Bill Cowley

William Mailes "Cowboy" Cowley (June 12, 1912 – December 31, 1993) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the St. Louis Eagles and Boston Bruins. He twice won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's MVP.

Bill Cowley
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1968
Born	June 12, 1912 Bristol, Quebec, Canada
Died	December 31, 1993 (aged 81) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Boston Bruins St. Louis Eagles
Playing career	1934–1947

Playing career

Cowley played junior ice hockey in the National Capital Region. He was selected by Cecil Duncan to be on an Ottawa All-stars team which of played an exhibition series in Europe during December 1931 and January 1932.[1]

After a few seasons of senior league play in Ottawa and Halifax, Cowley broke in as a rookie with the St. Louis Eagles in 1934–35. After the season, the franchise was terminated and Art Ross, the general manager of the Bruins, selected him in the subsequent dispersal draft.

In Boston he would become a star, leading the league in assists in 1939 (despite missing twelve games with injuries), 1941 and 1943, and helping to lead the Bruins to two Stanley Cups in 1939 and 1941. While World War II ravaged the Bruins' powerful roster thereafter—Boston would not win another Cup during his career—Cowley was the team's sole remaining star. Frequently injured, he was on track to shatter the league record for scoring in 1944 when another injury ended his season two points short. Nevertheless, Cowley did score four goals in a game on March 4, 1944, in a wild 10–9 Boston victory over the New York Rangers.

Cowley finished his career with 195 goals and 353 assists for 548 points in 549 NHL games. On April 5, 1947, at the Bruins annual breakup party, Cowley unexpectedly announced he was leaving hockey because general manager Art Ross had chosen to leave him off of the roster for a post-season exhibition tour of western Canada and the United States. Cowley's wife was from Vancouver and he wanted to use the trip as a honeymoon.[2] At the time of his retirement, he was the NHL's all-time leading point scorer, and the last active player from the St. Louis Eagles roster.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1968, as the sole inductee into the Players category that year. In 1998, he was ranked number 53 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

After his career, Cowley went on to coach in the Ottawa senior leagues and the Vancouver Canucks of the PCHL.

Personal

Returning to Ottawa after his coaching days, Cowley went into business, owning a hotel in Smiths Falls, Ontario and the Elmdale Tavern/Hotel in Ottawa. In 1967, he was a part-owner and founder of the Ottawa 67's junior ice hockey team. He passed on the Elmdale to his son John.[3]

Cowley died on New Year's Eve, 1993, of a heart attack. He was survived by his wife Jessie (née Wilson), children Jill Fullerton, John, Jane Egan and Dan.[4] He is buried in the hamlet of Norway Bay, Quebec, just south-east of his birthplace of Bristol, where he had a home and spent much of his retirement years.[3]

Awards and achievements

• Named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1938, 1941, 1943 and 1944.
• Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1945.
• Won the NHL scoring title in 1941.
• The only member of the Hall of Fame to begin his career with the St. Louis Eagles.
• Upon his retirement, Cowley was the last active player that had played for the Senators/Eagles franchise.
• The only NHL players who have scored more points per game in a season than Cowley's 1.97 in 1944 are Joe Malone, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1968.
• Inducted into Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1929–30	Glebe Collegiate Institute	HS-ON
1930–31	Ottawa Primrose	OJCHL		14	10	2	12	16		4	4	1	5	8
1930–31	Ottawa Primrose	MC		—	—	—	—	—		9	9	3	12	4
1931–32	Ottawa Jr. Shamrocks	OCJHL		2	2	1	3	2		3	4	4	8	2
1931–32	Ottawa Shamrocks	OCHL		—	—	—	—	—		1	0	0	0	0
1932–33	Ottawa Shamrocks	OCHL		14	7	6	13	24		4	1	0	1	4
1933–34	Halifax Wolverines	MSHL		38	25	25	50	42		6	2	2	4	2
1934–35	Tulsa Oilers	AHA		1	0	0	0	5		—	—	—	—	—
1934–35	St. Louis Eagles	NHL		41	5	7	12	10		—	—	—	—	—
1935–36	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	11	10	21	17		2	2	1	3	2
1936–37	Boston Bruins	NHL		46	13	22	35	4		3	0	3	3	0
1937–38	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	17	22	39	8		3	2	0	2	0
1938–39*	Boston Bruins	NHL		34	8	34	42	2		12	3	11	14	2
1939–40	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	13	27	40	24		6	0	1	1	7
1940–41*	Boston Bruins	NHL		46	17	45	62	16		2	0	0	0	0
1941–42	Boston Bruins	NHL		28	4	23	27	6		5	0	3	3	5
1942–43	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	27	45	72	10		9	1	7	8	4
1943–44	Boston Bruins	NHL		36	30	41	71	12		—	—	—	—	—
1944–45	Boston Bruins	NHL		49	25	40	65	12		7	3	3	6	0
1945–46	Boston Bruins	NHL		26	12	12	24	6		10	1	3	4	2
1946–47	Boston Bruins	NHL		51	13	25	38	16		5	0	2	2	0
NHL totals				549	195	353	548	143		64	12	34	46	22

* Stanley Cup Champion.

References

1. McKinley, Michael (2006). Hockey: A People's History. Toronto, Ontario: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-7710-5771-7 – via Google Books.
2. Ralby, Herb (April 6, 1947). "Ross Leaves Cowley Off Bruin Trip List; Draws Center's Ire". The Boston Daily Globe.
3. Ferguson, Bob (January 2, 1994). "Ex-Bruin Cowley dies at age 81". Ottawa Citizen. p. B1.
4. "Hall of Famer Cowley Dies of Heart Attack". Toronto Star. January 3, 1994. p. E02.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database