Hy Buller
Encyclopedia
Hyman "Hymie" Buller was a Canadian ice hockey
defenceman
. Nicknamed the “Blueline Blaster” because of his penchant for hitting opposing players above the skate toe and below the pads, Buller was one of two Jewish professional hockey players in the 1940s and 1950s.
He was on the Eastern Amateur Hockey League’s (EAHL) Second All-Star Team in 1943, the American Hockey League
’s (AHL) First All-Star Team in 1949 and 1951, the National Hockey League
’s (NHL) Second All-Star Team in 1952, and he played in the 1952 NHL All-Star Game. Buller was greatly admired by hockey legends Gordie Howe
and Maurice Richard
, and other contemporaries not only for his solid plays but also for his good sportsmanship. He played in five NHL seasons, first for the Detroit Red Wings
and later for the New York Rangers
, before retiring in 1954. Buller was married to Elaine Witten for 22 years and they had three sons—-Bob, Bruce, and Jeff. He died from cancer in 1968.
, which was at that time apart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and is now shared by Romania
and the Ukraine
. The Buller family originally settled in Montreal, Quebec where they ran a cleaning and pressing business. In 1919, Nathan married Goldie Goldenberg. Following a tragic explosion at the shop that killed Nathan’s brother, the Bullers left the garment business and moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1929 to join their relatives.
Winters in Saskatoon were devoted to hockey. Buller’s love of the sport developed in the flooded and frozen vacant lot belonging to his uncle. Many of the local boys played a form of hockey called shinny
, or street hockey
, and in 1937 the first artificial ice arena opened in Saskatchewan
and the boys soon formed leagues. Buller moved quickly up the ranks throughout his childhood and teen years, often playing alongside older and more experienced team members. But his athletic abilities were recognized and desired by coaches early on. Aside from ice hockey, Buller also participated in football, baseball, basketball, golf, swimming, and track and field; earning many awards.
In David A. Schwartz’s article “A Mensch on Defense – The Hy Buller Story” from the Jewish Historical Society of British Columbia’s journal The Scribe, he describes how in the 1930s and ‘40s, there was one team in Saskatoon
that scouts would come to see. The boys in this club were required to attend weekly church services and Buller, as a Jew, was not eligible to join. However, Buller’s natural abilities were too exceptional to overlook and in 1942, at the age of 16, he was offered a spot in the New York Rangers
’ Winnipeg training camp. Buller’s parents were hesitant at first because he was an excellent student. He had graduated two years early and could easily have gone to university. But Buller’s zeal for hockey could not be shaken and in the fall of 1942 he began playing with for the Eastern Amateur Hockey League’s New York Rovers along with two other Saskatoon
boys, Vic Lynn
and David Livingston.
After one season with the New York Rovers, Buller made his debut in the National Hockey League
with the Detroit Red Wings
. In 1944, there were only six teams in the NHL so space was limited; because of this Buller was demoted to the American Hockey League
in the 1944–45 season. He was sold to the Hershey Bears
and played for them for three seasons, during which they were runners-up for the pennant twice before eventually winning the title in 1946–47. Buller was traded to the Cleveland Barons mid-season and helped them set a league record of thirty undefeated games, as well as win the championship. Buller spent a total of eight years in the American Hockey League
. In his final year with the Cleveland Barons they won the Calder Cup
, and Buller, who at that time held the record for most all-time points scored by a defenseman, was awarded a spot on the AHL All-Star Team, a position he had held a couple of years before in 1948–1949.
In 1951 Buller was traded to the New York Rangers
, and after much deliberation moved his young family to the city. In his first year Buller played defense alongside Allan Stanley
and his performance matched the Rangers’ record for a defenseman. He won the West Side Association of Commerce Trophy as the Rangers’ most valuable player and came in second for the Calder Trophy; he was also the first rookie defenseman to be chosen for the Rangers’ All-Star second team.
Buller’s connection to the large Jewish population
in New York was used by the Rangers’ management to attract a new audience to the home games. Banners emblazoned with the Star of David
were hung from Madison Square Garden
and his faith was frequently reinforced by sports writers.
In 1954, Buller was traded to the Montreal Canadiens
but before the season began he announced his retirement from hockey. David A. Schwartz, Buller’s nephew, discounts theories that Buller retired because the game was too violent, in his article “A Mensch on Defense – The Hy Buller Story” from the Jewish Historical Society of British Columbia’s journal The Scribe. Schwartz discovered that Buller retired mostly because he did not want to uproot his family again but also because an NHL salary was not substantial. And his physical condition was weakened as a result of the injuries he had suffered throughout the course of his career.
The Buller Family returned to Cleveland for a few years where Hy worked as a salesman before moving to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1962 where he coached several amateur hockey teams. In 1965 Buller was diagnosed with cancer
. He and his wife decided to move back to Cleveland, and in 1968 he died.
Nine years after his death, he was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame.
The Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia has an extensive collection of records related to the career and family of Buller.
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...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
. Nicknamed the “Blueline Blaster” because of his penchant for hitting opposing players above the skate toe and below the pads, Buller was one of two Jewish professional hockey players in the 1940s and 1950s.
He was on the Eastern Amateur Hockey League’s (EAHL) Second All-Star Team in 1943, the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
’s (AHL) First All-Star Team in 1949 and 1951, the 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...
