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Olson Brothers: Allan,   Edward,   Gordon,   Marcus,   Paul,   Roy,   Theodore,   Weldon,   Wesley.

The Nine Olson Brothers all played hockey; six of them were born in Hancock. The Olson Ice Arena in Marquette, Mich was named after them. In all, the Olson brothers are members of a dozen Halls of Fame.  The Olson brother's info and pictures were provided by Olympic Gold and Silver Medal Winner, Weldon Olson, who recorded their hockey biographies for their family reunion, along with internet database on these hockey playing Olson brothers.

The Olson Brothers  Nine Hockey Players

Four of the Olson brothers played hockey for Michigan Tech: Mark, Roy, Ted who played in the late 1940's, and older brother, Allan played for Tech in the mid 1930s.  In 1947-48, the three brothers made a trip out to the West Coast with the MTU team; where in one game, Roy scored one and brother Ted two and brother Mark one to complete a 4 - 1 victory over the San Francisco Club team; all 4 goals scored by Olson brothers.

1947-48  Olson Brothers at MTU from left: Mark, Roy, Ted

March 19, 1966, the 9 brothers along with their sons and nephews, played a regulation game in Pekin, Il for a March of Dimes benefit, wearing Marquette Iron Rangers uniforms against the Pekin Stars senior team. With the help of a goaltender (Harry Wilson), the Olson team won the game 14-5.  This is the first, and only time, the 9 brothers skated together.

Olson Family Hockey Team   Standing L-R: Wesley, Allan, Paul, Gordon, Eddie, Roy, Ted, Mark, Weldy. Kneeling L-R: Rick (Mark's son), Jay (Gordon), Bruce (Allan), David (Roy), Paul (Ted), Mike (Mark).

 Allan F. Olson (1913-1995) was born in Hancock; he was the second of 9 hockey playing Olson brothers. Allan played 2 seasons of hockey on scholarship for Michigan Tech 1933-35 in his junior and senior years. While at MTU, he competed in four different sports: 2 years hockey, 2 years basketball, one year football and 4 years track. In one game against the University of Michigan, he scored three goals in a seven minute span making "flop shots" erasing a two goal deficit and gaining the victory.  In 1935, he was named First team Midwest Hockey All-Star and in 19-- the All-American 2nd team. He often had to play against his brothers when MTU played Marquette Senior Hockey. After college, he returned to Marquette and joined his brothers on the Millionaires and the Buccaneers teams until the war interrupted his hockey playing. After the war, he was the driving force in organizing the youth hockey program in Marquette as an administrator and fund raiser for the program. He served as the President of the Marquette Sentinels in the early 1950s and helped direct the fund drive for the Lakeview Ice Arena in the early 1970s.  He has been a member of the MTU Varsity Club since 1933, a member of the Huskies Club since its inception and is still active in the MTU Alumni Association. Allan was inducted into the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. need picture here in hockey uniform

Edward F. Olson (1922-1995) Edward was born in Hancock; he was the fifth of the 9 Olson brother hockey players. He played hockey with the great "Ching" Johnson when he was with the Marquette team; Eddie went on to play for the US Coast Guard Cutters 2 seasons 1942-44, Oakland Oaks 1945-46, St Louis Flyers 4 seasons 1946-1950, St Louis-Cleveland 1950-51, Cleveland Barons for 5 seasons 1950-55, where he became the first United States born player to win the AHL scoring title, winning it twice: in 1952-53 and 1954-55. He was also the MVP in 1952-53 and was voted to the first All-Star team twice: 1953 & 1955; while he was on the Barons they won three AHL Championships 1952, 53, 54.  In 1952-53, he received the Les Cunningham Award for MVP in the AHL, in 1952-53 and again in 1954-55 he was awarded the John B. Sollenberger Trophy for most points in an AHL season.  In 1955-56, Eddie became the First U.S. born coach of a Canadian team in Canada, leading the WHL Victoria Cougars to a first place finish as a player/coach. The next two seasons he coached in the IHL, guiding the Huntington Hornets 1956-57 and the Fort Wayne Komets 1957-58 to second place finishes. In 1958 Eddie retired from professional hockey, but not from the sport. He returned to St Louis and was instrumental in the development of youth hockey in the area, coaching AHAUS teams and the Ladue High School team for 15 years 1972-1987. He never had a losing season in any amateur or high school leagues.  At the same time, he served as a referee and linesman 1959-1982 in the NHL, Central Pro Hockey League, AHAUS, Collegiate and High School leagues.  He spent 25 years 1967-92 as the supervisor of off-ice officials and scorer for the St Louis Blues.  In 1971, he was inducted into the St. Louis Hockey Hall of Fame in Missouri, and the Cleveland Baron Hall of Fame in Ohio.  He was awarded the High School Coach of the year three times, the St Louis Blues Lynn Patrick Award, Unsung Hero Award, and the Outstanding Service to Youth Hockey Award. Ed was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977 and the UP Sports Hall of Fame in 1979.  need picture here in hockey uniform

 Gordon C. Olson (1918-1983) was born in Hancock, was the fourth of the 9 Olson brother hockey players. From the mid 1930s to the mid 60's, Gordy was playing or refereeing every season except those spent at sea with the U.S. Navy. Playing on Marquette teams, he started with the Millionaires in about 1936 then the Buccaneers and the Sentinels before the war caused him to temporarily hang up the blades. After the war, he returned to the Sentinels in the late 40's and played defense until 1954. need picture here in hockey uniform

 Roy J. Olson (1923-1997) was born in Hancock, he was the sixth of the 9 Olson brother hockey players.  He played hockey for Michigan Tech for two years in the late 1940s. He returned to Marquette and played with the Sentinels where he lead the Northern Michigan League with 40 assists in 1952-53 along with 21 goals. need picture here in hockey uniform

