Hockey Heroes of the Past: Reginald Joseph Smith
- Big Kaluwski
- Jan 4, 2017
- 2 min read
Welcome to another blog article, where I will be featuring Hockey Heroes of the Past. For now, I will be focusing on player who played between 1900-1970. Why that time period? Well, it is important to remember these pioneer's, that paved the way for current NHL superstars. Without these legends, who knows where our game would be. So I find it is essential that these Hockey Heroes get the recognition they deserve. Today we look at Reginald Joseph "Hooley" Smith.
Born: January 7th, 1903
Birthplace: Toronto, ON
Died: August 24th, 1963
Height: 5ft10
Weight: 155 lbs
Position:Center/Right wing
Teams: Toronto Granites, Montreal Maroons, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, New York American's
Nickname: "Hooley"
NHL Career Stats
GP = 715
G = 200
A = 225
Pts =425
PIM = 1013
***Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972***
Career Highlights
- Led Canada with 17 goals and 33 points in 5 games during the 1924 Olympics. (Where Canada won gold)
- 3 time Stanley Cup winner
- First player in NHL to wear a helmet
Hooley Smith is best remembered for forming one of the early potent forwards lines, called the "S" line. Paired with Nels Stewart, and Albert "Babe" Siebert, they dominated the league for several years. He was named captain of the Montreal Maroons, and helped them to win their last Stanley Cup in 1935.
Hooley was a very aggressive forward, with a nasty streak, but was considered by many to be a hockey genius. He had a trademark "hook check", that would get under the skin of opponents. Even with his small size, due to his aggressive style, he was seen as a power forward. He was also known, however, for his cocky attitude and short temper. During the 1927 Stanley Cup finals, he attacked Boston Bruins forward Harry Oliver and a bloody battle ensued. His team won the match and the cup, but Frank Calder, then president of the NHL, suspended Smith for a month at the beginning of the next season.
Smith's dad came up with the nickname "Hooley" based after the comic strip character "Happy Hooligan".
Hooley Smith was truly a special player, and one that should not be forgotten. Hopefully you have enjoyed the brief bio, and as usual, all comments are welcome.
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