Bill Cowley
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William Mailes "Cowboy" Cowley (June 12, 1912 – December 31, 1993) was a
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics * Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentri ...
who played 13 seasons in the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
for the
St. Louis Eagles The St. Louis Eagles were a professional ice hockey team that played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Based in St. Louis, the Eagles played for only one year, the 1934–35 NHL season. The team was founded in 1883 as the Ottawa Senators, a s ...
and
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
. Described as the
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
of his era, Cowley twice won the
Hart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is an annual award for the most valuable player in the National Hockey League (NHL), voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original trophy was dona ...
as the NHL's MVP, and is widely regarded as one of the best playmakers in hockey history.


Amateur career

Cowley -- who was born in Quebec, but raised in the Ottawa valley -- played junior ice hockey locally, for the Ottawa Primrose and Ottawa Shamrocks of the
Ottawa City Hockey League The Ottawa City Hockey League (OCHL) was an amateur ice hockey league with junior, intermediate and senior level men's teams in Ottawa, Canada. Founded in 1890 by the local Ottawa Hockey Association (Ottawa HA), the OCHL was created to organize p ...
. He led the competition in scoring while playing for the Primroses in the 1931 Memorial Cup, where they were defeated in the finals by the
Elmwood Millionaires The Elmwood Millionaires is a now defunct Canadian Junior Hockey team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Millionaires, based in Elmwood, Manitoba, won 5 straight Turnbull Cup Championships as Manitoba Junior ‘A’ Champions, 1927, 1928, ...
, two games to one. He was selected by
Cecil Duncan Cecil Charles Duncan (February 1, 1893December 25, 1979) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) from 1936 to 1938 and led reforms towards semi-professionalism in ice hoc ...
to be on an Ottawa All-stars team which went undefeated on an exhibition series in Europe during December 1931 and January 1932. Following the tour, he played a single partial season for the Shamrocks' senior team in 1933, before moving on to play for the
Halifax Wolverines The Halifax Wolverines (sometimes; Halifax Wolves) were an amateur men's senior ice hockey team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The team won the 1935 Allan Cup, and were nominated to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics but ...
of the
Maritime Senior Hockey League Maritime may refer to: Geography * Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps * Maritime Region, a region in Togo * Maritime Southeast Asia * The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Princ ...
in 1934, leading the league that season in goals, assists and points.