Theodore H. Olson, born 1925 in Marquette, was the 7th of the 9 Olson brother hockey players. After time with the Marines, Ted was a four year hockey letter winner for Michigan Tech 1946-50: in 71 games, he had 62 goals and 62 assists. He is one of just 57 MTU players ever to reach the 100 point mark in his career.  In 2003, he is still the 2nd all time points per game leader with 1.75 and still holds the MTU record for most points in a period with six, in a game February 3, 1950. Ted and Mark became one of college hockey's all time great brother combinations. After college, he refereed in the Western Collegiate Hockey League and joined brother Mark with the Escanaba Hawks in the Northern Michigan League. In the Championship game for the coveted Gibson Trophy in 1953-54 against Portage Lake he scored all three goals in the 3-2 victory for the Gibson Cup. He moved to St. Paul, Mn in the late 1950s refereeing at the college and High school levels and for 17 years as the timekeeper in the Minnesota HS tournament playoffs and occasionally would be the goal judge at the Minnesota North Stars games. need picture here in hockey uniform

Ted Olson Ted was inducted into the Michigan Tech University Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. Photo courtesy of MTU

Weldon H. Olson: Weldy was born 1932 in Marquette, was the ninth born of the 9 Olson brother hockey players.  He played four years for the Michigan State Spartans 1951-55, playing every game without injury, he was named MVP, and Co-Captain, and held the school career scoring record with 125 points. In one game he scored 4 goals in a 6-4 loss to Minnesota Feb 9, 1952. After setting school records, he won a spot on the 1956 US Olympic Team. They played at Cortina, D'Ampezzo, Italy where the US team won a Silver Medal, beating Canada, but losing to Russia. The next three seasons, Olson spent with the US National team. They missed the World Championships in 1957 because of the Hungarian uprising. He was Captain of the 1958 team which captured fourth place at Prague, Czechoslovakia. The 1958 team was the first North American team to visit the Soviet Union in March of 1958. He played with the 1959 US National Team. The next Olympics were in the United States at Squaw Valley, California. Weldy was on this 1960 US Olympic Team when they captured the Gold Medal; the first won by a U.S. team in the 40 year history of the Winter Olympics.  He went on to be a long time referee, amateur coach, official, board member and league administrator. In 1974, he was the first hockey player named to the Michigan Amateur Sports Hall of Fame, and in 1984, he was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. In 1993, he was given the Michigan State University Distinguished Hockey Alumnus Award.  In 2001, he was inducted into the Michigan State University Athletic Hall of Fame, East Lansing, MI.  In 2003, he was inducted into the Hancock county Ohio Sports Hall of Fame in Findlay, Ohio.  And, as part of the1960 USA Gold winning Olympic Team; in 1989, he was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, Colorado Springs, Colo, in 2000, he was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame, and in 2002, he received the Lester Patrick Award from the NHL for outstanding service to hockey in the United States; they are only the 3rd team in the 35 year history of the Award to receive this honor. Weldon Olson is one of only five players who won Gold and Silver Olympic ice hockey medals during the 20th Century: Bill Cleary, John Mayasich, Dick Meredith, Dick Rodenhiser, and Olson.

1956 US Olympic Team Silver Medal Team  Weldon Olson is front row 3rd from left. Weldon Olson     Weldon Olson  on 1960 US Olympic Gold Medal Team  1960 Gold Olympic  & 1956 Silver Olympic Medals 1960 US Olympic Team Gold Medal Team Photos & info courtesy of Weldon Olson.

Wesley H. Olson (1911-1974) was born in Hancock, he was the oldest of 11 children; the 9 brothers and 2 sisters who were also very good skaters.  "Wackey" moved with his family from Hancock to Marquette when he was a teenager. He played junior hockey, and in 1930, he played with the Marquette Owls. He played in the U.P Semi-Pro baseball league and performed in the Marquette Figure Skating Club ice shows. At the age of 20, he played with the Upper Peninsula Huskies in the Michigan Olympic Hockey Trials in 1932 in Detroit as their youngest, or one of their youngest, players. Wackey played with the Haley AC in the Michigan Ontario League in Detroit; he was the first of the Olsons to leave home for a chance to play hockey. When he returned to Marquette, he reorganized the Senior hockey club under the name Millionaires "when we didn't have a cent to start with". He played with Marquette teams: the Millionaires, Buccaneers and the Sentinels. The peak of his game came in the 1930s when the depression was deepest and hockey was a hobby, not a profession. He is remembered for developing the "kick shot" using his leg as a fulcrum, he would whip his top stick hand back and propel the puck at unbelievable speeds. This shot was later banned because of it's speed and inaccuracy.  Over all these years, Wackey has been a long time hockey supporter, organizer, coach, referee and radio announcer. Wesley was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

Wesley Olson Upper Peninsula Huskies in Michigan Olympic Hockey Trials 1932 Standing L-R: Mike Kadjan, Wesley Koski, Wesley Olson, Chet Berryman, Francis Ruelle, Emil Riutti, Henry Latva, Sam Kokko. Kneeling L-R: Lucky Lacoursiere, Toivi Riutti, Jacob Musich, Emil Klingbiel and William Lanksbury. Picture from the Detroit News, January 2, 1932 In those days, the Olympic team was selected through a playoff system and the entire winning team represented the United States. After playing to a scoreless tie on Jan 2nd, the UP Huskies beat the Lower Peninsula team 4-1 the next night; but the extra game cost the team their travel day. After an overnight trip to Minneapolis, the Huskies lost to the University of Minnesota, ending their Olympic hopes. In the end, a team from New York/New England represented the US at Lake Placid and won a silver medal.

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