Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Enjoy these Heritage Minutes brought to you by Historica Canada! While free to view and share, these productions remain under copyright. Re-uploads or modified versions are strictly prohibited without written prior permission. For all re-shares, please tag us (@HistoricaCanada).
A team of Icelandic-Canadians serve in the First World War before bringing home the very first gold medal in Olympic hockey.
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Version française : youtu.be/lndlRvyca4c
Extended cut: youtu.be/CO2omjEBxEw
The Winnipeg Falcons was a hockey team of the early 20th century that was made up almost solely of players of Icelandic heritage. Many players from the local leagues, including the Falcons, served their country in the First World War. The conflict caused heartache for families far and wide; two early Falcons lost their lives for their country: Frank “Buster” Thorsteinson and George Cumbers. When the war was over, the main Falcons team was re-assembled — Johannesson, Fredrickson, Bobby Benson, goalie Wally Byron, trainer Gordon Sigurjonsson and team president Hebbie Axford were among the team members who returned from service overseas. In 1920, they won Olympic gold in Antwerp, Belgium, in the first Olympic hockey tournament.
*Learn more on _The Canadian Encyclopedia_* :
Winnipeg Falcons:
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/winnipeg-falcons
First World War:
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/first-world-war-wwi
Ice Hockey in Canada:
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ice-hockey
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*More educational content at* :
historicacanada.ca
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
*Credits* :
Hebbie Axford: Jared Keeso (thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jared-keeso)
End Narrator: George Stroumboulopoulos (thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/george-stroumboulopoulos)
DOP: Craig Wrobleski
Composer: Andrea Wettstein
Editor: Bridget Durnford
Production Designer: Leslie Fraser
Director: Grant Harvey
Written by Stephen Massicotte
Producers: Scott Henuset and Brent Kawchuk
Produced by Corkscrew Media
Enjoy these Heritage Minutes brought to you by Historica Canada! While free to view and share, these productions remain under copyright. Re-uploads or modified versions are strictly prohibited without written prior permission. For all re-shares, please tag us (@HistoricaCanada).
A team of Icelandic-Canadians serve in the First World War before bringing home the very first gold medal in Olympic hockey.
*Join our mailing list* : historicacanada.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8b239f6d4c109489e40480d52&id=307fa49399
SUBSCRIBE to learn more about Canada: histori.ca/youtube
Version française : youtu.be/lndlRvyca4c
Extended cut: youtu.be/CO2omjEBxEw
The Winnipeg Falcons was a hockey team of the early 20th century that was made up almost solely of players of Icelandic heritage. Many players from the local leagues, including the Falcons, served their country in the First World War. The conflict caused heartache for families far and wide; two early Falcons lost their lives for their country: Frank “Buster” Thorsteinson and George Cumbers. When the war was over, the main Falcons team was re-assembled — Johannesson, Fredrickson, Bobby Benson, goalie Wally Byron, trainer Gordon Sigurjonsson and team president Hebbie Axford were among the team members who returned from service overseas. In 1920, they won Olympic gold in Antwerp, Belgium, in the first Olympic hockey tournament.
*Learn more on _The Canadian Encyclopedia_* :
Winnipeg Falcons:
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/winnipeg-falcons
First World War:
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/first-world-war-wwi
Ice Hockey in Canada:
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ice-hockey
*FOLLOW US!*
Instagram: instagram.com/historicacanada
Twitter: twitter.com/HistoricaCanada
TikTok: tiktok.com/@historicacanada
Facebook: facebook.com/Historica.Canada
Pinterest: pinterest.ca/historicac/_saved
*More educational content at* :
historicacanada.ca
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
*Credits* :
Hebbie Axford: Jared Keeso (thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jared-keeso)
End Narrator: George Stroumboulopoulos (thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/george-stroumboulopoulos)
DOP: Craig Wrobleski
Composer: Andrea Wettstein
Editor: Bridget Durnford
Production Designer: Leslie Fraser
Director: Grant Harvey
Written by Stephen Massicotte
Producers: Scott Henuset and Brent Kawchuk
Produced by Corkscrew Media