NHL career


1930s

After playing a single minor professional game for the
Tulsa Oilers The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and play in the ECHL. The Oilers played their home games at the Tulsa Convention Center until 2008 when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tuls ...
of the American Hockey Association at the start of the 1934–35 season -- scoring no points but getting into a fight -- Cowley broke in as a rookie with the
St. Louis Eagles The St. Louis Eagles were a professional ice hockey team that played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Based in St. Louis, the Eagles played for only one year, the 1934–35 NHL season. The team was founded in 1883 as the Ottawa Senators, a s ...
. After the season, the Senators/Eagles franchise was terminated and Bruins general manager Art Ross selected Cowley with the sixth selection in the subsequent dispersal draft, paying a dispersal fee of $2,250 to the Senators. Originally playing for Boston as a left winger instead of at his natural center position due to the presence on the Boston roster of star centers Cooney Weiland and
Dit Clapper Aubrey Victor "Dit" Clapper (February 9, 1907 – January 20, 1978) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Clapper played his entire professional career for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was inducted into the Ha ...
, Cowley scored his first goal for Boston on December 1, 1935, in the Bruins' 2-0 victory over the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
at
Boston Garden The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928, as "Boston Madison Square Garden" (lat ...
. He finished the
1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
season with 21 points, good for fourth in team scoring that year. By the playoffs, he had improved enough to be a starter, centering a checking line with Paul Runge and Peggy O'Neil, and contributed two goals in the Bruins' two-game total-goals loss to Toronto. In his second season, moved permanently to center on a line with Ray Getliffe and Charlie Sands, Cowley broke through to stardom, leading the Bruins in scoring and tying for eighth in the league that season. While the injury-riddled Bruins failed in the playoffs again -- losing in three games to the
Montreal Maroons The Montreal Maroons (officially the Montreal Professional Hockey Club) were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). They played in the NHL from 1924 to 1938, winning the Stanley Cup in 1926 and 1935. They were the las ...
-- Cowley was rewarded by a fourth place finish in voting for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. Augmented by the first full season of the famous Kraut Line --
Milt Schmidt Milt is the seminal fluid of fish, mollusks, and certain other water-dwelling animals which reproduce by spraying this fluid, which contains the sperm, onto roe (fish eggs). It can also refer to the sperm sacs or testes that contain the semen. ...
,
Bobby Bauer Robert Theodore Bauer (February 16, 1915 – September 16, 1964) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins. He was a member of the famed " Kraut Line" ...
and
Woody Dumart Woodrow Wilson Clarence Dumart (December 23, 1916 – October 19, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, most notably for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Dumar ...
-- the 1938 season saw the Cowley-led Bruins rocketing to the top of the standings, recording 30 wins, a mark only surpassed in league history to that date by the 1930 Bruins. Once again Cowley was Boston's scoring leader with 38 points, good for fifth in the league, and he was named First team All-Star at center for the first time. As the 1939 season got underway, Cowley was assigned new linemates,
Roy Conacher Roy Gordon Conacher (October 5, 1916 – December 29, 1984) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks. He was the ...
and
Mel Hill John Melvin Hill (February 15, 1915 – April 11, 1996) was an ice hockey right winger who was perhaps best known for his record three overtime goals in a playoff series in the 1939 playoffs which earned him the moniker, "Sudden Death". He was b ...
. Even though Cowley missed over a quarter of the season with a knee injury, he finished third in league scoring behind
Toe Blake Toes are the digits (fingers) of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being ''digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being ''plant ...
and
Sweeney Schriner David "Sweeney" Schriner (November 30, 1911 – July 4, 1990) was a Russian-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Americans and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was ...
, and had set a new single-season NHL record for assists with 34 (a record Cowley would break himself in 1941). The opening playoff series against the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
was the first in league history to go a full seven games, and famously won by Hill, who with his three overtime goals earned the nickname "Sudden Death;" Cowley assisted on all three of his goals and scored three himself. The Bruins went on to defeat Toronto in the finals for its second Stanley Cup; Cowley led all playoff scorers with 14 points.


