GROUNDS

The three grounds at Brockton Point, at Stanley Park came on line for cricket at different times. This article concentrates on the heraldry of Upper Brockton and the Brockton Pavilion and makes the case for Upper Brockton, the Oval and Pavilion and the Brockton Point Cricket Club being granted heritage status by the City of Vancouver.

1887 or 1888

1st recorded cricket match in Vancouver at Cambie Street grounds between Vancouver side and Victoria. Cambie Street grounds located at Dunsmuir and Cambie, the site of the old Greyhound Station. Other Vancouver grounds where cricket was played included City Hall, Cambie @ 12th, George Black's Hotel at Hastings and Main.

1889

Vancouver Cricket Club formed - home ground probably George Black's Hotel at Main and Hastings.

1890 - 92

Brockton Point - Stanley Park ground clearing activities began by Jerry Rogers.

1893

Mr. Sweeney, President of Vancouver Cricket Club borrows $10,000 or ($5,000) at 5% on 41 year bond and leases ground at Stanley Park from the City and the ground operated under the name the Brockton Point Athletic Association until 1913

1905

Burrard Cricket Club formed. Home ground unknown. Stanley Park only used for representative matches. See Article titled "Control of Sports Facilities in Early Vancouver…1880 to 1913".

1913

Up to 1913 cricket was played in BC under the auspices of the Pacific Coast League, which was the equivalent of the Premier League in current parlance and a 2nd tier of cricket was played in Vancouver which was called the Vancouver and District League. In 1913 the Vancouver and district portions of the 2 leagues amalgamated to form the British Columbia Mainland Cricket League. (BCMCL.) The Pacific Coast League was the predecessor to the British Columbia Cricket Association.

The second event of significance occurring in 1913 was that the Brockton Point grounds were returned to the City due to non-payment of rent and the City provided Mr. Sweeney, and the Brockton Point Athletic Association with a Release.

1914

1st year of competition for the BCMCL - accounts vary whether there were 6 or 7 teams. We suggest 6 founding members:
Vancouver Cricket Club formed in 1887
Brockton Point Cricket Club formed in 1914
Burrard Cricket Club formed in 1905
Coquitlam
New Westminster
Public Schools.

1916 WW1

From the "Burrard Story, 50 years of club cricket 1905 1954": "…only 3 teams remained in the league". Burrard, Brockton Point and Vancouver cricket clubs " … and the three clubs, in rotation, took on the job of keeping the Brockton ground in shape, a community effort." And invited military teams to play without subscription.

1920

From BCMCL 1920 schedule Vancouver Archives.

Most if not all cricket games in the City were played at Upper Brockton or at the Oval. Between 1920 and 1938. Lower Brockton brought into the field rotation.

1926

Memorial South built by cricketer Hal Streight, article found in "Cricket, 50 Years of the Game in Vancouver - 1889 to 1939."

1939

From The Empires Game in Vancouver, 1889- 1938 Vancouver Archives

1938 Season
First Division
Aurora A
Bank of Commerce
Brockton Point A
North Shore A
Point Grey A
University of B.C.

Second Division
Army and Navy
B.C. Electric
Brockton Point B
Burrard
North Shore B
Point Grey B
Vancouver Juniors

(no Vancouver cricket club)

6 grounds for cricket in Vancouver. 3 grounds at Brockton Point, Lower and Upper Brockton and the Brockton Oval.

1939 - 1945

Grounds at Brockton Point in Stanley Park used as a military staging area due to proximity to HMS discovery.

1943

From the BC Mainland Cricket League 1988 schedule.
WW II "As a result of the war, only 6 clubs continued to operate." We know from their histories 2 of the clubs were Brockton and Burrard. The 4 other cricket clubs were Pro Rec, Varsity, Vancouver Rowing Club , Vancouver cricket club and 2 teams from the services. The tradition of playing only 1st division games at Upper Brockton was continued with tier 2 teams such as Burrard and Vancouver having their games restricted to Lower Brockton. In Division one you had Rowing Club and Brockton and 2 armed forces teams. In Division 2 the 4 remaining teams from the BCMCL.

1946

Post war the Oval fell out of use for cricket and was taken over by soccer and rugby. The league kept with the early traditions of relegating tier 2 teams to Lower Brockton.

Missing from among the teams going into WW II were Aurora and Bank of Commerce , amalgamated by Brockton point; Burrard 1 relegated to Tier 2 and Point Grey.

Among the Tier 2 teams Army and Navy and B.C. Electric did not survive the tumult of WWII.

1951

1954

British Empire Games and Balaclava Park is introduced into the field rotation of Vancouver Cricket.

Darrell Winterlik, former President of BCMCL, writing for the Brockton Point homepage says in the early 50's Brockton Point cricket club gave up control of the Brockton Point grounds to the BCMCL for all the league to use. He says the source of his information are the league schedules he reviewed to compile the 1988 Centenary edition of the BCMCL schedule.

Jack Kyle and John McCabe disagree with Winterlik.

In piecing the narrative thus far, we have relied on the following material:

1. BCMCL schedule for 1920
2. The Burrard Story - 50 Years of Club Cricket
3. A Brief History of Brockton Point Cricket Club by Jack Kyle.
4. 1988 BCMCL Schedule - Centenary Edition, Darrel Winterlik President and editor.
5. Province articles dated Sept. 11/46, July 31/27, June 4/38, March 23/38, Undated and titled BC Cricketing Province of Canada.
6. Control of Sports Facilities in Early Vancouver…1880-1913 by Barbara Schrodt.
7. The Empire's Game in Vancouver 1889-1938.

Our conclusions are therefore:

1. Cricket was played in Stanley Park and the ground, Upper Brockton, administered by the Brockton Point Athletic Association between 1892- 1913.

2. Brockton point cricket club is, by use, the successor to the name and the goodwill of the Brockton Point Athletic Association.

3. The Vancouver Parks Board has acquired the legal interest in the lands of the Brockton Point Athletic Association and the lease of the Athletic Association merged upon Release into the Vancouver Parks Board interest. There is no registered land title transfer form that can be researched. Stanley Park is 40+ acres of federal lands and has not been surveyed for land title purposes. The records for the Athletic Association have disappeared.

4. The successor to the use of the Brockton Point Athletic Association cricket field at Upper Brockton was the Brockton Point cricket club and the Brockton Point Cricket Club of 1914 was probably comprised of former members of the Athletic Association in much the same manner as Meralomas are the successor in cricketing interest to the Vancouver Rowing Club at Connaught Park. The Pavilion historically attached to the Upper Ground. Burrard and Brockton Point Cricket Club, by its continuity of use and stewardship through 2 World Wars, (except for an interruption in 1975 or '76 when Brockton was relegated to the 2nd tier but participated and played at Upper Brockton because of an interlocking schedule), are the successors in cricketing use to the Pavilion at Stanley Park .

CVT.