Friday, July 29, 2011

Today in history: July 29

No birthdays yesterday, so we pick up with these today
Ted Lindsay: "Terrible Ted" made his professional hockey debut in Indianapolis, albeit temporarily, and with some controversy. The Capitals were beset by injuries and the absence of player-coach John Sorrell after the 1944-45 season's first two games, and so the Detroit Red Wings sent Lindsay and two others, rookie Steve Wochy and ex-Capital Judd McAtee to play one game in Hershey on Oct. 25, 1944. The Caps won the game 7-3, or so it seemed. The AHL ruled Lindsay and the two others ineligible because the league felt the Red Wings were stacking the team, even though Lindsay and Wochy had never played an NHL game and McAtee hadn't played in a couple of years. Anyway, it was Lindsay's only game with the Caps, and he never actually set foot in Indianapolis as a member of the team. He would be in the lineup when the Red Wings began their season against Boston four nights later, and go on to a 17-year NHL career. It would actually be the only minor-league game of his career. He totaled 379 goals, 472 assists and 1808 PIMs in 1,068 games. He joined Gordie Howe and ex-Capital Sid Abel on the "Production Line" for much of his career. He was the NHL's Art Ross Trophy recipient as the league's leading scorer in 1950. He won the Stanley Cup in 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955 with the Red Wings and captained the team for much of that time. He was traded to Chicago in 1957 and played three seasons for the Blackhawks. He retired in 1960, came out of retirement to play one more season in 1964-65, then went into permanent retirement. Besides his Hall of Fame career and becoming the first player to skate the Stanley Cup around the rink, Lindsay is best known for being the founder of the NHL Players Association, the league players union -- a big reason why he was traded to Chicago. The NHLPA's award for the league's outstanding player is named for him. A native of Renfrew, Ontario, he is 86. 

Dave Cameron: Center who played for the Checkers in their first two seasons, from 1979-81. He played 148 games, totaling 55 goals and 51 assists, as well as 257 PIMs. He had a huge season in 1980-81, with 40 goals and 30 assists, leading the team in goal scoring. That took him to the NHL, where he spent much of the next three seasons with the Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils franchise. He was traded by the Isles for a draft pick that turned out to be Pat LaFontaine. He had a 25-28-53 line in 168 NHL games. Cameron retired as a player after the 1984-85 season, although he did come out of retirement to play one game with AHL Saint John in 1994-95. He began coaching in the old Colonial Hockey League with Detroit in 1995-96, beginning a long career behind the bench. In 1997, he began coaching Major Junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League. Other than two stints in the AHL, he has primarily been coaching the Toronto/Mississauga St. Michaels Majors ever since, coaching the Majors to second place in the 2011 Memorial Cup tournament. He also coached Canada's World Junior Championship silver medalist in 2011. He was recently hired as an Ottawa Senators assistant coach. A native of Charlottetown, PEI, he is 53. 

Scott Bell: Right wing who played two games for the Ice in 1995-96, scoring one goal. Bell was called up from ECHL Columbus, where he was a 23-goal scorer that season. The University of Minnesota grad played 69 pro games that season with Columbus, AHL Providence and the Ice, totaling 29 goals. He only played 21 more professional games thereafter. Bell moved into coaching, serving as the head coach at Div. III Hamline University in Minnesota until this past off-season. A native of Inver Grove Heights, Mich., he is 40. 

Andrew Mayer: Forward who played three games for the Ice in the 2010-11 season. He had one goal. A native of Troy, Mich., he is 18. 

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