Irvine Bailey
Irvine Wallace "Ace" Bailey was a prominent Canadian ice hockey player, born on July 3, 1903, in Bracebridge, Ontario. He joined the National Hockey League (NHL) as a right-winger with the Toronto St. Pats, later known as the Maple Leafs, in 1926. Ace quickly became a key player, helping transform a struggling team into a competitive force, culminating in a Stanley Cup victory during the 1931-1932 season. His exceptional performance included leading the league in scoring during his early career, with 22 goals in one season, and playing a critical role in the playoffs, notably scoring the winning goal in the decisive Stanley Cup game against the New York Rangers.
Tragically, Ace's career was cut short in 1933 due to a severe head injury from an illegal trip, resulting in a fractured skull. Following the incident, a benefit game was held in his honor, and his jersey number was retired by the Maple Leafs. In recognition of his contributions to the sport, Bailey was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975. After retiring, he remained involved in hockey as a coach and a minor official. Ace Bailey's legacy is marked by both his athletic prowess and the unfortunate circumstances that led to the premature end of his career.
Irvine Bailey
Hockey Player
- Born: July 3, 1903
- Birthplace: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada
- Died: April 7, 1992
- Place of death: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sport: Ice hockey
Early Life
Irvine Wallace “Ace” Bailey was born in Bracebridge, Ontario, on July 3, 1903. Details of his early life are sketchy, but by the time he was in his early twenties, Ace had established himself as a National Hockey League (NHL) prospect.
The Road to Excellence
In 1926, as a right-winger, Ace joined professional ice hockey with the Toronto St. Pats. Later known as the Maple Leafs, the club was in last place when Ace joined the squad. Along with Hap Day and Bob Dye, Ace was part of a trio that became the heart of the Toronto franchise. Within two years Toronto entered the Stanley Cup playoff competition. That year, Ace won the scoring title in the NHL with 22 goals and 10 assists for 32 points in forty-four games. Both the 22 goals and the total points were league highs.
The Emerging Champion
Under coach Dick Irwin, in 1931-1932, Toronto finished in second place and won the coveted Stanley Cup, emblematic of the world championship in professional ice hockey. Ace’s team finished in first place in the Canadian Division the next two seasons. In Ace’s four playoff series, he scored 3 goals and had 4 assists. His most important goal was the winning score in the decisive third and final 1932 Stanley Cup game against the New York Rangers. His had 3 points, 1 goal and 2 assists, in the four-game series. His career scoring record was 111 goals and 82 assists in eight seasons. During the years when Ace played for Toronto, the Maple Leafs won 166 games, lost 143, and tied 55.
Continuing the Story
The victim of an illegal trip in a game against the Boston Bruins on December 12, 1933, Ace struck his head on the ice, fractured his skull, and almost died. The Toronto players then attacked Boston defenseman Eddie Shore, and a general melee followed. Shore was retaliating for an earlier incident and mistook Ace for another player. The episode ended Ace’s hockey career. Three months later, on February 12, 1934, a game was played in Ace’s honor between Toronto and league all-stars, and Ace embraced Shore to demonstrate no lasting animosity. The benefit game was won by Toronto and raised $23,000 for Ace; Toronto management retired his number-6 sweater.
In 1975, Ace was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. After his retirement from the game, Ace did some coaching and then joined the staff of minor officials at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
Summary
Irvine “Ace” Bailey’s career is largely remembered for two things: his ability to lead a last-place team to the world championship of ice hockey and the tragedy of his accident that cut short a remarkable career. In an era of low-scoring contests, Ace was regarded as one of the major offensive threats in the game for many years.
Bibliography
Carroll, M. R., Andrew Podnieks, and Michael Harling. The Concise Encyclopedia of Hockey. Vancouver: Greystone Books, 2001.
Hornby, Lance. The Story of the Maple Leaf Gardens. Champaign, Ill.: Sports, 1998.