The California Hockey League was a professional ice hockey league that existed from 1925 until 1933. Background The popularity of ice hockey in southern California grew rapidly between World War I and the Great Depression, as the region experienced a massive influx of population from other parts of North America. Los Angeles became a popular destination for relocated Canadians and New Englanders, and nearby mountain resorts offered tourists a venue for games on natural ice. The first amateur hockey league in California was founded in 1917, at the Los Angeles Ice Palace. In early 1925, New York sports promoter Tex Rickard sent a proxy to the west coast to explore the possibility of standing up a western wing of the NHL on the Pacific Coast. This, along with a general boom in hockey interest, encouraged rink construction in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The California Amateur Hockey Association was founded after the 1925 opening of the modern Los Angeles Palais de Glace. Seasons Although CAHA was, at least nominally, an amateur league it began to attract some former-professional talent. Former pros Lloyd Cook and Fred "Smokey" Harris, who had played extensively in the PCHA and NHL, gave the rosters some credibility; Cook became involved in management of the Hollywood Club. Within months of the league's founding, promoters issued "championship" challenges to top amateur teams across North America (including the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets, Vancouver Monarchs, and Port Arthur Bearcats ). In early 1926, league administrators abruptly reorganized the amateur league into a professional Commercial Hockey League. The founding teams were the Richfield Oilers, Palais-de-Glace, and Culver City. Flush with cash from sponsors (including the namesake Richfield Oil Corporation), the teams quickly assembled rosters of experienced pro players from across North America. Most prominent among these players were former PCHA star Bernie Morris and NHL veteran Ganton Scott. A separate amateur league was spun off, providing a platform for club and university amateurs. In April, Rickard sent the New York Americans to test the market with a barnstorming tour. Moose Johnson, one of hockey's best-known defensemen during the 1910s and a future member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, joined the Palais-de-Glace team against the Americans to kick off to his pro hockey comeback at age 40. Johnson was injured during his first game. Two weeks later, the Palais hosted an all-star benefit game with proceeds to benefit Johnson's recovery. The following