Bob Bailey
Born (1931-05-29)May 29, 1931
Kenora, Ontario, Canada
Died October 24, 2003(2003-10-24) (aged 72)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career 19471968

Robert Allan "Bashin' Bob" Bailey (May 29, 1931 – October 24, 2003) was a Canadian ice hockey right winger. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League between 1953 and 1958. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1947 to 1968, was spent in various minor leagues. During his career he was involved in trades for over twenty players, including three separate trades for Bill Dineen. He was inducted into the Dayton Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970 for his time with the Dayton Gems of the International Hockey League, where he played the last four seasons of his career.

Professional career

Minor league hockey

Bailey had his first taste of professional hockey at the age of 16 when he played 22 games with the Windsor Hettche Spitfires of the International Hockey League. He performed well, but many on the coaching staff felt he needed more time to develop. He continued his play with the Stratford Kroehlers and didn't return to the IHL until the 1951–52 season, when he played in the final two games of the season for the Toledo Mercurys. However that was all it took. The Detroit Red Wings owned the rights to Bailey and decided to trade him to the Cleveland Barons along with his brother, John Bailey for the rights to Lou Jankowski and Bill Dineen in June 1951. In the American Hockey League Bailey flourished, playing in 54 games, amassing 46 points and a team-high 115 penalty minutes. That's all it took, as the Toronto Maple Leafs had had their eye on young Bailey and wanted to see what he could do. On May 30, 1953, Toronto traded Chuck Blair and 30,000 USD to Cleveland for Bailey and Gerry Foley.

Reaching the NHL

After spending a short amount of time in the Maple Leafs' farm system with the Ottawa Senators of the QHL and the Pittsburgh Hornets, Bailey made his debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the middle of the 1953–54 season. He played in 48 games and scored 9 points, but also joined the Leafs' short playoff run against the Detroit Red Wings. Maurice "Rocket" Richard had a short altercation with the young rookie when he butt-ended Bailey with his stick after Bailey slammed Richard into the boards. Throughout the game Richard repeatedly tried to renew his attack on Bailey and even refused to leave the ice after a slash when ordered by the referee.[1][2] The following two seasons would be much less dramatic as they saw Bailey splitting time between the Maple Leafs and the Hornets, never really finding his scoring touch when brought up to the big leagues. While playing for the Hornets in 1956, Bailey was suspended from the remainder of the playoffs and fined US$575 for assaulting referee Jerry Olinski on April 2.

On May 28, 1956, Bailey was traded along with Bob Sabourin to the Springfield Indians for 11,000 USD. On September 22, 1956, Bailey was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for cash, but would remain in Springfield on loan. He played 40 games for the Indians before being called up to replace injured players for the Detroit Red Wings. He joined the Red Wings for their short playoff run against the Boston Bruins. The 1957–58 season saw Bailey playing for the Chicago Blackhawks after being acquired in the NHL Intra-League Draft on June 5, 1957. He would only play in 28 games before again being traded, this time with Jack McIntyre, Nick Mickoski and Hec Lalonde for Earl Reibel, Billy Dea, Lorne Ferguson and Bill Dineen on December 17, 1957. Bailey again joined Detroit for the playoffs and again had a post-season altercation. During the semi-finals against the Montreal Canadiens, there was a bench-clearing brawl that all started in the second period, precipitated by Bailey charging Montreal's goaltender, Jacques Plante. To settle the teams (and the crowd), referee Frank Udvari sent both teams to their dressing rooms and added the 5:22 remaining in that second period to the third stanza. The Canadiens ended up winning 2-1 and knocked Detroit out of the playoffs in four games.[3] The 1957–58 season would be Bailey's last in the NHL.

