New Book Uncovers Forgotten Chapter Of Boston Hockey History

A new book is taking readers back to the early days of Boston hockey, telling the story of players, coaches and sports builders whose contributions have largely faded from the history books.

Glass Seats: Walter Brown and the Forgotten Amateur Stars Who Built Hockey in Boston, written by Matthew Gentile, centres on Edward “Red” Mahoney, a working-class kid from Hyde Park, Mass., who became a standout amateur hockey player and eventually found himself connected to Walter Brown, one of the most influential figures in Boston sports history.

The story grew out of a family mystery. Every October, an envelope would arrive at Mahoney’s home containing two front-row Boston Bruins season tickets. The tickets were directly on the glass, but Mahoney rarely discussed where they came from or his own past.

Years after his death, Mahoney’s grandson discovered a shoebox filled with old photographs. That discovery launched a search into his grandfather’s life and ultimately uncovered a connection to Brown and the formative years of hockey in Boston.

Brown is best known as the founder of the Boston Celtics, but his influence extended well beyond basketball. He played a major role in developing Boston’s sports culture and was involved in efforts that helped shape professional hockey in the city.

Mahoney was there through much of it — as a player, coach, witness and trusted friend. Gentile’s book explores the relationship between the two men while also examining the challenges surrounding amateurism and the growth of hockey in the United States.

The book also revisits the nearly forgotten 1933 World Championship and the Boston sports scene before the city became synonymous with championship teams and professional sports dynasties.

Drawing on newspaper archives, historical databases and research conducted with historians, Glass Seats combines sports history with a deeply personal family investigation.

For hockey fans interested in the sport’s roots, particularly the people and stories that have been overlooked over the years, the book offers a look at a very different era of the game.

Glass Seats: Walter Brown and the Forgotten Amateur Stars Who Built Hockey in Boston is now available on Amazon in Kindle, hardcover and paperback editions.

Purchase the book at the link here: Book.

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