Book Feature Hitch, Hockey's Unsung Hero: The Story of Boston Bruin Lionel Hitchman (by Pam Coburn)

[Pam Coburn]

About the book:

Distinguished sportswriter Elmer Ferguson called him the “greatest defensive” defenseman of his day. The NHL’s revered chief referee Cooper Smeaton ranked him ahead of his defense partner, Eddie Shore. Legendary manager of the Boston Bruins, Art Ross, wouldn’t sell him “at any price.” And yet he goes unrecognized by the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Lionel Hitchman, or “Hitch,” played 12 seasons in the NHL—first with the 1923 Stanley Cup and World Champion Ottawa Senators, and then ten years with the Boston Bruins. As captain and the original Bruins “money player,” Hitch led his team to their first Stanley Cup championship and to the NHL’s best winning point percentage of all time.

His hockey stats belie his real contribution to the growth of the Boston Bruins. Hitch was the last original Bruin and the first to have his sweater retired. After his playing career, he went on to coach in the Boston system for several years before parting with the franchise.

Hitch, Hockey’s Unsung Hero, is the story of an unheralded “superstar,” the times he lived through and the fascinating people who helped shape his character and life choices. It is told through the “scribes” of the day with interjections by some notable people who knew him well. A few family tales are revealed, including one that helps explain Hitch’s absence from hockey’s highest shrine.


Where to buy:

Available in paperback and ebook at Amazon.ca and Amazon.com.

The paperback is 368 pages, including 75 vintage images. The ebook includes everything in the paperback except the index.

Excerpts from Chapter 11 — Greatest Team, Greatest Defenseman, pages 223-227 (after the Boston Bruins February 4, 1930 home game against the Detroit Cougars where Eddie Shore started an all-out brawl and wound up hitting Ref Mallinson in the jaw):

“The Boston Globe reported that two days after the game, Art Ross was ‘ordered to take a two weeks’ vacation by Owner C. F. Adams. . . . During his absence Capt Lionel Hitchman and Mickey MacKay will be in charge of the teams. They will handle the men in the long siege of five games in eight days which starts Tuesday night when the Bruins will play Toronto at the Garden.’27

“Ross and Shore were similar in many ways and fed off each other. As hockey players they played a similar style of game. Both thrived in the limelight. Ross may have been more calculating than Shore; he certainly was more restrained, the latter giving way to his immediate impulses. All the attention that Hitch had recently received likely did not go unnoticed by Shore, especially all the comparisons between the two. Shore was having a great year, but so was Hitch. The difference was that Hitch’s skills, not easily tabulated on a leaderboard and skills he did better than Shore, were getting wide appreciation. Maybe this bothered Shore, maybe not. In any event the Bruins were two-thirds through a spectacular season and their flashy defense star was acting out. The team manager, either egging him on or incapable of controlling him, was sent away on stress leave by the club president.

“The third game without Art Ross at the helm started a whole new cycle of articles focused on Hitch. It was game 34 in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. Boston won 5-3 on February 15 under the guidance of Hitch, who also played, and Mickey MacKay, who didn’t. The coverage went as follows:
. . .

Toronto Telegraph:
One reads much ballyhoo about the great Mr. Shore when studying the history of the championship hockey team from Boston this winter, but a howling mob of enthusiasts at Andy Taylor’s Arena Gardens Saturday night were ready to pin the ‘spark plug’ honors on Lionel Hitchman as the mighty Bruins staged a four-goal rally during the final 11 minutes of play, handing Maple Leafs a 5-3 setback.

Enjoying himself in picking little pieces of dirt off the ice for the biggest part of the game, Captain Hitchman decided, as the third period was nearing the halfway mark, that it was about time to get going and add another win to the Bruins’ lengthy list. The clever Lionel stole the puck from Jackson and skated down the unprotected left side. The official scorer recorded the goal that resulted as Barry scoring from Hitchman, but to the press box aggregation it looked as if Hitchman had counted with a burning drive from the left side.

Sensational work in Boston’s goal by ‘Tiny’ Thompson and Lionel Hitchman’s effective bodychecking on the defence held the battling Leafs to a single goal in the second period.

