In 1954, a variety of teams from different leagues and Ontario Hockey Association junior groupings were put together in the Central Junior B Hockey League. The Central League was formed as a sister league to the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League that had been running since 1950. During the early years, the two leagues were regarded as the two divisions of the OHA's Big 10. The "Big" moniker was often given to OHA leagues as the OHA pushed away from smaller rural multi-level groupings.