Dit Clapper

Aubrey Victor " Dit " Clapper ( born February 9, 1907 in Newmarket, Ontario, † January 21, 1978 ) was a Canadian ice hockey player (defender) and coach, who played from 1927 to 1946 for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League.

Career

His nickname was Victor or Vic briefly, but could not say, because of its slight lisp his name he heard himself pronounced always like to Dit and stayed him his life the little one. As a member of the Boston Bruins, Clapper was the first player who played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League. He was great both as a defender and as a striker and was appointed to two positions in the All- Star team. Was when the young Gordie Howe for his goals as a professional NHL asked he said: "As long as Dit Clapper play ".

The Bruins were his life and the only team for which he worked and the Bruins honored him by his shirt number 5 in 1947 was not awarded in his honor back. In the 1931/32 season he was captain of the Bruins, was then, represented a season 1938/39, of Cooney Weiland. Then he again took the office of captain and wore the C until his retirement in late 1946 on the chest. He was respected in the NHL like no other. In a confrontation with NHL President Clarence Campbell Dit was palpable, but was blocked on a game since Campbell took the blame for the dispute to be. Only Ray Bourque and Steve Yzerman were longer than he team captain in NHL team. The reputation and his memory is still large in Boston today. When they wanted to forgive his number again in 1983, this sparked a storm of criticism and the club had of his plans from.

In the 1945/46 season, he served as player-manager, and finished in the following season after just six games his playing career. Behind the band he worked until 1949 and took over 10 years later the Buffalo Bisons in the AHL for a season.

After a stroke Clapper spent the last five years of his life in a wheelchair.

The NHL suspended the usual waiting period of five years, and honored him in 1947 immediately after his retirement from active sports, with induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

NHL stats

Sporting successes

• Stanley Cup: 1929, 1939 and 1941

Personal Awards

• First All -Star Team: 1939, 1940 and 1941
• Second All-Star Team: 1931, 1935 and 1944