Having sent George Owen home from Fort Erie with a bad charley-horse, Lionel Hitchman and Eddie Shore did nearly 60-minute service on the local defence. On two short occasions Clapper dropped back on the defence when Shore wanted a rest. The ‘Great One’ pulled all his Boston tricks, stopping the game for the water act and falling with that pained look when spilled, but it went over the heads of the local following who appreciate real hockey.

Hitchman directed every play from his position and made what rushes he did execute count for goals or near-goals. Shore was easy to skate around, Jackson proving as he fooled the Bruin star with a perfect shift.29​

. . .
“Boston met the Montreal Maroons in the next game (#36) at home on February 18. Both teams were in first place in their respective divisions, Boston by 19 points and the Maroons by five. By this time Boston had already made the playoffs, the same for the Maroons, it just wasn’t clear if they would retain first place, thus sidestepping two preliminary rounds before the final. Boston won 3-2, and the Maroons moved on to play the Americans in New York. And that is where Elmer Ferguson penned his 1,329-word ‘Mr. Hitchman, the Unsung Hero’ article for the Montreal Herald on February 20, 1930:

MR. HITCHMAN, THE UNSUNG HERO.
NEW YORK, Feb. 20. – It is high time, it seems to your correspondent, that someone with a good strong voice did some singing on behalf of the hitherto unsung heroes of hockey.
. . .
So far as this writer is aware at the present time, his ballot this season in the voting to decide who shall win the Dr. Hart Trophy which goes to the player adjudged the most useful to his team in the National Hockey League will go to Mr. Lionel Hitchman, the long, angular and extremely efficient left defence player of the amazing Boston Bruins. . . . The Boston club having achieved such amazing records in the current campaign, it must be that the team possesses some amazing athletes. That is obvious, even to a hockey expert. And it seems to me that the most consistent, steady and durable Bruin performer is the cool-eyed, fearless and polished ex-Mounted Police, Mr. Hitchman.
. . .
The Hardest Player in the League to Pass.
But if you enquire of practically any hockey player he will tell you that the hardest player in the League to pass is not Mr. Shore, but Mr. Hitchman. . . .”​

About the Author:

Pam Coburn is Hitch’s granddaughter. Through the stories told to her and unveiled by her grandparents’ meticulous records; and the lens of a ten-year sports management career, she breathes life into this pivotal time in hockey’s history. See also: Pam Coburn | About


Praise for Hitch, Hockey's Unsung Hero:

“Coburn knows her sports, having been Executive Director and CEO of Skate Canada for nearly a decade. The retelling of the hockey side of Hitch's life is terrific, but it's the personal side that will be a particular reward to readers.” — Greg Oliver, Society for International Hockey Research

“Pam Coburn's thoughtful look at Lionel Hitchman — her grandfather, Boston Bruins . . . 1st retired number and a man entirely worthy of the Hockey Hall of Fame. . . My 2016 case for Hitch's induction: https://nhl.com/news/lionel-hitchman-worthy-of-hockey-hall-of-fame/c-279063520." — Dave Stubbs, Columnist, NHL.com

“While Eddie Shore got most of the attention, those in the know understood that it was Hitchman who was key to the Boston defense. His offensive numbers don't look like much, but it was the steady play of Hitchman that gave Shore the freedom to join (and often lead) the Bruins attack, and also to pile up penalty minutes knowing that his partner was there to back him up. But Pam Coburn's biography of her grandfather does more than tell the story of a hockey player, it tells the story of the man that Lionel Hitchman was. Perhaps it will even be enough to finally bring this prototypical defensive defenseman his long overdue place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.” — Eric Zweig, Hockey Historian and Author of: Art Ross: The Hockey Legend Who Built the Bruins

“A great read . . . Hitch should be a hockey Hall of Famer.” — Brian McFarlane, Hockey Historian and Author of: The Bruins, and many more.

Click to read more...

 

[Theokritos]

Very nice to have you!

My first question is usually: which sources did you use? Your presentation already answers some of that question. You're referring to newspapers from that time, of course, but you also mention stories told to you and meticulous records of your grandpartents, Lionel Hitchman and his wife. What kind of records do we have to think of? Did Lionel Hitchman write a diary?

