Cooper Canada

Lore & Background

The company began as General Leather Goods, founded in 1905 by R.H. Cameron. Cecil John Weeks, a nephew by marriage of Cameron, worked with him, as did Jack Cooper, who joined the company of 15 employees in 1932 as their first salesman. In 1949, Cooper and Weeks purchased the company and re-styled it as Cooper-Weeks. Jack Cooper bought out his partner in 1954, but the company continued as Cooper-Weeks until 1971, when it was changed to Cooper Canada to coincide with going public, with 40% of its shares traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Prior to the purchase, the company made leather coin purses, key cases, business portfolios, and ski and snowshoe harness sets. With the Great Depression impacting sales, they switched focus to economy-priced protective ice hockey shin guards in 1933 and gloves in 1935. Frank Selke, manager of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1950s and early 1960s, worked with Cooper to decrease weight and improve durability and safety. In 1969, the company introduced the plastic hockey stick replacement blade widely used in road hockey. In 1955, the company became the Canadian Licensee to produce and market Buxton leathergoods in the Canadian market.

Cooper employees and customers worked closely together to develop innovations like goaltenders' throat protection and professional grade lacrosse equipment. In the 1970s, Dave Dryden assisted the company in their Custom Pro Shop, sharing his latest thoughts on improving goaltenders' protective gear. Following the July 5, 1972 acquisition of Hespeler-St. Mary's Wood Specialties Ltd. from the Seagram family, the company expanded into the bat market, with Major League Baseball finally approving their bats on March 27, 1986. The bats gained popularity with several Major League players and were the first Canadian-made bats used in major league play.

Reader's Guide

Cooper Canada's significance lies in its transformation of hockey equipment through material innovation and team-coloured designs, which became industry standards. The company's introduction of nylon, foam, and modern plastics, along with its collaboration with figures like Frank Selke and Dave Dryden, advanced player safety and performance. Its expansion into baseball bats made it the first Canadian manufacturer to have bats approved for Major League Baseball, achieving a 30% market share by 1988. Despite criticism of some products—such as the Cooper XL7 helmet, Cooperalls, and hinged DG32 shin pads—Cooperalls found lasting acceptance in junior hockey, ringette, and broomball, where long sport pants became official equipment. The Cooper brand also became a market leader in hurling equipment in Ireland after its ice hockey helmets entered the sport in the 1960s. The company's legacy continued through its hockey division's acquisition by Canstar Sports Inc. (parent of Bauer Hockey) in 1990, and the baseball bat division was purchased by former Cooper staff in 1999 to form KR3. Jack Cooper's inductions into the U.S. National Sporting Goods Association's Hall of Fame and the Canadian Business Hall of Fame reflect the company's enduring impact on sporting goods.

Did You Know?

• Cooper Canada pioneered team-coloured hockey equipment and the use of nylon, foam, and modern plastics.
• The Cooper XL7 helmet's faceguard is prized by collectors for use in replicas of Crow T. Robot from Mystery Science Theater 3000.
• Cooper bats were the first Canadian-made bats used in Major League Baseball, approved on March 27, 1986.
• In Ireland, the Cooper brand is seen as the market leader of hurling equipment.