Windsor Swastikas
Early Canadian hockey team using the ancient swastika symbol.
The Windsor Swastikas were a Canadian ice hockey team from Windsor, Nova Scotia, that played from 1905 to 1916. They are not to be confused with the Fernie Swastikas of British Columbia. The team chose the name “Swastikas” because the swastika was then a symbol of luck and success, long before it became stigmatized by the Nazi Party, which did not yet exist.
The team’s logo was the ancient swastika symbol, an equilateral cross with arms bent at right angles, appearing in either a right-facing (卐) or left-facing (卍) form. Archaeological finds of swastika-shaped ornaments date back to the Neolithic period, and the design remains widely used in many religions globally. Once common without stigma, it became heavily stigmatized in the Western world—and even outlawed in Germany—due to its use by Nazi Germany.
Windsor is credited as the birthplace of hockey, so it was natural for the small town to field a touring team. When selecting a logo, they chose a symbol then linked to power and good fortune, much like a four-leaf clover. Formed in 1905, the team toured the East Coast, traveling as far as St. John’s, Newfoundland, to play other professional teams. They initially won the Western Nova Scotia Amateur Hockey League championship and also defeated other teams to claim the Halifax Herald and Mail Trophy. The team moved by train from town to town, as was common then. Their home games were played at the Stannus Street Rink, the oldest rink in Canada. The team disbanded during World War I when many players, including Blaine Sexton, joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force fighting on the Western Front.
Notable players included Blaine Sexton (May 3, 1892 – April 27, 1966), a former Swastika who later played for the British ice hockey team that won a bronze medal at the 1924 Winter Olympics. Walter Regan coached the Swastikas; his son, Gerald Regan, later became Premier of Nova Scotia. Lew Shaw was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame for hockey. Charles “Charlie” Patterson, an accomplished rowing and speed skating champion from Dartmouth, was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame along with his brother Sandy.
- Founded
- 1905
- Disbanded
- 1916
- Location
- Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Home rink
- Stannus Street Rink
- League championship
- Western Nova Scotia Amateur Hockey League
- Trophy won
- Halifax Herald and Mail Trophy
- Notable player
- Blaine Sexton
Lore & Background
Credited as the birthplace of hockey, Windsor had a long history of the sport, making it natural for the small town to field a touring team. When selecting a logo, the team chose the swastika, a symbol then associated with power and good fortune, much like a four-leaf clover. The team formed in 1905 and toured the East coast of Canada, travelling as far as St. John's, Newfoundland to play other professional teams. They initially won the Western Nova Scotia Amateur Hockey League championship and also defeated other teams to win the Halifax Herald and Mail Trophy. The team moved by train from town to town, as was common in the era, and played home games at the Stannus Street Rink, the oldest rink in Canada. The team disbanded during World War I when many players, including Blaine Sexton, joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force that fought on the Western Front.
Reader's Guide
The Windsor Swastikas represent a unique chapter in early Canadian hockey history, reflecting both the sport's deep roots in Nova Scotia and the cultural context of the early 20th century. The team's logo, the ancient swastika, was chosen for its positive connotations of luck and success, long before its appropriation by the Nazi Party. The team's existence highlights how symbols can shift in meaning over time. The Swastikas were a touring team that helped spread hockey across Eastern Canada, competing in the Western Nova Scotia Amateur Hockey League and winning the Halifax Herald and Mail Trophy. Their home rink, the Stannus Street Rink, is recognized as the oldest rink in Canada. The team's dissolution during World War I, as players enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, underscores the impact of the war on local sports. Notable alumni include Blaine Sexton, who later earned a bronze medal with the British ice hockey team at the 1924 Winter Olympics, and coach Walter Regan, whose son Gerald became Premier of Nova Scotia. The team is distinct from the Fernie Swastikas of British Columbia.
Did You Know?
- The Windsor Swastikas were active from 1905 to 1916.
- The team used the ancient swastika symbol as its logo, chosen for its association with luck and success.
More in Defunct Ice Hockey Teams, Part 5 1-24
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