 

[overpass]

So Elmer Ferguson led the Hart campaign for Lionel Hitchman’s second place finish in 1929-30, eh? I should have known. He did the same for Sprague Cleghorn in 1923-24 (who finished second by one point to Nighbor) and Herb Gardiner in 1926-27 (who won the Hart despite only placing as a second team all star in the managers voting).

 

[Pam Coburn]

Very nice to have you!

My first question is usually: which sources did you use? Your presentation already answers some of that question. You're referring to newspapers from that time, of course, but you also mention stories told to you and meticulous records of your grandparents, Lionel Hitchman and his wife. What kind of records do we have to think of? Did Lionel Hitchman write a diary?

Hi Theokritos, the book includes 478 chapter notes detailing the sources I used. These include newspaper clippings, letters, telegrams, and pictures from my grandparent’s scrapbooks. I also relied on my grandmother, parents, and other family members’ recollections — some of Hitch’s teammates stayed in touch with our family right up until either the end of their life or my mothers, providing insights into Hitch’s character as a player and captain. I spoke directly to some of the Boston players Hitch coached in the mid-to-late 30s, including Milt Schmidt. I also supplemented this information with more newspaper articles found through various libraries and online sources. I hope you enjoy the book!

The photo below shows a few of Hitch's artifacts that were temporarily on display for a book signing last year.

 

[Theokritos]

Sounds like an incredibly well-sourced book. The letters and telegrams plus the old-time players must have been very helpful.

As your presentation hints at, Hitchman's story and career is almost inseparably linked to Eddie Shore. The two were congenial partners that complemented each other. Eddie Shore joined the forwards in the offensive zone which allowed Boston to bottle the opponent there as passing the puck over the blue line was not permitted back then. This tactic worked rather well for the Bruins, but still, it was inevitably that it would lead to some odd-man rushes by the opponent. Lionel Hitchman was relied upon at the back end to handle them. Do you have any insight into how Hitchman viewed Shore and their mutual relationship off the ice and, in particular, on the ice? Did he express thoughts about the tactics of the day and the way he worked to together with Shore in any of the sources you've come across?

 

[Gordoff]

About the book:

Distinguished sportswriter Elmer Ferguson called him the “greatest defensive” defenseman of his day. The NHL’s revered chief referee Cooper Smeaton ranked him ahead of his defense partner, Eddie Shore. Legendary manager of the Boston Bruins, Art Ross, wouldn’t sell him “at any price.” And yet he goes unrecognized by the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Lionel Hitchman, or “Hitch,” played 12 seasons in the NHL—first with the 1923 Stanley Cup and World Champion Ottawa Senators, and then ten years with the Boston Bruins. As captain and the original Bruins “money player,” Hitch led his team to their first Stanley Cup championship and to the NHL’s best winning point percentage of all time.

His hockey stats belie his real contribution to the growth of the Boston Bruins. Hitch was the last original Bruin and the first to have his sweater retired. After his playing career, he went on to coach in the Boston system for several years before parting with the franchise.

Hitch, Hockey’s Unsung Hero, is the story of an unheralded “superstar,” the times he lived through and the fascinating people who helped shape his character and life choices. It is told through the “scribes” of the day with interjections by some notable people who knew him well. A few family tales are revealed, including one that helps explain Hitch’s absence from hockey’s highest shrine.


Where to buy:

Available in paperback and ebook at Amazon.ca and Amazon.com.

The paperback is 368 pages, including 75 vintage images. The ebook includes everything in the paperback except the index.

View attachment 375001


Excerpts from Chapter 11 — Greatest Team, Greatest Defenseman, pages 223-227 (after the Boston Bruins February 4, 1930 home game against the Detroit Cougars where Eddie Shore started an all-out brawl and wound up hitting Ref Mallinson in the jaw):

“The Boston Globe reported that two days after the game, Art Ross was ‘ordered to take a two weeks’ vacation by Owner C. F. Adams. . . . During his absence Capt Lionel Hitchman and Mickey MacKay will be in charge of the teams. They will handle the men in the long siege of five games in eight days which starts Tuesday night when the Bruins will play Toronto at the Garden.’27

“Ross and Shore were similar in many ways and fed off each other. As hockey players they played a similar style of game. Both thrived in the limelight. Ross may have been more calculating than Shore; he certainly was more restrained, the latter giving way to his immediate impulses. All the attention that Hitch had recently received likely did not go unnoticed by Shore, especially all the comparisons between the two. Shore was having a great year, but so was Hitch. The difference was that Hitch’s skills, not easily tabulated on a leaderboard and skills he did better than Shore, were getting wide appreciation. Maybe this bothered Shore, maybe not. In any event the Bruins were two-thirds through a spectacular season and their flashy defense star was acting out. The team manager, either egging him on or incapable of controlling him, was sent away on stress leave by the club president.

