Port Arthur played the Ottawa Senators for the Stanley Cup in a 1911 challenge, losing 13–4 in a one-game showdown on March 16, 1911.

Port Arthur is located in western portion of Ontario, the Bearcats found it convenient to play in the Manitoba Senior A Hockey League (MSHL, MTBSHL) at various times during its history.

During years that the Allan Cup was an East versus West competition, the Bearcats played as the representative from Western Canada.

[citation needed] After the 1935 Allan Cup champion Halifax Wolverines disbanded, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) chose the runner-up Bearcats to be Canada's representative at the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

[3][4] The Bearcats were chosen to represent Canada at the 1940 Winter Olympics, and CAHA vice-president Frank Sargent was placed in charge of the upcoming tour of Europe.