This is the "Silver Punch Bowl", the natural stadium where baseball was played. The enthusiasm for baseball (as indicated by the size of the crowd) and for hockey in the winter was an example of the way in which established sports and other social institutions were transported rapidly to the frontier. Most of the competition locally was provided by teams representing the various mining companies who paid for the uniforms and occasionally brought in professionals. During the winter of 1909, the Cobalt "Silver Six" joined the Canadian Hockey Association, later renamed the National Hockey League, and successfully competed against teams from Ottawa, Renfrew, and Montreal.
Courtesy: John Mitchell Collection, Canadian Kodak