“The third game without Art Ross at the helm started a whole new cycle of articles focused on Hitch. It was game 34 in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. Boston won 5-3 on February 15 under the guidance of Hitch, who also played, and Mickey MacKay, who didn’t. The coverage went as follows:
. . .

Toronto Telegraph:
One reads much ballyhoo about the great Mr. Shore when studying the history of the championship hockey team from Boston this winter, but a howling mob of enthusiasts at Andy Taylor’s Arena Gardens Saturday night were ready to pin the ‘spark plug’ honors on Lionel Hitchman as the mighty Bruins staged a four-goal rally during the final 11 minutes of play, handing Maple Leafs a 5-3 setback.

Enjoying himself in picking little pieces of dirt off the ice for the biggest part of the game, Captain Hitchman decided, as the third period was nearing the halfway mark, that it was about time to get going and add another win to the Bruins’ lengthy list. The clever Lionel stole the puck from Jackson and skated down the unprotected left side. The official scorer recorded the goal that resulted as Barry scoring from Hitchman, but to the press box aggregation it looked as if Hitchman had counted with a burning drive from the left side.

Sensational work in Boston’s goal by ‘Tiny’ Thompson and Lionel Hitchman’s effective bodychecking on the defence held the battling Leafs to a single goal in the second period.

Having sent George Owen home from Fort Erie with a bad charley-horse, Lionel Hitchman and Eddie Shore did nearly 60-minute service on the local defence. On two short occasions Clapper dropped back on the defence when Shore wanted a rest. The ‘Great One’ pulled all his Boston tricks, stopping the game for the water act and falling with that pained look when spilled, but it went over the heads of the local following who appreciate real hockey.

Hitchman directed every play from his position and made what rushes he did execute count for goals or near-goals. Shore was easy to skate around, Jackson proving as he fooled the Bruin star with a perfect shift.29​

. . .
“Boston met the Montreal Maroons in the next game (#36) at home on February 18. Both teams were in first place in their respective divisions, Boston by 19 points and the Maroons by five. By this time Boston had already made the playoffs, the same for the Maroons, it just wasn’t clear if they would retain first place, thus sidestepping two preliminary rounds before the final. Boston won 3-2, and the Maroons moved on to play the Americans in New York. And that is where Elmer Ferguson penned his 1,329-word ‘Mr. Hitchman, the Unsung Hero’ article for the Montreal Herald on February 20, 1930:

MR. HITCHMAN, THE UNSUNG HERO.
NEW YORK, Feb. 20. – It is high time, it seems to your correspondent, that someone with a good strong voice did some singing on behalf of the hitherto unsung heroes of hockey.
. . .
So far as this writer is aware at the present time, his ballot this season in the voting to decide who shall win the Dr. Hart Trophy which goes to the player adjudged the most useful to his team in the National Hockey League will go to Mr. Lionel Hitchman, the long, angular and extremely efficient left defence player of the amazing Boston Bruins. . . . The Boston club having achieved such amazing records in the current campaign, it must be that the team possesses some amazing athletes. That is obvious, even to a hockey expert. And it seems to me that the most consistent, steady and durable Bruin performer is the cool-eyed, fearless and polished ex-Mounted Police, Mr. Hitchman.
. . .
The Hardest Player in the League to Pass.
But if you enquire of practically any hockey player he will tell you that the hardest player in the League to pass is not Mr. Shore, but Mr. Hitchman. . . .”​

About the Author:

Pam Coburn is Hitch’s granddaughter. Through the stories told to her and unveiled by her grandparents’ meticulous records; and the lens of a ten-year sports management career, she breathes life into this pivotal time in hockey’s history. See also: Pam Coburn | About


