Louis Holmes
Encyclopedia
Louis Charles Carter "Lou" Holmes (January 29, 1911 – March 11, 2010) was a professional ice hockey
centre
who played 56 games in the National Hockey League
with the Chicago Black Hawks
from 1931 to 1933. He was born in Rushall
, England
. After his playing career, Holmes coached the gold medal
winning Edmonton Mercurys
at the 1952 Winter Olympics
. Holmes was, from 2007 until his death, the oldest living NHL-player, as well as the longest-lived.
He leaves two sons, Chuck
and Greg, one daughter, Gail, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Helen Ruth Coulson, known as Buddy, who died in 1997.
(NHL). It would be his only full season in the NHL, as he played only 18 the following year with the Hawks, the rest with the St. Paul/Tulsa team of the American Hockey Association
(AHA). He would spend the rest of his professional career with teams in the AHA and the Pacific Coast Hockey League
.
In 1942, he enlisted and fought in World War II. When he returned, Holmes played senior hockey with various teams in the Edmonton area until he retired from active play in 1949.
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...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who played 56 games 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 Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
from 1931 to 1933. He was born in Rushall
Rushall, West Midlands
Rushall is a residential area of Walsall in the West Midlands of England. It is centred around the main road between Walsall and Lichfield, and was mostly developed after 1920...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After his playing career, Holmes coached the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
winning Edmonton Mercurys
Edmonton Mercurys
The Edmonton Mercurys were an intermediate senior-A ice hockey team that played in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1940s and 50s. Known as the Forgotten Team, the Mercurys won the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships in London, England, and the gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway —...
at the 1952 Winter Olympics
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
. Holmes was, from 2007 until his death, the oldest living NHL-player, as well as the longest-lived.
He leaves two sons, Chuck
Chuck Holmes
Charles Frank Holmes is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 23 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings.-External links:...
and Greg, one daughter, Gail, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Helen Ruth Coulson, known as Buddy, who died in 1997.
Playing career
As a youth, Holmes moved to Edmonton to play junior hockey with the Edmonton Bruins from 1928 until 1930. In 1931, he made to move to professional hockey, playing 41 games with the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey LeagueNational 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...
(NHL). It would be his only full season in the NHL, as he played only 18 the following year with the Hawks, the rest with the St. Paul/Tulsa team of the American Hockey Association
American Hockey Association (1926–1942)
The American Hockey Association was a minor professional hockey league that operated between 1926 and 1942. It had previously operated as the Central Hockey League , and before that as part of the United States Amateur Hockey Association. The founding president was Alvin Warren, who also owned the St...
(AHA). He would spend the rest of his professional career with teams in the AHA and the Pacific Coast Hockey League
Pacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.-PCHL 1928-1931:...
.
In 1942, he enlisted and fought in World War II. When he returned, Holmes played senior hockey with various teams in the Edmonton area until he retired from active play in 1949.