Ace Bailey Benefit Game
It was played on February 14, 1934, at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto to raise money to support Ace Bailey, whose career was ended by a violent hit by Eddie Shore during a game earlier in the 1933–34 season.
[1] The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated a team made up of the top players from the rest of the league, 7–3, before a crowd of 14,074 spectators.
[5] As Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe attempted to reach his team's dressing room to find out the status of Bailey, he was accosted by angry Bruins fans (at the time, the visitors dressing room was on the main concourse before entering the arena), one of whom accused Bailey of faking his injury.
[6] Distraught over his son's injuries, Bailey's father boarded a train bound for Boston carrying a revolver, telling everyone he met of his intent to kill Shore.
Selke got in touch with a friend of his who worked in the Boston Police, who met Bailey's father at a hotel and talked the man out of his plan before returning him to Toronto.
[8] League president Frank Calder suspended Horner until January 1, 1934, a period of six games, and Shore indefinitely for their roles in the incident.
As Bailey recovered, Ottawa Journal sports editor Walter Gilhooly proposed in an open letter that a benefit game be held.
[9] The Maple Leafs, Montreal Maroons and Ottawa Senators called a meeting of the board of governors to determine who would pay for Bailey's recovery.
[10] Following the meeting, the governors announced that an exhibition would be held in Toronto between the Maple Leafs and a team of the top players from the rest of the league to raise money for Bailey and his family.
For his starting lineup, Patrick chose Charlie Gardiner in goal, Eddie Shore and Ching Johnson on defence, and Howie Morenz, Bill Cook and Aurel Joliat as his forwards.
[13] The game was held on February 14, 1934, and featured a lavish pre-game ceremony that first saw the players assemble at centre ice to have photographs taken in their regular sweaters.
[15] After Toronto took a 3–1 lead early in the second, Morenz scored the most impressive goal on the night, accepting a pass from Joliat at full speed as he raced around a Maple Leafs defenceman before shooting the puck over goaltender George Hainsworth's shoulder.
[16] Busher Jackson scored to put the Maple Leafs up by two early in the period,[15] and after Patrick abandoned any attempt at defence by placing five forwards on the ice in a bid to tie the game, Toronto added two late goals to emerge with a 7–3 victory.
[18] Though Bailey never played again, he remained in the Maple Leafs organization for nearly a half century, working as a penalty box official for the team.