Praise for Hitch, Hockey's Unsung Hero:

“Coburn knows her sports, having been Executive Director and CEO of Skate Canada for nearly a decade. The retelling of the hockey side of Hitch's life is terrific, but it's the personal side that will be a particular reward to readers.” — Greg Oliver, Society for International Hockey Research

“Pam Coburn's thoughtful look at Lionel Hitchman — her grandfather, Boston Bruins . . . 1st retired number and a man entirely worthy of the Hockey Hall of Fame. . . My 2016 case for Hitch's induction: https://nhl.com/news/lionel-hitchman-worthy-of-hockey-hall-of-fame/c-279063520." — Dave Stubbs, Columnist, NHL.com

“While Eddie Shore got most of the attention, those in the know understood that it was Hitchman who was key to the Boston defense. His offensive numbers don't look like much, but it was the steady play of Hitchman that gave Shore the freedom to join (and often lead) the Bruins attack, and also to pile up penalty minutes knowing that his partner was there to back him up. But Pam Coburn's biography of her grandfather does more than tell the story of a hockey player, it tells the story of the man that Lionel Hitchman was. Perhaps it will even be enough to finally bring this prototypical defensive defenseman his long overdue place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.” — Eric Zweig, Hockey Historian and Author of: Art Ross: The Hockey Legend Who Built the Bruins

“A great read . . . Hitch should be a hockey Hall of Famer.” — Brian McFarlane, Hockey Historian and Author of: The Bruins, and many more.

WELCOME!!
I'm fascinated by history and especially the history of the Bruins. Every generation of Bruins history has its own flavor and sadly until now there isn't that much available information of the inside story of the Bruins. The Eddie Shore book written by C. Michael Hiam was a great read in that it contained stories of a time where the men who played were willing to do whatever it took to win, even if it meant maiming another player. I'm going to re-read that book as I don't remember if your grandfather was fairly represented in it.
I'm ordering your book this week, can't wait to read it!!

 

[Pam Coburn]

So Elmer Ferguson led the Hart campaign for Lionel Hitchman’s second place finish in 1929-30, eh? I should have known. He did the same for Sprague Cleghorn in 1923-24 (who finished second by one point to Nighbor) and Herb Gardiner in 1926-27 (who won the Hart despite only placing as a second team all star in the managers voting).

That's an interesting perspective and worthy of some research. Ferguson did catch some flak from the Montreal hockey community after writing his piece on Hitch. Who knows if he voted for him — Hitch lost by 5 points to Montreal Maroon Nels Stewart. Cheers, Pam

 

[Pam Coburn]

Sounds like an incredibly well-sourced book. The letters and telegrams plus the old-time players must have been very helpful.

As your presentation hints at, Hitchman's story and career is almost inseparably linked to Eddie Shore. The two were congenial partners that complemented each other. Eddie Shore joined the forwards in the offensive zone which allowed Boston to bottle the opponent there as passing the puck over the blue line was not permitted back then. This tactic worked rather well for the Bruins, but still, it was inevitably that it would lead to some odd-man rushes by the opponent. Lionel Hitchman was relied upon at the back end to handle them. Do you have any insight into how Hitchman viewed Shore and their mutual relationship off the ice and, in particular, on the ice? Did he express thoughts about the tactics of the day and the way he worked to together with Shore in any of the sources you've come across?

Hitch and Shore played together for 8 of Hitch's 12 seasons in the NHL. The two personalities could not have been any different. By most standards, Shore was a handful. In the book, I demonstrate that Hitch's style of play evolved to support Shore's. It was his job to, if needed, single-handedly patrol the defensive zone. And, more than not, that's what he did. There's an interesting quote by Hitch in the book when he is talking about a rival's goalie that sums up his role: "I don't even know what he looks like. Art Ross doesn't let me go to the other end of the rink."

Before Shore, Hitch was more of a rushing defenseman. But you will see in the book that when the chips were down and the games were tight, Hitch sometimes reverted to his original instincts. He had nerves of steel and could be counted on in the big games. For 60 years, he held the Boston Bruins record for the most overtime goals by a defenseman.