1940s

Boston defended its regular season title in 1940 season, with Cowley finishing tied for fourth in league scoring behind all three members of the Kraut Line (the only other times the top four scorers came from the same team would be from the Bruins as well, in 1970 and 1974). The 1941 season saw Cowley have his best season to date, leading Boston to its unprecedented fourth straight regular season championship. Even though his chronically bad knee forced him out of some games and almost all of the playoffs, Cowley won the scoring championship by a wide margin over
Bryan Hextall Bryan Aldwyn Hextall (July 31, 1913 – July 25, 1984) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Considered one of the top wingers of the 1940s, he led the NHL in goal ...
of the Rangers with 62 points -- second in league history only to
Cy Denneny Cyril Joseph Denneny (December 23, 1891 – September 10, 1970) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League and the Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey As ...
's mark of 73 in 1930, when the forward passing rules had been vastly liberalized -- and won the
Hart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is an annual award for the most valuable player in the National Hockey League (NHL), voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original trophy was dona ...
. He also broke his own record for assists in a season with 47, and was named a First Team All-Star for the second time. Despite Cowley only being able to play in two playoff games and scoring no points, the Bruins won their third Stanley Cup title.
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
ravaged the Bruins' powerful roster starting the next season. While the Bruins were comfortably in first place through the season's halfway point, all three of the Kraut Line were called up to the Canadian armed forces shortly thereafter. Worse yet, Cowley suffered a serious jaw injury against Detroit on January 22 –
Busher Jackson Ralph Harvey Jackson (January 17, 1911June 25, 1966) was a Canadians, 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 Bo ...
quoted as saying the injury was one of the worst he'd ever seen – and missed all of the rest of the regular season, with team manager Art Ross deliberately holding him out for the playoffs. During the season, on February 5, 1942, one of the first NHL All-Star Games was organized in Boston, between a Boston team augmented by recently retired Bruins and an alumni All-Star team from other clubs, to benefit the U.S. Army Relief Society. Too injured to play, Cowley coached the Bruins team; the game ended in a 4-4 tie. The 1943 season saw Cowley regain full form, playing in every game and once again leading the league in assists, as well as in power play and game winning goals. He scored new career highs of 27 goals and 72 points, finishing second in the scoring race to
Doug Bentley Douglas Wagner Bentley (September 3, 1916 – November 24, 1972) was a Canadian ice hockey left winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers as part of a senior and professiona ...
of the
Chicago Black Hawks (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
, while being cited by Detroit manager
Jack Adams John James Adams (June 14, 1894 – May 1, 1968) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach and general manager in the National Hockey League and Pacific Coast Hockey Association. He played for the Toronto Arenas, Vancouver Millionair ...
as being the greatest stickhandler the game had ever seen. He was named First Team All-Star for the third time, and given the war- and injury-riddled Bruins' roster (it would be the only season during Cowley's career in which the Bruins missed the playoffs), was awarded his second
Hart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is an annual award for the most valuable player in the National Hockey League (NHL), voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original trophy was dona ...
as the league's most valuable player. Now in his thirties and suffering more frequent injuries, Cowley never again played a full season. Yet
1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...
proved his finest season, as he comfortably led the league in scoring for most of it, tallying nearly two points a game, a mark that would stand for decades. He centered a line with
Herb Cain Herbert James Cain (December 24, 1912 – February 23, 1982) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Maroons, Montreal Canadiens, and Boston Bruins between 1933 ...
and Art Jackson. With the team once again decimated with injuries and enlistments, Cowley was the sole major star left. The injury bug struck again on January 7, when in the midst of a 12-3 rout by Toronto, Leaf center Jack McLean separated Cowley's shoulder with a heavy boardcheck; Bruins manager Ross alleged that it was a dirty play and the result of a deliberate attack. Upon returning to the lineup, he reinjured his chronically bad knee and was forced out again, eventually missing 14 games in all to finish seventh in league scoring. Despite missing so much action, he was named First Team All-Star at center for the fourth and final time, and was runner-up in Hart Trophy voting to
Babe Pratt Walter Peter "Babe" Pratt (January 7, 1916 – December 16, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman/left winger who played for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League between ...
of Toronto. He was healthy for most of the
1944–45 NHL season The 1944–45 NHL season was the 28th season of the National Hockey League. Six teams each played 50 games. The Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup in seven games versus the Detroit Red Wings. League business In October 1944, Lester Pat ...
, and led the scoring race for most of it -- despite little help from the ongoing decimation of the Bruins roster -- before tailing off to finish fourth in league scoring, and leading the Bruins in scoring for the final time. Cowley was named to the second All-Star team, and placed third and fourth respectively in the Hart and Lady Byng voting. He was considered the star of the series as the threadbare underdog Bruins extended the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings to seven games in the opening series of the playoffs. Centering Cain and
Don Gallinger Donald Calvin Gallinger (April 16, 1925 — February 3, 2000) was a Canadian ice hockey player who played 222 games in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins between 1942 and 1948. Born in Port Colborne, Gallinger was one of the league ...
as the
1945–46 NHL season The 1945–46 NHL season was the List of NHL seasons, 29th Season (sport), season of the National Hockey League. The Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Boston Bruins for the team's sixth championship. League business Since Worl ...
dawned, and with the return of many players from the military, Cowley started out strong, amassing 24 points in 26 games before suffering a compound fracture of the wrist in a January match against the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
. He returned in time for the playoffs, where the Bruins fell to the Canadiens in the Cup Finals. In his final season, Cowley was slowed by age and the progressive effect of his many injuries, but finished fourth in team scoring behind Schmidt, Bauer and Dumart despite missing nine games, and centered a line with Gallinger and
Bep Guidolin Armand "Bep" Guidolin (December 9, 1925 – November 24, 2008) was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach. He is notable for being the youngest player in National Hockey League history. He was born in Thorold, Ontario. He and Eleanor, his wife of ...
. On February 12, 1947, he surpassed Syd Howe to become the all-time career NHL points leader in a 10-1 win over the New York Rangers.


