Through the 1950s, the Trail Smoke Eaters gained momentum with a strong nucleus of local talent and won the Savage Cup for the fifteenth time in 1960, then hosted the Allan cup finals against the Chatham Maroons of Ontario, with Chatham defeating Trail 4 games to 1.
Chatham, as the Allan Cup championship team, was to represent Canada at the 1961 World Hockey Championships held in Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland. When they declined, Trail eagerly accepted the challenge.
1960 Allan Cup Finals program.
Trail Smoke Eaters - 1960 Allan Cup Finalists
With the addition of six players recruited at the request of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA), the Smoke Eaters left Trail for Europe on January 26, 1961.
The 1961 world champions. Back, L-R: Jim Cameron (President), Ed Cristofoli, George Ferguson, Darryl Sly, Joe Garay (trainer), Ugo DeBiasio (manager). Middle, L-R: Harry Smith, Cal Hockley, Don Fletcher, Harold Jones, Frank Turik (did not go to Europe), Dave Rusnell, Walt Peacosh. Front, L-R: Addy Tambellini, Norm Lenardon, Gerry Penner, Seth Martin, Pinoke McIntyre, Laurie Bursaw (did not go to Europe), and Bobby Kromm (playing Coach).
The team played 20 exhibition games prior to the World Tournament in Switzerland, which took place between March 2nd and 12th. The Smokies had won 5 games and tied one when they met the powerful Soviet team in the final game on March 12th. The team persevered, winning 5-1. The Trail Smoke Eaters were World Hockey Champions for the second time, a feat not duplicated by any other community in Canada.
"The Moment” – 1961 Trail Smoke Eaters celebrating their win in Geneva on March 12, 1961.
The 1961 World Champions Trail Smoke Eaters on fire truck in parade. Bobby Kromm holding trophy.
The Trail Smoke Eaters returned home and resumed play in the WIHL. With a solid and talented core of players remaining from the 1960 Allan Cup finalist team, Smokies won the Allan Cup in 1962 and represented Canada at the World Championships for the third time in 1963, finishing fourth.
Trail Smoke Eaters - representing Canada in the World Amateur Hockey Tournament, Stockholm, Sweden, March 1963. Front: Addy Tambellini, Reno Zanier, Don Freer [co-manager], Bobby Kromm [coach], Andy Soles [president], Seth Martin, Pinoke McIntyre. Middle row: Leo Soligo [sec-treasurer], Dave Rusnell, Ed Pollesel, Gerry Penner, Walt Peacosh, Ed Cristofoli, Gary Collins, Dr. Jack Colbert [vice-president]. Back: Harold Jones, Russ Kowalchuk, Joe Garay [trainer], Don Fletcher, Allan Paul [exec.], Harry Smith, George Ferguson.
The Smokies struggled throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. But, by the late 1970s, the team attracted a number of talented semi-professional players and was once again rejuvenated, winning the Savage Cup in 1979 and 1983. The Trail Smoke Eaters left the WIHL for one year in 1984 and formally folded at the end of the 1986 season.