Schoolboy Polo to Hockey
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Ice Polo was an original sport when the Interscholastic League formed in 1899. However, in 1903 the league decided to switch to ice hockey. There was a great stir when Brown University had offered a cup to the best preparatory high school hockey team. In addition to the Brown Cup there was the pennant of the Interscholastic League making the fight doubly interesting that year. The idea of offering a cup to the "prep" schools was first conceived by Stephen F. Hunt, or, as he was better known to his classmates, "Hoppy". Hoppy was the manager and future Captain of the hockey team at Brown that year. His idea of forming a prep school league was for the purpose of having the young men become familiar with the game, so that when they enter college they will able to make a good showing on the college team.
With this idea in mind Mr. Hunt had representatives from the schools meet in November 1902 and a league known as the Brown University Interscholastic Hockey League was formed. On Thursday morning January 1, 1903 Hope defeated Classical 3-2 in the very first Interscholastic League Hockey game. Hope would go on to win the Interscholastic League championship and the coveted Brown Cup as well.
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