Captaincy question

There is evidence from contemporary newspaper accounts and photographs that Bruins player-coach
Dit Clapper Aubrey Victor "Dit" Clapper (February 9, 1907 – January 20, 1978) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Clapper played his entire professional career for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was inducted into the Ha ...
surrendered his captaincy to Cowley for the 1945 season. Similar omissions for the Bruins in the 1930s and 1940s -- during which newspaper accounts state that Bruins manager Art Ross appointed captains, and generally for a single season only -- include Marty Barry in 1934,
Nels Stewart Robert Nelson "Old Poison" Stewart (December 29, 1899 – August 21, 1957) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Maroons, New York Americans and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League. He is an Honoure ...
in 1935,
Eddie Shore Edward William Shore (November 23, 1902 – March 16, 1985) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, principally for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League, and the longtime owner of the Springfield Indians of the American Hocke ...
in 1936, Red Beattie in 1937 and
Bobby Bauer Robert Theodore Bauer (February 16, 1915 – September 16, 1964) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins. He was a member of the famed " Kraut Line" ...
in 1947. None of these captaincies are recognized by the Bruins' organization.


Retirement

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 Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
and he wanted to use the trip as a honeymoon. Cowley finished his career with 195 goals and 353 assists for 548 points in 549 NHL games. Upon his retirement, Cowley was the NHL career leader in assists (a distinction he'd held from the 1944 season on forward) and points; he held both marks until surpassed by
Elmer Lach Elmer James Lach (, January 22, 1918 – April 4, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 14 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). A centre, he was a member of the Punch line, along with Ma ...
in 1952. He led the league in hat tricks twice (1943 and 1944), in assists per game five times, and in points per game four times. His 1944 record of 1.97 points per game stood as the all-time mark until Wayne Gretzky surpassed it in
1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...
. Cowley was to later say of Gretzky surpassing his mark, "I never thought I'd see the day when a player would do that. I always thought that would be impossible." After his career, Cowley went on to coach the Ottawa Commandos team in the Ontario Hockey Association's senior loop in 1948, and the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
of the
Pacific Coast Hockey League The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952. PCHL 1928–1931 The first ...
in 1949 -- where the team finished third place in its division with a 33-31-6 record -- before leaving the sport for good. Returning to Ottawa after his coaching days, Cowley went into business, owning a hotel in
Smiths Falls, Ontario Smiths Falls is a town in Eastern Ontario, Canada, southwest of Ottawa. As of the 2021 census it has a population of 9,254. It is in the Census division for Lanark County, but is separated from the county. The Rideau Canal waterway passes ...
and the Elmdale Tavern/Hotel in Ottawa. In 1967, he was a founder of the
Ottawa 67's The Ottawa 67's are a major junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that plays in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Established during Canada's centennial year of 1967 and named in honour of this, the 67's currently play their h ...
junior ice hockey team, and remained part-owner until 1975. 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 (née 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. Cowley was the last active player that had played for the Senators/Eagles franchise. 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'' (''THN'') is a Canadian-based ice hockey magazine. ''The Hockey News'' was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Will Cote and has since become the most recognized hockey publication in North America. The magazine has a readers ...
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.


Career statistics

* Stanley Cup Champion.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cowley, Bill 1912 births 1993 deaths Ice hockey people from Quebec Boston Bruins players Canadian ice hockey centres Hart Memorial Trophy winners Hockey Hall of Fame inductees National Hockey League scoring leaders (prior to 1947–48) People from Outaouais St. Louis Eagles players Stanley Cup champions