Lethbridge Sugar Kings The Sugar Kings were created in 1963. Some of the early organizers of the team were Syd Hall, Leo Harrold, Joe Green and Bill Nugent. The team played as a Canadian Junior A hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) between 1966 and 1973. The Sugar Kings were one of the five original member teams of the AJHL.
The team, under different ownership, redeveloped for the 1973-74 season as the Lethbridge Longhorns. The Sugar Kings best season was 1968-69. That year, they won the Alberta title and
advanced to the Memorial Cup, losing to the Regina Pats. In March 1971, the Sugar Kings lost their arena when the Lethbridge Arena was lost to fire. Disaster struck 35 second into the third period of a game against the Edmonton Maple Leafs. Incredibly the 1800 fans in attendance were all able to get out safely.
A few players who played for the Sugar Kings were: Larry Bignell, John Davidson, Len Frig, Lanny McDonald and Russ Walker.
Lethbridge Historical Society info@lethbridgehistory.org www.lethbridgehistory.org facebook.com/LethbridgeHistoricalSociety/ Photographs: Galt Museum & Archives P19753810234 Lethbridge Sugar Kings team, 12 January 1966. P19753810187 Sugar Kings playing Medicine Hat, 9 November 1963.
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