wrestler and hockey trainer, continued working as a trainer for track and field and Glíma, a Nordic form of wrestling. The rest embarked for home by steamship.
Fans, friends, businessmen and politicians greeted the Falcons with great fanfare at each Montreal and Toronto. Arriving in Winnipeg, the celebrities were swept off the train to great pageantry. The exuberance, cheer, and well deserved congratulations was undisputed. Dignitaries, service clubs, bands and floats paraded the team through fan-lined streets passing adorned trains, streetcars, and storefronts. Festivities continued for many days. During one of the events the Winnipeg Falcons were finally presented with the Allan Cup they had won before leaving for Belgium.
The Viking spirit was evident throughout the team’s endeavours for almost a decade. Their love of the game and their dedication to each other created an enviable bond, which helped them overcome adversity at every turn. Their passion was playing hockey and they did it well. Being the underdogs was not an impediment, rather it engendered an intensity that deposited them at the pinnacle of their game winning Olympic Gold in 1920. They are, and forever will be, the world’s first Olympic Hockey Champions.
The Winnipeg Falcons continue to be celebrated. The centenary of their 1920 Olympic win was commemorated when the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame held a special ceremony in their honour on April 26th in Winnipeg.
On February 4th, 2026, the Winnipeg Jets hockey club will honour the 1920 Winnipeg Falcons. This announcement from Lögberg-Heimskringla provides details:
Honouring the legendary Winnipeg Falcons
Wednesday 04 February 2026
Winnipeg, MB: The Winnipeg Jets will honour the legendary 1920 Winnipeg Falcons when they host the Montreal Canadiens in their final home game before the Olympic break. Made up largely of Icelandic players from Winnipeg’s west end, the Falcons won Canada’s first Olympic gold medal in ice hockey. The night will also celebrate 150 years of Icelandic culture in Manitoba—truly a Hockey Night in New Iceland.
Historica Canada created a Heritage Minute that also honours the dedication of the Winnipeg Falcons game at the 1920 Olympics. A short vignette captures the pride and dedication of the team, and the remembrance paid their fallen teammates. Watch coach Hebbie Axford rallying the team in the locker room before the game.
HERITAGE MINUTE: WINNIPEG FALCONS
There are many books and articles written about the Winnipeg Falcons. It has been an enjoyable research project to bring you an abbreviated account in celebration of our Icelandic heritage, the achievements by the Winnipeg Falcons, and acknowledge the Olympic Games as this years' opening ceremonies will soon commence. I encourage you to continue to learn more about these amazing men, the team, and their lives. A few resources are listed, not all-inclusive, but simply as a starting point.
We applaud and express appreciation for the amazing and comprehensive website created by Brian Johannesson, the son of Konrad (Konnie) Johannesson, a defenseman on the Falcon’s hockey team. The website, called The Winnipeg Falcons Hockey Club, provides the reader with the history of the Club, the players, their community. Enjoy the many photographs, letters, newspaper articles, and so much more.
References and Additional Reading
Icelandic Roots https://www.icelandicroots.com/
Arnason, Kathleen. The Falcons Gold. Coastline Publishing 2002
Eliason, Cathy. Falcons Forever The Saga of the 1920 Olympic Gold Medal Ice Hockey Team. Friesen Press 2022
Grebstad, David. A Confluence of Destinies- The Saga of the Winnipeg Falcons’ 1920 Olympic God Medal Victory in Ice Hockey. 2022
Canadian Encyclopedia: Winnipeg Falcons
CBC News The National Nov 12, 2014: The Winnipeg Falcons: Hockey gold medallists and WWI heroes all on one team
Hockey Canada: 1920 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team
The Icelandic Canadian
Vol 57 #3: The Romance of the Falcons The Falcons Will be Remembered "Forever" The Winnipeg Falcons Vol 66 #2: From Prairie Goolies to Canadian Cyclones: The transformation of the 1920 Winnipeg Falcons
Manitoba Historical Society: Archives Winnipeg Falcons
Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
Parks Canada Winnipeg Falcons Hockey Club National Historic Event
Sportsnet: Band of Brothers: The Winnipeg Falcons story November 19, 2014
The Winnipeg Falcons Hockey Club
Wikipedia: Winnipeg Falcons
