Providence has an old and rich hockey tradition. The Providence Reds were one of the first professional hockey teams in the United States. In their 51-year history (1926–1977), the Reds won seven playoff championships, including four Calder Cup titles. The Reds were the first minor-league hockey team to operate for 50 seasons. The Providence Bruins, established in the 1992–1993 season, carry on the city's great hockey legacy and gave Providence its fifth Calder Cup title. Several Hockey Hall of Famers have played for Providence-based teams, including Bobby Bauer, Hector "Toe" Blake, Johnny Bower, Frank Brimsek, Eddie Giacomin, Rod Langway, Milt Schmidt, and Lorne "Gump" Worsley.
Jim Mancuso is a member of the Society for International Hockey Research and the Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society. He has written several other books on minor-league hockey, including Hockey in the Capital District, Hockey in Charlotte, Hockey in Springfield, and Hockey in Syracuse.