| Woody Dumart | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 23, 1916 Kitchener, ON, CAN |
| Died | October 19, 2001 (aged 84) Boston, MA, USA |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) |
| Position | Left Wing |
| Shot | Left |
| Played for | Boston Bruins |
| Playing career | 1935–1954 |
| Hall of Fame, 1992 | |
Woodrow Clarence "Porky" Dumart (December 23, 1916 in Kitchener, Ontario - October 19, 2001 in Boston, Massachusetts) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Dumart went by the nickname of "Porkey".
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Dumart was raised in Kitchener, Ontario, where there was a strong German population. He played his junior hockey with the Kitchener Greenshirts of the Ontario Hockey Association on a line with childhood friends Milt Schmidt and Bobby Bauer, which was dubbed the "Kraut Line" by Albert "Battleship" Leduc, a defenceman for the Montreal Canadiens. After two seasons with the Greenshirts, the entire Kraut Line was signed by the Bruins.
After spending the bulk of the 1936 and 1937 seasons in the minor leagues with the Boston Cubs of the Can-Am League, Dumart made the Bruins for good in early 1937. Reunited with Schmidt and Bauer, the trio was one of the most famous lines in hockey history. Dumart - at 6'1", one of the largest wingers of his day - was the skilled checking and defensive component to the line, while contributing good scoring, and helped lead the Bruins to Stanley Cup victories in 1939 and 1941. His contributions were recognized by being named the left wing on the Second All-Star Team in both 1940 and 1941.
By then, World War II intervened - leading to the line being renamed, briefly and abortively, the "Kitchener Kids" due to anti-German sentiment - and Dumart enlisted with teammates Schmidt, Bauer and Frank Brimsek. Joining the Royal Canadian Air Force halfway through the 1942 season, Dumart joined the Ottawa RCAF Flyers hockey team which challenged for the Allan Cup, Canada's senior league championship, and scored over a goal a game in leading the team to the title. He played briefly in the fall of 1942 for the Flyers before being shipped overseas, where he served until the end of the war.
The soldiers returned in 1945, but having lost nearly four years to the War, the Bruins would win no more championships during Dumart's career. Nonetheless, he played nine more seasons for Boston, and was named a Second Team All-Star for the third time in 1947.
His scoring skills diminishing in his final years, he ended his NHL career with Boston after the 1954 playoffs. He played one last stint the following season with the Providence Reds of the American Hockey League, suiting up for fifteen games before hanging up his skates at last.
Dumart retired having played sixteen NHL seasons in all, scoring 211 goals and 218 assists for 429 points in 772 games.
He settled in the Boston area, and remained active with charitable affairs, being the longtime coach of the Bruins' Alumni Association team. He had 3 kids, Jeff, Judy, and Bruce.
On his way to Ray Bourque Night, with his son Jeff Dumart, at the FleetCenter, Woody suddenly became ill with heart trouble and was taken to hospital, where he died on October 19th, 2001.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.