Perkins proudly pauses to pose. Snake River Skirr captain, Lester Perkins takes a moment out of training camp to show off his new old shinny outfit. (Photo Norton Kirsch)

Snake River - For the origins of this town¹s favourite pastime one has to go back to the aftermath of the Riel Rebellion.

The Snake River Mayor of the day, Thadius MacWeirson, was worried that the men folk would pick up their rifles and head off to invade Ottawa. So he put down $18.54 and purchased enough Shinny equipment to start up the winningest franchise in Saskatchewan history.

After watching the boys play an intersquad match he noted, "The way they fly around the rink we should call 'em the Snake River Skirr."

The folks at Webster's define Skirr as "move rapidly, esp. with whirring sound"

The woman folk at the S.R. Quilting Club had a different idea. Club President Agnes MacWeirson was heard to say "Them no-good shinnists shan't never more tend to the crops. The game is the devil's work. Our men will bring a hell-fire scourge down on our heads."

This monicker "The Snake River Scourge" stuck for more than seventy years.

"History does repeat", is the 1936 quote from the new head of marketing, Linseed Bordergard "There has been a lot of fuss in the league over the last few months. New arenas, league expansion, and the courting of fancy pants American radio networks. We knew we couldn¹t go into this season with our heads in the sand. We had to have a new look to keep up with the times."

In a press conference yesterday, the great grandson of Thadius MacWeirson, the current Mayor of the town and owner of the franchise unveiled the new look. "Folks we're gonna go back to our roots. If Skirr was good enough for my pa's, pa's, pa, it's good enough for me, Thadius Erasmus MacWeirson Jr." As the steely-eyed captain slipped the new jersey over his head, a great roar erupted all over Saskatchewan. The Snake River Skirr is re-born and a new chapter begins.