Bill Booth (ice hockey)
Encyclopedia
William Walton "Bill" Booth (August 20, 1919 – ) was a Canadian
ice hockey
player who mainly played in Great Britain
during the 1940s and 1950s, although he is best remembered as a Coach
with the Durham Wasps
. He is a member of the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
by he age of eight, Bill Booth did not start playing ice hockey until he was 14-years-old. However, he was still good enough to gain a place with Lachute in the Montreal Senior Provincial League (MSPL) when he was 20-years-old before icing with Valleyfield Braves.
In 1943 whilst serving with the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
during World War II
, Booth played in two exhibition game
s against the Boston Bruins
and the Montreal Canadiens
. In 1944, Booth went to Europe
with the Canadian Army
. After the war, he stayed in Europe playing services hockey.
Booth joined the Brighton Tigers
in 1946 following his demobilization
from the army. Booth played with the Tigers for three seasons — winning the Autumn Cup and the league championship
in 1946–47 as well as the league championship in 1947–48. In 158 games played for the Tigers, Booth's statistics are: 26 goals
, 41 assists
, 67 points
and 250 penalty minutes
.
Booth joined the Durham Wasps in 1949 as Player/Coach
, a position he held until 1963 when he became the head coach
for the 1963–64 season. Under his tenure, the Wasps won the Northern tournament seven times and the playoffs
three times.
Booth retired from playing in 1963 after he had suffered from jaundice
. He then married a local girl, Isobel, before continuing his involvement with British ice hockey by writing articles for the monthly magazine The Hockey Fan. Booth's involvement with ice hockey continued into the 1980s when he was north-eastern correspondent
for the Ice Hockey World magazine.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player who mainly played in Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during the 1940s and 1950s, although he is best remembered as a Coach
Coach (ice hockey)
Coach in ice hockey is the person responsible for directing the team during games and practices, prepares strategy and decides which players will participate in games....
with the Durham Wasps
Durham Wasps
The Durham Wasps was an ice hockey team located in Durham and was one of England's most well-known names in ice hockey. The team was bought by Sir John Hall and moved to the neighbouring city of Newcastle Upon Tyne in August 1996...
. He is a member of the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
Career
Although he learned to skateIce skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
by he age of eight, Bill Booth did not start playing ice hockey until he was 14-years-old. However, he was still good enough to gain a place with Lachute in the Montreal Senior Provincial League (MSPL) when he was 20-years-old before icing with Valleyfield Braves.
In 1943 whilst serving with the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps RCOC can trace its roots back to the Canadian Stores Department. Formed in 1871, the Canadian Stores Department was a civil department of the Canadian Government...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Booth played in two exhibition game
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
s against the 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...
and the 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 ...
. In 1944, Booth went to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with the Canadian Army
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
. After the war, he stayed in Europe playing services hockey.
Booth joined the Brighton Tigers
Brighton Tigers
The Brighton Tigers were an English ice hockey club based in Brighton. The team existed from 1935 until 1965 and were one of the United Kingdom's most successful sides during that period...
in 1946 following his demobilization
Demobilization
Demobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
from the army. Booth played with the Tigers for three seasons — winning the Autumn Cup and the league championship
British ice hockey league champions
The British ice hockey league champions are the winners of the highest ice hockey league in the United Kingdom, currently the Elite Ice Hockey League...
in 1946–47 as well as the league championship in 1947–48. In 158 games played for the Tigers, Booth's statistics are: 26 goals
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
, 41 assists
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
, 67 points
Point (ice hockey)
Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...
and 250 penalty minutes
Penalty (ice hockey)
A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...
.
Booth joined the Durham Wasps in 1949 as Player/Coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
, a position he held until 1963 when he became the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
for the 1963–64 season. Under his tenure, the Wasps won the Northern tournament seven times and the playoffs
British Championship
The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...
three times.
Booth retired from playing in 1963 after he had suffered from jaundice
Jaundice
Jaundice is a yellowish pigmentation of the skin, the conjunctival membranes over the sclerae , and other mucous membranes caused by hyperbilirubinemia . This hyperbilirubinemia subsequently causes increased levels of bilirubin in the extracellular fluid...
. He then married a local girl, Isobel, before continuing his involvement with British ice hockey by writing articles for the monthly magazine The Hockey Fan. Booth's involvement with ice hockey continued into the 1980s when he was north-eastern correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
for the Ice Hockey World magazine.
Awards
- Named to the ENLEnglish National LeagueFor the current league see English National Ice Hockey LeagueThe English National League was an early ice hockey league in England. It was founded in 1935 by most of the teams who had previously competed in the English League. It was suspended during the Second World War, but returned in 1946...
All-star B Team in 1947.