On July 31, 1958, Bailey was again traded to Cleveland from Detroit, this time for cash. However, Bailey picked up his scoring game for the 1958–59 season and finished third on the team in scoring and first again in penalty minutes. The following season saw Bailey playing only five more games for the Barons before being traded for Bill Dineen once again, this time to the Buffalo Bisons on October 20, 1959. He would finish out the season in Buffalo at almost a point-per-game pace. In 1960, Bailey was involved in another multiplayer trade on June 7. Bailey, Glen Skov, the rights to Danny Lewicki, Terry Gray and Lorne Ferguson went to the Montreal Canadiens for Cecil Hoekstra, Reggie Fleming, Ab McDonald and Bob Courcy. However, he wouldn't see ice time with Montreal as he would spend time with Montreal's minor leagues. Bailey spent the 1960–61 season with the Quebec Aces and the start of the 1961–62 season with the Pittsburgh Hornets before again being traded. This time Bailey would be switching leagues as Pittsburgh traded him to the San Francisco Seals of the Western Hockey League for Gord Redahl on February 27, 1962.

On the Seals, Bailey failed to put up large numbers and was sent to the Philadelphia Ramblers of the Eastern Hockey League. He had his best offensive season to date with the Ramblers, scoring 26 goals for a total of 91 points during the 1962–63 season. He also helped head coach for a short time that season along with Hugh Currie and Doug Adam. In 1963 Bailey was let go, but found a home with the Fort Wayne Komets of the International Hockey League.

Ending on a high note

At the end of the 1963–64 season, Bailey was involved in his last professional trade when he was traded to the Dayton Gems for Roger Maisonneuve in November 1964.

This turned out to be a great fit as Bailey put up his best numbers ever, scoring a career-high and team-leading 132 points in the 1965–66 season. In his final season, Bailey was suspended after slugging referee Billy Purcell in a game at Fort Wayne on December 9, 1967. This is what helped convince Bailey to retire in 1968. He had spent four years with the Gems in which he scored 319 points, almost half his total amassed career points.

After hockey

Bailey was honored on March 17, 1970, when he was inducted into the Dayton Hockey Hall of Fame. Long time Fort Wayne General Manager Ken Ullyot called him "the last of the great stick handlers." Gems' goaltender Pat Rupp said Bailey was "the best to ever play hockey in Dayton."[4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1947–48 Windsor Hettche Spitfires IHL 2227914 800010
1948–49 Kenora Thistles NOHA 145101551 52358
1949–50 Windsor Spitfires OHA 4810172766 1115620
1950–51 Stratford Kroehlers OHA 53214566109 31012
1951–52 Toledo Mercurys IHL 20330
1952–53 Cleveland Barons AHL 54113546115 1022433
1953–54 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 4827970 50224
1953–54 Ottawa Senators QSHL 200012
1953–54 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 723519
1954–55 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 3242652 10000
1954–55 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 269192823 508824
1955–56 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 60006
1955–56 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 486303698 42134
1956–57 Springfield Indians AHL 4011334483
1956–57 Detroit Red Wings NHL 50222
1957–58 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 2836938
1957–58 Detroit Red Wings NHL 35661241 400016
1958–59 Cleveland Barons AHL 64284169153 743716
1959–60 Cleveland Barons AHL 503313
1959–60 Buffalo Bisons AHL 503313
1960–61 Quebec Aces AHL 386111791
1961–62 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 273172091
1961–62 San Francisco Seals WHL 1226812 200016
1962–63 San Francisco Seals WHL 1106614
1962–63 Philadelphia Ramblers EHL 5026659164 303310
1963–64 Philadelphia Ramblers EHL 724667
1963–64 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 2212193164
1964–65 Dayton Gems IHL 54315687102
1965–66 Dayton Gems IHL 614587132127 1098753
1966–67 Dayton Gems IHL 3513364959 43148
1967–68 Dayton Gems IHL 2415365193
AHL totals 33882216298740 268142277
NHL totals 149152136207 1504422

Awards and achievements

  • Most assists in a season (87) – Dayton Gems (1965–66 season)
  • Dayton Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee – March 17, 1970

References

  1. Tony Care, Chris Harris & Dan Tavares (2006-07-14). "Legends who lost it". CBC. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  2. Red Fisher (2000-05-28). "Passing of a Legend". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on 2007-03-20. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  3. Hockey Hall of Fame. "Stanley Cup Journal". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  4. "Bob Bailey". Dayton Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
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