The First National Hockey League

National Hockey League

The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 All-Star Game

National Hockey League All-Star Game

The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...

took place at Maple Leaf Gardens

Maple Leaf Gardens

Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...

, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

, on October 13, 1947. The game saw the Maple Leafs play a team of NHL all-stars. The All-Stars won the game 4–3.

Founding

The NHL All-Star Game originated from the Players Committee and was approved on May 23, 1947. For the site of the All-Star Charity Game, it was applied for by Toronto and Chicago, with Chicago receiving the second game, in 1948. It was agreed that proceeds would be divided whereby one-third would go to Toronto charities, and two-thirds would go to the Players Emergency (Benevolent and Disability) Fund. At a later meeting in September 1947, the players agreed to set up a pension fund, with $900 from every player going into the fund and 25 cents from the sale of every playoff ticket and the two-thirds of the All-Star Game proceeds to go into the fund.

Pre-game festivities

The players selected for the game attended a Toronto Argonauts

Toronto Argonauts

The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...

-Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...

 football game on the day of the Game. That was followed by a dinner at the Royal York Hotel

Fairmont Royal York

The Fairmont Royal York Hotel, formerly the Royal York Hotel and still often so called, is a large and historic hotel in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at 100 Front Street West. Opened on June 11, 1929, the Royal York was designed by Ross and Macdonald and built by the Canadian Pacific Railway...

. The players were given miniature engraved gold pucks. There were extra gifts for the Maple Leafs, who had won the Stanley Cup

Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...

 the previous spring. The Leafs received gold cufflinks from the Ontario government, a free lifetime pass from Conn Smythe

Conn Smythe

Constantine Falkland Cary Smythe MC was a Canadian businessman, soldier and sportsman in ice hockey and horse racing. He is best known as the principal owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League from 1927 to 1961 and as the builder of Maple Leaf Gardens...

. Sponsors gave each player a coat, a hat, a table lighter, golf balls, a tie, cigarette boxes, pocket knives, team photos, silver tea trays, engraved gold watches and silver watch chains.

Game description

The All-Stars wore red sweaters with white stripes and white stars across the chest above the NHL shield. The referees wore dark blue sweaters. The Leafs wore their white sweaters.

The game was well-contested and was physical. Ken Reardon

Ken Reardon

Kenneth Joseph "Kenny" Reardon was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966....

 was assessed a major penalty for cutting Bob Goldham

Bob Goldham

Robert John "Golden Boy" Goldham is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He played two seasons for the Toronto Marlboros earning the name "Golden Boy"...

 on the head after a dirty cross-check. Reardon was involved in a stick-swinging incident between himself and Bill Ezinicki

Bill Ezinicki

William "Wild Bill" Ezinicki is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs , the Boston Bruins , and the New York Rangers of the NHL....

 and Gus Mortson

Gus Mortson

James Angus Gerald "Old Hardrock" Mortson is a former NHL defenceman.-Awards and achievements:*1947 Stanley Cup Championship *1948 Stanley Cup Championship...

. Maurice Richard

Maurice Richard

Joseph Henri Maurice "the Rocket" Richard, Sr., was a French-Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League from 1942 to 1960. The "Rocket" was the most prolific goal-scorer of his era, the first to achieve the feat of 50 goals in 50...

 was placed on a line with Ted Lindsay

Ted Lindsay

Robert Blake Theodore Lindsay is a former professional ice hockey player, a forward for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League . He scored over 800 points in his Hockey Hall of Fame career, won the Art Ross Trophy in 1950, and won the Stanley Cup four times...

. The pair, who would often fight it out in regular games did not share a word, according to Richard.

Summary

	Maple Leafs	All-Stars
Final score	3	4
Scoring summary	Watson (Ezinicki) 12:29 first Ezinicki (Apps, Watson) 1:03 second Apps (Watson) 5:01 second	Max Bentley (Reardon) 4:39 second Warwick (Laprade, Reardon) 9:25 second Richard (unassisted) 0:28 third Doug Bentley (Schmidt, Richard) 1:26 third
Penalties	Mortson, Ezinicki(2) first Lynn (minor, major) second Mortson(2), Ezinicki third	Leswick, Bauer first Reardon (minor, major) second Bouchard, Schmidt third
Win/Loss	Turk Broda Turk Broda Walter "Turk" Broda was an ice hockey goaltender, playing his entire career for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League . Broda was born in Brandon, Manitoba to a Ukrainian family; joining the Maple Leafs in 1936.-Personal:...	Frank Brimsek Frank Brimsek Francis Charles "Mister Zero" Brimsek was an American professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...

Referee: King Clancy

King Clancy

Francis Michael "King" Clancy was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, referee, coach and executive. Clancy played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was a member of three Stanley Cup championship teams and won All-Star honours...

Linesmen: Jim Primeau, Ed Mepham

Attendance: 14,169

Source: Podnieks(2000), p. 25.

