Weston Adams
Encyclopedia
Weston W. Adams was the director of the Boston Bruins
of the National Hockey League
and son of fellow Hall-of-Famer Charles Adams.
After studying at Harvard
where he played Goaltender
on the varsity team, Adams became president
of the Canadian American Hockey League farm team, the Boston Tigers
, in 1932. Adams was also involved with other sports, as secretary
to the National League
's Boston Braves.
The Boston
native took over the Bruins presidency from his father in 1936. While Adams was president of the Bruins, the team finished first in the NHL American Division from 1937–38
season to the 1940–41 regular season. They won the Stanley Cup in 1939, and 1941. As World War II
commenced, he joined the US Navy
eventually working his way up to the rank of commander
. The teams performance waned over this time, and he was forced to accept a buyout offer from Walter A. Brown
, owner of the Boston Garden
and the Bruins' landlord. He began taking a more active role in searching for talent later in the 1950s. He conducted long scouting trips across North America, and he became chairman of the board of the Boston Arena and Garden Corporation in 1956.
Adams repurchased the Bruins after Brown's death in 1964. Over the next few years, he brought in such players as Bobby Orr
, Wayne Cashman
, Dallas Smith
, Don Awrey
, Don Marcotte
, Derek Sanderson
and Eddie Westfall
. He also developed the concept of the sixth attacker and secured the relationship between the AHL
Boston Braves
due to the AHL's loss of many players to the expanding NHL.
Adams stepped down as president in 1970 replaced by his son Weston Adams Jr. He remained on as Chairman of the Board until his death in 1973. Boston would win 2 more Stanley Cups in 1970, and 1972.
Weston was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
as an Honoured Builder in 1972.
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...
of 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...
and son of fellow Hall-of-Famer Charles Adams.
After studying at Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
where he played Goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
on the varsity team, Adams became president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Canadian American Hockey League farm team, the Boston Tigers
Boston Tigers
Boston Metros were an American soccer club based in Boston, Massachusetts that were a member of the American Soccer League. In their second season, the Metros joined the Eastern Professional Soccer Conference. After the EPSC folded at the end of its only season, the Metros returned to the ASL as...
, in 1932. Adams was also involved with other sports, as secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
to the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's Boston Braves.
The Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
native took over the Bruins presidency from his father in 1936. While Adams was president of the Bruins, the team finished first in the NHL American Division from 1937–38
1937–38 NHL season
-European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France...
season to the 1940–41 regular season. They won the Stanley Cup in 1939, and 1941. As 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...
commenced, he joined the US Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
eventually working his way up to the rank of commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
. The teams performance waned over this time, and he was forced to accept a buyout offer from Walter A. Brown
Walter A. Brown
Walter A. Brown was the original owner of the Boston Celtics as well as an important figure in the development of ice hockey in the United States.-Life:...
, owner of the Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
and the Bruins' landlord. He began taking a more active role in searching for talent later in the 1950s. He conducted long scouting trips across North America, and he became chairman of the board of the Boston Arena and Garden Corporation in 1956.
Adams repurchased the Bruins after Brown's death in 1964. Over the next few years, he brought in such players as Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr
Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
, Wayne Cashman
Wayne Cashman
Wayne Cashman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and a former NHL head coach.-Playing career:Cashman played his junior hockey as a teammate of Bobby Orr's on the Oshawa Generals of the OHA...
, Dallas Smith
Dallas Smith
Dallas Earl Smith is a former National Hockey League defenceman who played fifteen seasons for the Boston Bruins.-Playing career:...
, Don Awrey
Don Awrey
Donald William "Elbows" Awrey is a former professional hockey player, who played 979 career NHL games with the Boston Bruins, St...
, Don Marcotte
Don Marcotte
Donald Michel Marcotte is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who served his entire National Hockey League career for the Boston Bruins and was noted as a premier defensive forward, while being versatile enough to play any forward position.After playing his junior league hockey for...
, Derek Sanderson
Derek Sanderson
Derek Michael Sanderson, nicknamed "Turk", , is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is now a bank executive and restaurateur....
and Eddie Westfall
Ed Westfall
Edwin Vernon "Shadow" Westfall is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins and the New York Islanders from 1961 until 1978–79...
. He also developed the concept of the sixth attacker and secured the relationship between the AHL
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...
Boston Braves
Boston Braves (AHL)
The Boston Braves were a professional ice hockey team in Boston, Massachusetts. They were a member of the American Hockey League from 1971 to 1974....
due to the AHL's loss of many players to the expanding NHL.
Adams stepped down as president in 1970 replaced by his son Weston Adams Jr. He remained on as Chairman of the Board until his death in 1973. Boston would win 2 more Stanley Cups in 1970, and 1972.
Weston was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
as an Honoured Builder in 1972.