William Fairbrother

William Dycer Fairbrother (born 23 Jan 1874) was a Canadian ice hockey player who is credited with inventing the ice hockey net in the 1890s.

Hockey net invention Fairbrother was born on 23 Jan 1874 in Beamsville, Lincoln, Ontario, Canada. During the 1880s, Fairbrother played for Beamsville, Ontario's Men's Hockey team. He played in the Southern Ontario Hockey Association. At first, two poles or two rocks served as goals, and an official would watch to see if a puck passed through the goal.

Legacy The Ontario Hockey Association credited Fairbrother with the invention of the hockey net. In February 1997, the town Lincoln, Ontario designated Fairbrother's home a historical site.