 Gardiner played junior ice hockey with the Winnipeg Tigers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League ( <unk> ) for three seasons , from 1921 to 1924 . He joined the Selkirk Fishermen senior team for the 1924 – 25 season . The Fishermen played in the highest amateur league in Manitoba and were finalists for the championship the year before . Gardiner appeared in 18 games for Selkirk , posting two shutouts and a 1 @.@ 83 goals against average . They again reached the finals but lost to the Port Arthur Bearcats . The loss made Gardiner feel dejected and ashamed , though people assured him he had played well and had several offers for different teams . He decided to join the professional Winnipeg Maroons of the Central Hockey League ( CHL ) . As he would be a professional , Gardiner was forced to give up his baseball career , which he was reluctant to do ; he finished with a career batting average of .300 . Playing two seasons in Winnipeg , Gardiner appeared in 74 games , posting 12 shutouts , and 2 @.@ 14 and 2 @.@ 16 goals @-@ against average in the two seasons , respectively . 
