Harry Lumley (ice hockey)

Harry Lumley
Born October 11, 1926(1926-10-11)
Owen Sound, ON, CAN
Died September 13, 1998(1998-09-13) (aged 71)
Height 6 ft 00 in (1.83 m)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Boston Bruins
Chicago Black Hawks
Detroit Red Wings
New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 1946–1961
Hall of Fame, 1980

Harry "Apple Cheeks" Lumley (November 11, 1926 – September 13, 1998) was a professional ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League.

Contents

Early life

Born in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada, Lumley—known as "Apple Cheeks" -- grew up playing local minor sports, but took quickly to hockey and wound up being a top notch goalkeeper. Lumley starred for several years with the Owen Sound Mercurys and later with the Owen Sound Orphans (who were called that because they could not find a sponsor) and then the Barrie Colts. He also played with the Indianapolis Capitals of the American Hockey League, a minor league team of the Detroit Red Wings.

NHL career

Lumley made his professional debut in the National Hockey League, however, with the New York Rangers in the 1943–44 season, when he was loaned to the Rangers for a single game. He was the youngest goaltender to play in the NHL, as he was 17 years old.

In the 1950 playoffs, Lumley led the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup championship, recording three shut-outs and a 1.85 GAA in fourteen games. After his performance, however, Jack Adams traded Lumley to the Chicago Black Hawks; Terry Sawchuk became the new goaltender for the Red Wings.

After playing with the Chicago Black Hawks for two seasons, he was again traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 1953–54 season, Lumley won the Vezina Trophy, presented annually to the NHL's best goalie, with a GAA of 1.86. His 13 shutouts that year was a National Hockey League record that stood until Chicago's Tony Esposito recorded 15 in 1969–70. Lumley was also named First All-Star Team Goaltender in the 7th National Hockey League All-Star Game.

In 1956, Lumley was traded back to Chicago. He refused to play in Chicago and played the next 3 years in the American Hockey League. He played with the Buffalo Bisons and the Providence Reds. Lumley would return to the National Hockey League in 1957 with the Boston Bruins. He played irregularly with them from 1957 to 1960 as he rotated his duties with Don Simmons. He would play one final season with the Winnipeg Warriors in the Western Hockey League.

After a long and successful stint with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins Lumley finished his playing career with the Boston Bruins. He retired after the 1959–60 NHL season with 330 wins, 329 losses, 142 ties, and a 2.76 GAA. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980. After retiring, Lumley was a longtime co-owner of the successful Orangeville Raceway. He died on September 13, 1998, of a heart attack.

Came up with the idea of making a pocket at shin level in goalie pads so pucks would drop straight on the ice instead of deflecting off them to an opponent.

Legacy

The community centre in his hometown of Owen Sound, where he continued to live after retiring, was renamed in his honour prior to his death. It is now officially known as the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.

Awards and achievements

Career statistics

Regular season

Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA
1942-43 Barrie Colts OHA-Jr.
1943-44 Detroit Red Wings NHL 2 0 2 0 120 13 0 6.50
1943-44 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 52 19 18 15 3120 147 0 2.84
1943-44 New York Rangers NHL 1 0 0 0 20 0 0 0.00
1944-45 Detroit Red Wings NHL 37 24 10 3 2220 119 1 3.22
1944-45 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 21 11 5 5 1260 46 2 2.14
1945-46 Detroit Red Wings NHL 50 20 20 10 3000 159 2 3.18
1946-47 Detroit Red Wings NHL 52 22 20 10 3120 159 3 3.06
1947-48 Detroit Red Wings NHL 60 30 18 12 3592 147 7 2.46
1948-49 Detroit Red Wings NHL 60 34 19 7 3600 145 6 2.42
1949-50 Detroit Red Wings NHL 63 33 16 14 3780 148 7 2.35
1950-51 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 64 12 41 10 3785 246 3 3.90
1951-52 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 17 44 9 4180 241 2 3.46
1952-53 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 27 30 13 4200 167 10 2.39
1953-54 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 69 32 24 13 4140 128 13 1.86
1954-55 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 69 23 24 22 4140 134 8 1.94
1955-56 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 59 21 28 10 3527 157 3 2.67
1956-57 Buffalo Bisons AHL 63 25 36 2 3780 264 0 4.19
1957-58 Buffalo Bisons AHL 17 7 9 1 1029 63 1 3.67
1957-58 Boston Bruins NHL 24 11 10 3 1440 70 3 2.92
1958-59 Boston Bruins NHL 11 8 2 1 660 27 1 2.45
1958-59 Providence Reds AHL 58 27 29 2 3480 208 4 3.59
1959-60 Boston Bruins NHL 42 16 21 5 2520 146 2 3.48
1960-61 Kingston Frontenacs EPHL 2 1 1 0 120 7 0 3.50
1960-61 Winnipeg Warriors WHL 61 17 40 4 3660 213 0 2.49
NHL totals 803 330 329 142 48,044 2206 71 2.76

Playoffs

Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA
1943-44 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 5 1 4 0 300 18 0 3.60
1944-45 Detroit Red Wings NHL 14 7 7 0 871 31 2 2.14
1945-46 Detroit Red Wings NHL 5 1 4 0 310 16 1 3.10
1947-48 Detroit Red Wings NHL 10 4 6 0 600 30 0 3.00
1948-49 Detroit Red Wings NHL 11 4 7 0 726 26 0 2.15
1949-50 Detroit Red Wings NHL 14 8 6 0 910 28 3 1.85
1953-54 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 5 1 4 0 321 15 0 2.80
1954-55 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 4 0 4 0 240 14 0 3.50
1955-56 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 5 1 4 0 304 13 1 2.57
1957-58 Boston Bruins NHL 1 0 1 0 60 5 0 5.00
1958-59 Boston Bruins NHL 7 3 4 0 436 20 0 2.75
NHL totals 76 29 47 0 4778 198 7 2.49

External links

Preceded by
Terry Sawchuk
Winner of the Vezina Trophy
1954
Succeeded by
Terry Sawchuk