Rosters

	Maple Leafs	All-Stars
Head coach	Hap Day Hap Day Clarence Henry "Happy" Day , later known as Hap Day, was a Canadian professional hockey player who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Americans...  (Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... )	Dick Irvin Dick Irvin James Dickinson Irvin, Sr. was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League.Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Irvin was one of the greatest players of his day, balancing a torrid slapshot and tough style with gentlemanly play...  (Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... )
Lineup	Maple Leafs: 1 - G Turk Broda Turk Broda Walter "Turk" Broda was an ice hockey goaltender, playing his entire career for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League . Broda was born in Brandon, Manitoba to a Ukrainian family; joining the Maple Leafs in 1936.-Personal:...   2 - D Bob Goldham Bob Goldham Robert John "Golden Boy" Goldham is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He played two seasons for the Toronto Marlboros earning the name "Golden Boy"...   3 - D Wally Stanowski Wally Stanowski Walter Stanowski is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba.Stanowski started his National Hockey League career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1939. He would also play for the New York Rangers and retire after the 1951 season. In 1941, he was a member of the...   4 - LW Harry Watson Harry Watson (ice hockey b. 1923) Harold Percival "Whipper" Watson was a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing who played for the Brooklyn Americans, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Chicago Black Hawks, winning five Stanley Cups over a 14-year career in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:Born in Saskatoon,...   5 - RW Don Metz  7 - C Bud Poile Bud Poile Norman Robert "Bud" Poile was a professional ice hockey player, coach, general manager, and league executive.-Overview:Poile was born in Fort William, Ontario and played junior hockey for the Fort William Rangers...   9 - C Ted Kennedy  10 - C Syl Apps Syl Apps Charles Joseph Sylvanus Apps, CM of Paris, Ontario, was a Canadian pole vaulter and professional hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1936 to 1948 and a Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament in Ontario.-Athletic career:Apps was a strong athlete, 6 feet tall, weighing 185 pounds,...  (C) 12 - RW Bill Ezinicki Bill Ezinicki William "Wild Bill" Ezinicki is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs , the Boston Bruins , and the New York Rangers of the NHL....   14 - D Vic Lynn Vic Lynn Victor Ivan Lynn was a professional ice hockey player in the NHL. He played for all of the NHL's Original Six teams.-Professional career:In 1943 Lynn played one game for the New York Rangers....   15 - RW Howie Meeker Howie Meeker Howard William Meeker, C.M. is a former right winger in the National Hockey League, youth coach and educator in ice hockey and television sports announcer as well as a former Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament...   16 - LW Gaye Stewart Gaye Stewart James Gaye Stewart was a professional ice hockey forward. He played nine seasons as a right winger in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...   17 - LW Joe Klukay Joe Klukay Joseph Francis Klukay a.k.a. "The Duke of Padocah" was a professional Canadian ice hockey forward. He was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario....   19 - D Gus Mortson Gus Mortson James Angus Gerald "Old Hardrock" Mortson is a former NHL defenceman.-Awards and achievements:*1947 Stanley Cup Championship *1948 Stanley Cup Championship...   20 - D Jim Thomson  21 - D Bill Barilko Bill Barilko William "Bashin' Bill" Barilko was a Canadian ice hockey player who played his entire National Hockey League career for the Toronto Maple Leafs.- Personal life :Barilko was of Ukrainian descent and had a brother, Alex, and sister, Anne....   22 - C Fleming Mackell Fleming Mackell Fleming David Mackell is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.-Playing career:After a stage with St-Michaels, the Toronto Maple Leafs OHA affiliate, Mackell began his National Hockey League career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1948. The majority of his career was spent with the Boston Bruins...	All-Stars: 1 - G Frank Brimsek Frank Brimsek Francis Charles "Mister Zero" Brimsek was an American professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...  (Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... ) 1 - G Bill Durnan Bill Durnan William Ronald Durnan was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...  (Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... ) 2 - D Jack Stewart (Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... ) 3 - D Butch Bouchard (Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... ) 4 - D Bill Quackenbush Bill Quackenbush Hubert George "Bill" Quackenbush was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League. During his 14 year career, he was the first defenceman to win the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. He won the award after playing the...  (Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... ) 5 - C Max Bentley Max Bentley Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League as part of a professional and senior career that spanned 20 years...  (Chicago Black Hawks) 6 - RW Bill Mosienko Bill Mosienko William Mosienko was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks. He is best noted for recording the fastest hat trick in NHL history...  (Chicago Black Hawks) 7 - LW Doug Bentley Doug Bentley Douglas Wagner Bentley was a Canadian ice hockey left winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers as part of a senior and professional career that spanned nearly three decades...  (Chicago Black Hawks) 8 - RW Grant Warwick Grant Warwick Grant David "Knobby" Warwick was a professional ice hockey right winger who played 9 seasons in the National Hockey League. He won the Calder Trophy in 1942.-NHL career:...  (New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... ) 9 - RW Maurice Richard Maurice Richard Joseph Henri Maurice "the Rocket" Richard, Sr., was a French-Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League from 1942 to 1960. The "Rocket" was the most prolific goal-scorer of his era, the first to achieve the feat of 50 goals in 50...  (Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... ) 10 - C Edgar Laprade Edgar Laprade Edgar Louis "Beaver" Laprade is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. He was born in Port Arthur, Ontario...  (New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... ) 11 - LW Ted Lindsay Ted Lindsay Robert Blake Theodore Lindsay is a former professional ice hockey player, a forward for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League . He scored over 800 points in his Hockey Hall of Fame career, won the Art Ross Trophy in 1950, and won the Stanley Cup four times...  (Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... ) 14 - LW Woody Dumart Woody Dumart Woodrow Wilson Clarence "Porky" Dumart 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...  (Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... ) 15 - C Milt Schmidt Milt Schmidt Milton Conrad Schmidt is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre, coach and general manager, mostly for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.-Early years:...  (Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... ) 17 - LW Bobby Bauer Bobby Bauer Robert Theodore Bauer was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins.-Playing career:...  (Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... ) 17 - D Ken Reardon Ken Reardon Kenneth Joseph "Kenny" Reardon was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966....  (Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... ) 18 - LW Tony Leswick Tony Leswick Anthony Joseph Leswick was a former ice hockey forward who played mostly for the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings of the NHL. Nicknamed "Tough Tony" and "Mighty Mouse", he was known also as a little pest. Little, because he stood just 5'7" tall and weighed 160lbs...  (New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... )

Source: Podnieks(2000), p. 25.