The Battle of Alberta: A Century of Hockey's Greatest Rivalry

Theresa Paltzat is the Smart Search librarian at the Edmonton Public
Library.

The Calgary Tigers, Edmonton Flyers, Eskimos, and Stampeders are not
names we associate with Alberta amateur or professional hockey, yet
these teams laid the foundation for the rivalry that current fans know
as the Battle of Alberta. In this book, Steven Sandor provides a history
of hockey games and rivalry in Alberta dating back to 1895, including
local, national, and world events that affected Alberta’s sporting
world. World wars, oil booms, and the increasing presence of televisions
in Canadian homes all played their part in changing hockey in Alberta.

The Battle of Alberta is an opportunity for young (and not-so-young)
hockey fans to gain a better understanding of the great
Calgary–Edmonton hockey rivalry. Sandor includes many quotes and
comments from both current and past players as well as from newspaper
articles throughout the last century. He writes in a very accessible
style and includes 26 black-and-white photographs of players and teams
through the years. Sandor offers his book as a “salute” to all
players, who have worn an Edmonton or Calgary hockey jersey; his respect
for these players shows in his text. The Battle of Alberta gives readers
names and personalities to form a basis for this important modern
rivalry. Readers also get a glimpse into how hockey was played in
Alberta a century ago, before modern arenas, high ticket prices, and
televised games changed the fans’ experience.