Remembering Frank Mathers

Winnipeg’s Frank Mathers built a hockey legacy that reached Hall of Fame heights.

Mathers is fourth from the left on the 1942-43 Memorial Cup winning Winnipeg Rangers

Before Frank Mathers became synonymous with the Hershey Bears and earned a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame, he was a standout Winnipeg athlete whose remarkable versatility and leadership first took shape on Manitoba ice and football fields.

Though Mathers would go on to become one of the most influential figures in American Hockey League history—as a player, coach, executive and president—his roots in Winnipeg remained central to the story of his success.

Born March 29, 1924, Mathers grew up during a golden era of Winnipeg amateur sports and quickly established himself as one of the city’s most gifted young athletes. He played junior hockey with several prominent local clubs, including the Winnipeg Excelsiors and the Winnipeg Rangers, developing the skill and competitive drive that would later define his professional career.

He would win a Memorial Cup in 1943 as a member of the Winnipeg Rangers.