’s (NHL) Second All-Star Team in 1952, and he played in the 1952 NHL All-Star Game. Buller was greatly admired by hockey legends Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe
Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
and 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...
, and other contemporaries not only for his solid plays but also for his good sportsmanship. He played in five NHL seasons, first for 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...
and later for the 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...
, before retiring in 1954. Buller was married to Elaine Witten for 22 years and they had three sons—-Bob, Bruce, and Jeff. He died from cancer in 1968.
Biography
Hy Buller’s father, Nathan Buller, immigrated to Canada in 1893 from Wiznitz, BukovinaBukovina
Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...
, which was at that time apart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and is now shared by Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The Buller family originally settled in Montreal, Quebec where they ran a cleaning and pressing business. In 1919, Nathan married Goldie Goldenberg. Following a tragic explosion at the shop that killed Nathan’s brother, the Bullers left the garment business and moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1929 to join their relatives.
Winters in Saskatoon were devoted to hockey. Buller’s love of the sport developed in the flooded and frozen vacant lot belonging to his uncle. Many of the local boys played a form of hockey called shinny
Shinny
Shinny is an informal type of hockey played on ice or the street. There are no formal rules or specific positions, and generally, there are no goaltenders. The goal areas at each end may be marked by nets, or simply by objects, such as blocks of snow, stones, etc...
, or street hockey
Street hockey
Street hockey is a variation of the sport of ice hockey where the game is played on foot or with inline skates or roller skates. The object of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by shooting a ball or puck into the opposing team's net...
, and in 1937 the first artificial ice arena opened in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and the boys soon formed leagues. Buller moved quickly up the ranks throughout his childhood and teen years, often playing alongside older and more experienced team members. But his athletic abilities were recognized and desired by coaches early on. Aside from ice hockey, Buller also participated in football, baseball, basketball, golf, swimming, and track and field; earning many awards.
In David A. Schwartz’s article “A Mensch on Defense – The Hy Buller Story” from the Jewish Historical Society of British Columbia’s journal The Scribe, he describes how in the 1930s and ‘40s, there was one team in Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
that scouts would come to see. The boys in this club were required to attend weekly church services and Buller, as a Jew, was not eligible to join. However, Buller’s natural abilities were too exceptional to overlook and in 1942, at the age of 16, he was offered a spot in the 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...
’ Winnipeg training camp. Buller’s parents were hesitant at first because he was an excellent student. He had graduated two years early and could easily have gone to university. But Buller’s zeal for hockey could not be shaken and in the fall of 1942 he began playing with for the Eastern Amateur Hockey League’s New York Rovers along with two other Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
boys, 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....
and David Livingston.
After one season with the New York Rovers, Buller made his debut in the 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...
with 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...
. In 1944, there were only six teams in the NHL so space was limited; because of this Buller was demoted to the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
in the 1944–45 season. He was sold to the Hershey Bears
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
and played for them for three seasons, during which they were runners-up for the pennant twice before eventually winning the title in 1946–47. Buller was traded to the Cleveland Barons mid-season and helped them set a league record of thirty undefeated games, as well as win the championship. Buller spent a total of eight years in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. In his final year with the Cleveland Barons they won the Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
, and Buller, who at that time held the record for most all-time points scored by a defenseman, was awarded a spot on the AHL All-Star Team, a position he had held a couple of years before in 1948–1949.
In 1951 Buller was traded to the 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...
, and after much deliberation moved his young family to the city. In his first year Buller played defense alongside Allan Stanley
Allan Stanley
Allan Herbert Stanley was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League, and the Western Hockey League version of the Vancouver Canucks.-Playing...
and his performance matched the Rangers’ record for a defenseman. He won the West Side Association of Commerce Trophy as the Rangers’ most valuable player and came in second for the Calder Trophy; he was also the first rookie defenseman to be chosen for the Rangers’ All-Star second team.
Buller’s connection to the large Jewish population
Jewish population
Jewish population refers to the number of Jews in the world. Precise figures are difficult to calculate because the definition of "Who is a Jew" is a source of controversy.-Total population:...
in New York was used by the Rangers’ management to attract a new audience to the home games. Banners emblazoned with the Star of David
Star of David
The Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...
were hung from Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
and his faith was frequently reinforced by sports writers.
In 1954, Buller was traded to 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 ...
but before the season began he announced his retirement from hockey. David A. Schwartz, Buller’s nephew, discounts theories that Buller retired because the game was too violent, in his article “A Mensch on Defense – The Hy Buller Story” from the Jewish Historical Society of British Columbia’s journal The Scribe. Schwartz discovered that Buller retired mostly because he did not want to uproot his family again but also because an NHL salary was not substantial. And his physical condition was weakened as a result of the injuries he had suffered throughout the course of his career.
The Buller Family returned to Cleveland for a few years where Hy worked as a salesman before moving to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1962 where he coached several amateur hockey teams. In 1965 Buller was diagnosed with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. He and his wife decided to move back to Cleveland, and in 1968 he died.
Nine years after his death, he was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame.
The Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia has an extensive collection of records related to the career and family of Buller.
External links
- Hy Buller at Detroit Redwings: Team History
- Buller, Hy at Jews in Sports
- Hy Buller at Joe Pelletier’s Greatest Hockey Legends: The Hockey History Blog
- Hy Buller at New York Rangers: History
- The Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia
- The Scribe
- http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=400087589644