A Confluence of Destinies: The Saga of the Winnipeg Falcons’ 1920 Olympic Gold Medal Victory in Ice Hockey

Author David Grebstad has released, A Confluence of Destinies: The Saga of the Winnipeg Falcons' 1920 Olympic Gold Medal Victory in Ice Hockey.

Hockey is cultural bedrock in Canada. So culturally important has ice hockey become to Canada, in 1994 the Government of Canada passed the National Sports Act which named Ice Hockey as Canada's national winter sport. The enduring cultural importance of hockey to Canadians means that its origins and evolution are of significant importance to understanding Canadian history and the evolution of the Canadian nation. In 1920 hockey became a vehicle by which Canadian prestige and identity were transmitted globally.

This is not just a book about hockey. A Confluence of Destinies tells the story of multiple narratives that intertwine, influence and interact with each other. It is the story of a game, hockey, and its evolution into a sport that is embedded in the very DNA of Canadians. It is the story of a nation, Canada, and its evolution from a small British colony in the north-east corner of North America to a transcontinental Dominion at home amongst the nations of the world.

It is the story of Winnipeg; a city that grew from a scattering of frame houses around the forks of two muddy rivers to a thriving commercial and cultural prairie metropolis. It is the story of Manitoba, a province that was born of conflict and grew to become keystone in the arch of Confederation. Finally, it is the story of a team. Seven men, mostly sons of Icelandic immigrants, who grew up amid the racial tension of early Winnipeg, learned to play and love hockey, served their country in the killing fields of Europe and became world champions in the sport their city, province and country adored. All these seemingly disparate destinies converged on the ice in Antwerp, in 1920.

You can purchase your copy HERE.