Oliver Seibert
Early professional hockey player and father of Hall of Famer Earl Seibert.
Oliver Levi Seibert (March 18, 1881 – May 15, 1944) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who joined the professional ranks in 1904, making him one of the first to do so. He was the father of Earl Seibert, a National Hockey League player and fellow Hockey Hall of Fame inductee.
Seibert was born in Berlin, Ontario, to Franklin and Sarah (née Bedford) Seibert, the second of fourteen children. He married Emma Fuhrman on November 6, 1901, and they had six children: May, Roy, Vera, Earl, Ruth, and Doris. According to the 1911 Canadian census, his occupation was shop machinist. His paternal grandfather, Jacob E. Seibert, was born in Bavaria, Germany, and his paternal grandmother’s family traced back to Switzerland. His mother was born in England to English parents who emigrated to Canada. Emma Fuhrman’s parents were born in Germany. Seibert died of a stroke at his home on 79 Elgin Street in Kitchener, Ontario.
The Seibert family had enough players to form its own seven-man team, featuring Oliver, Edward, Nelson, Clarence, Bert, Shannon, and Frank. Oliver was known for his skating speed and skill, with conflicting accounts of whether he or his father once beat a horse in a match race on ice.
Seibert began senior-level hockey in 1900 with the Berlin Rangers of the Western Ontario Hockey Association (WOHA). After two seasons with Berlin, he played for Guelph in 1902, then returned for one more season with Berlin. He was part of Western Ontario Senior championship teams in 1900, 1901, 1902, and 1904. The Berlin team played an exhibition game in St. Louis, Missouri, considered one of the first ice hockey games on artificial ice. When the WOHA was absorbed into the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), Seibert was declared ineligible to play in the OHA on December 30, 1904, ending his Ontario playing options.
On January 31, 1905, he signed with the professional Canadian Soo of the International Professional Hockey League (IPHL) for $30 per week plus board. He played only one game, breaking his leg in his debut against Calumet on February 2, 1905, ending his season. He later played professionally for London, Ontario, and Guelph in the Ontario Professional Hockey League, including the 1908–09 season with the Royals, and also played in the Northwestern Michigan League.
Quick Facts
- Halloffame
- 1961
- Birth Date
- 1881-03-18
- Birth Place
- Berlin, Ontario, Canada
- Death Date
- 1944-05-15
- Death Place
- Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
- Weight Lb
- 180
- Position
- Centre / Goaltender
- Played For
- Canadian Soo / Guelph Royals
- Career Start
- 1900
- Career End
- 1909
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Oliver Seibert was born in 1881 in Berlin, Ontario, the second of fourteen children. His grandfather on his father's side was born in Bavaria, Germany, and his grandmother on that side traced back to Switzerland; his mother was born in England of English parents. He married Emma Fuhrman in 1901, and they had six children. The Seibert family had enough hockey players to organize its own team of seven, including Oliver, Edward, Nelson, Clarence, Bert, Shannon, and Frank. Seibert was recognized for his skating skill and speed, and there are conflicting accounts of Oliver or his father defeating a horse in a match race on the ice.
Seibert first played senior-level hockey with the Berlin Rangers in the Western Ontario Hockey Association (WOHA) in 1900, playing two years there before switching to Guelph in 1902 and returning for one further season with Berlin. He was a member of Western Ontario Senior championship teams for 1900, 1901, 1902, and 1904. The Berlin team played an exhibition game in St. Louis, Missouri, considered one of the first games of ice hockey played on artificial ice. After the WOHA was absorbed into the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), Seibert was declared ineligible to play in the OHA on December 30, 1904, eliminating the possibility of play in Ontario.
On January 31, 1905, Seibert signed with the professional Canadian Soo of the International Professional Hockey League (IPHL) for $30 per week and board. He played only one game with the Soo, suffering a season-ending broken leg in his first game against Calumet on February 2, 1905. He later played professional hockey for London, Ontario, and Guelph in the Ontario Professional Hockey League, and also played professionally in the Northwestern Michigan League.
Reader's Guide
Oliver Seibert's significance lies in his status as one of the first players to turn professional in 1904, marking a pivotal moment in hockey's transition from amateur to professional sport. His career spanned several early leagues, including the Western Ontario Hockey Association, the International Professional Hockey League, and the Ontario Professional Hockey League. He was a member of four Western Ontario Senior championship teams (1900, 1901, 1902, 1904) and participated in an exhibition game in St. Louis considered one of the first on artificial ice. His professional debut was cut short by a broken leg in his first game with Canadian Soo. Seibert was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961, and also into the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame. His son Earl Seibert is also a member of both halls of fame, creating a notable father-son legacy in hockey history.
Did You Know?
- He broke his leg in his first professional game with Canadian Soo on February 2, 1905.
- Seibert's son Earl Seibert is also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
More in Hockey Hall of Fame Players, Part 3 1-24
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