Busher Jackson
| Busher Jackson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1971 | |||
 |
|||
| Born |
January 17, 1911 Toronto, ON, CAN |
||
| Died | June 25, 1966 (aged 55) Toronto, ON, CAN |
||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position |
Left Wing Defence |
||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Toronto Maple Leafs New York Americans Boston Bruins |
||
| Playing career | 1929–1944 | ||
Ralph Harvey "Busher" Jackson (January 17, 1911 – June 25, 1966) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Jackson played 15 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons between 1929 and 1944 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Americans and Boston Bruins. He was a member of the famed Kid Line with Joe Primeau and Charlie Conacher, one of the early NHL's dominant scoring trios. Jackson led the league in scoring in 1931–32 and was member of Toronto's 1932 Stanley Cup championship team. He was named to five NHL All-Star Teams and played in three benefit all-star games, including the Ace Bailey Benefit Game, the first all-star game in NHL history.
Off the ice, Jackson was well known for his high-spending lifestyle and drinking habit that prompted his trade from Toronto to New York in 1939. He was remembered as one of hockey's tragic figures following his retirement, as he struggled with alcoholism and financial difficulty. He was a figure of controversy within the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee as Jackson's lifestyle and personal problems were used to block his induction. He finally earned a place in the Hall of Fame in 1971, five years after his death. Jackson is also an honoured member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, inducted in 1975.
Jackson grew up in Toronto, playing his youth hockey at "Poverty Pond" in the city's east side before playing at the Ravina Rink where he was discovered by Frank Selke, the assistant general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Selke signed Jackson to a contract and assigned him to the Toronto Marlboros in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA)'s junior league for the 1927–28 season. Jackson scored four goals in four regular season games that season, and though the Marlboros were considered a favourite to win the Memorial Cup, the team was defeated in the Eastern final by the Ottawa Gunners. He returned to the team for the 1928–29 season, scoring 10 goals and 14 points in 9 regular season games. He then led the OHA playoffs with seven goals and nine points as the Marlboros won the OHA championship. Jackson was a leading offensive player for Toronto in the 1929 Memorial Cup playdowns, scoring 15 goals and 25 points in 13 games. The Marlboros reached the final, defeating the Elmwood Millionaires in a best-of-three series to win the franchise's first Memorial Cup championship.
...
Wikipedia