Bill Cowley
Encyclopedia
William Mailes "Cowboy" Cowley (June 12, 1912 in Bristol, Quebec
– 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
.
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 Cup
s 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.
Cowley finished his career with 195 goals and 353 assists for 548 points in 549 NHL games. At the time of his retirement in 1947, 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.
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.
Cowley died on New Year's Eve, 1993 of a heart attack. He was survived by his wife Jessie (nee Wilson), children Jill Fullerton, John, Jane Egan and Dan. 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.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
– December 31, 1993) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the St. Louis Eagles
St. Louis Eagles
The St. Louis Eagles were a professional ice hockey team and a former member of the National Hockey League based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Eagles existed for only one year, playing in the 1934–35 NHL season....
and Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
.
Playing career
After a few seasons of senior league play in Ottawa and Halifax, Cowley broke in as a rookie with the St. Louis EaglesSt. Louis Eagles
The St. Louis Eagles were a professional ice hockey team and a former member of the National Hockey League based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Eagles existed for only one year, playing in the 1934–35 NHL season....
in 1934–35. After the season, the franchise was terminated and Art Ross
Art Ross
Arthur Howey "Art" Ross was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck up the ice rather than pass it to a forward...
, 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 Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
s in 1939 and 1941. While World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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.
Cowley finished his career with 195 goals and 353 assists for 548 points in 549 NHL games. At the time of his retirement in 1947, 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
The Hockey News
The Hockey News, commonly abbreviated to THN, is a North American ice hockey magazine published by Transcontinental. The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Bill Côté, and has since been the most recognized hockey publication in North America...
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.
After his career, Cowley went on to coach in the Ottawa senior leagues and the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
of the PCHL.
Personal
Returning to Ottawa after his coaching days, Cowley went into business, owning a hotel in Smiths Falls, OntarioSmiths Falls, Ontario
Smiths Falls is a town in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is in the census division for Lanark County, but is considered a separated town and does not participate in county government...
and the Elmdale Tavern/Hotel in Ottawa. In 1967, he was a part-owner and founder of the Ottawa 67's
Ottawa 67's
The Ottawa 67’s are a junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario. They have played in the Ontario Hockey League since 1967, Canada's centennial year. The current coach is Chris Byrne.-History:...
junior ice hockey team. He passed on the Elmdale to his son John.
Cowley died on New Year's Eve, 1993 of a heart attack. He was survived by his wife Jessie (nee Wilson), children Jill Fullerton, John, Jane Egan and Dan. 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.
Awards and achievements
- Named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 19381937–38 NHL season-European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France...
, 1941, 19431942–43 NHL season-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
and 1944. - Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1945.
- Won the NHL scoring titleArt Ross TrophyThe Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
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 Wayne GretzkyWayne GretzkyWayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
and Mario LemieuxMario LemieuxMario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
. - Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1968.
- Inducted into Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1934–35 | Tulsa Oilers | AHA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1934–35 | St. Louis Eagles St. Louis Eagles The St. Louis Eagles were a professional ice hockey team and a former member of the National Hockey League based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Eagles existed for only one year, playing in the 1934–35 NHL season.... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
41 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1935–36 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
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 1937–38 NHL season -European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France... |
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 1942–43 NHL season -NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:... |
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 | ||||