The season opened on November 17, 1896, and was well underway when brought to an end by the destruction of fire of the league's facility, the Schenley Park Casino ice rink on December 17, 1896.
The Casino had installed an artificial ice-making plant in 1895 and the 1895-96 winter season saw the first introduction of hockey at the rink.
Challenge exhibition matches of ice polo between the Canadian Queen's University of Kingston, Ontario, and Western University of Pennsylvania were held at the rink, and Queen's demonstrated the game of ice hockey.
[1] The first league members were Pittsburgh Athletic Club, Duquesne Country and Athletic Club, Western University and a team to represent the Casino, or the "Pittsburgh" team.
The rules of the league were published in the Pittsburg Press on December 20, 1896: Source: "Amateur Sports".