1926–27 Kahler Cardinals Arena Juvenile Hockey Champions — Original Framed Minneapolis Team Photograph

Long before Minnesota became synonymous with American hockey, teams like the Kahler Cardinals were building the culture.

This original 1926–27 photographic presentation celebrates the Arena Juvenile Champions, with twelve individually photographed young players in striped socks, skates and Kahler Cardinals sweaters arranged around a beautifully hand-lettered championship panel. Every player is identified by name, turning the piece into an unusually complete snapshot of early Minneapolis and Minnesota hockey history.

And there are some remarkable names behind the team. President F.W. “Nick” Kahler became one of the formative figures in Minnesota hockey and was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980. Coach Ernie “Moose” Johnson, one of the great early professional players, was skating for the Minneapolis Millers during the same 1926–27 season and entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1952. 

Captain George “Red” Malsed continued in Minneapolis hockey, playing with Augsburg and later appearing with Kahler’s Cardinals and the Minneapolis Millers. Records from 1929 list both Red Malsed and Bubs Hutchinson on Kahler’s Cardinals; Hutchinson subsequently played for the professional Minneapolis Millers. Emanuel “Manny” Cotlow also went on to a lengthy professional hockey career that included the Minneapolis Millers.

Beyond the history, it is just a great-looking object: the eccentric player poses, striped uniforms, black-and-white photography, mottled green presentation board and hand-drawn lettering have the graphic character of early sporting folk art.

At 30 inches high, it has enough scale to hold a wall beautifully — particularly strong for a ski house, lodge, club room, study, game room or serious collection of vintage hockey photography and American sports memorabilia.