Hitch, by example, helped Shore in his early Boston career become more consistent and dependable. He also supported him publicly through the Bailey incident. And when Hitch was coaching, he helped Shore out of a slump.

The two didn't socialize together off the ice very often, although I have film footage of Shore at Hitch's camp in Maine. Hitch was careful to support all his teammates and wouldn't say a negative thing in public about any of them. His closest friend on the team was Dit Clapper, but he was chummy with everyone.

Cheers, Pam

 

[Pam Coburn]

WELCOME!!
I'm fascinated by history and especially the history of the Bruins. Every generation of Bruins history has its own flavor and sadly until now there isn't that much available information of the inside story of the Bruins. The Eddie Shore book written by C. Michael Hiam was a great read in that it contained stories of a time where the men who played were willing to do whatever it took to win, even if it meant maiming another player. I'm going to re-read that book as I don't remember if your grandfather was fairly represented in it.
I'm ordering the book this week, can't wait to read it!!

Thanks, I hope you enjoy the book! Pam

 

[Michael Farkas]

As someone who has a strong sense that Eddie Shore was probably overrated for being a high-event player and thinks that Lionel Hitchman was underrated for being a more calculated, low-event player, this book has been purchased. Thank you for bringing it to my attention here, as I otherwise would not have seen it...

 

[Pam Coburn]

As someone who has a strong sense that Eddie Shore was probably overrated for being a high-event player and thinks that Lionel Hitchman was underrated for being a more calculated, low-event player, this book has been purchased. Thank you for bringing it to my attention here, as I otherwise would not have seen it...

Thanks, Mike. I hope you enjoy the book! Pam

 

[Theokritos]

In the book, I demonstrate that Hitch's style of play evolved to support Shore's. (...) Before Shore, Hitch was more of a rushing defenseman.

Very interesting. Can you tell us a little bit about Hitchman's time before he came to the Bruins? His background and his road to the NHL?

 

[Pam Coburn]

Very interesting. Can you tell us a little bit about Hitchman's time before he came to the Bruins? His background and his road to the NHL?

Even before Boston, there’s so much to Hitch's story, but I’ll keep my answer tightly focused on his hockey career.

Hitch got his start with his neighborhood team, Wychwood, in Toronto’s west end. Shortly after he turned 15 in 1916, his team joined the Beaches Hockey League, the forerunner to the current-day Greater Toronto Hockey League. Hitch played three seasons in Juvenile, and by 1918, that division had 19 competitive teams. Hitch’s team won the Toronto city championship all three seasons he played.

He then moved on to the Ontario Hockey Association Junior division with the famed Toronto Aura Lee. His coach was Bill Marsden, known throughout Canada at the time as a “maker of champions,” including Lionel Conacher, Babe Dye, Hitch, and many more.

Hitch played two seasons with the Aura Lee during a rebuilding period for the club. The book goes into this time in some vivid detail. It is here where Hitch first encounters Lou Marsh, Hooley Smith, and some other notables from his NHL career. And as I coined in the book, his second season in the OHA was the “season of cheaters” — it’s a fascinating look at amateur hockey during that time.

Hitch’s family moved to Ottawa at the end of his second season with the Aura Lee. He was 19 and moved with them, looking to get on with the RCMP. He played two seasons of Ottawa senior city hockey on the New Edinburghs under the direction of Dave Gill. I devote one and a half chapters in the book to Ottawa amateur hockey, one titled “The Capital of Hockey.” It was remarkable — the city had ten highly competitive senior amateur teams. It also had an enthusiastic civil service league that Hitch moonlighted in for the RCMP team.

Hitch showed so well in the senior league that by the end of his second season with the “Burghs,” he was signed by the Ottawa Senators, playing his first game on February 28, 1923. Right from the start, controversy and drama interlaced his professional hockey career.

Within weeks, he became a world champion and Stanley Cup winner. In his first two NHL seasons, he tangled with the legendary Sprague Cleghorn, causing him two crucial suspensions. Hitch tied for first in assists in his first full season in the NHL and beat out King Clancy for a defensive spot on the Ottawa Senator’s regular line-up. The following year, he was sold to Boston, a pond in a contentious legal battle between two dueling Ottawa owners and an opportunity for Art Ross, who knew talent.


As depicted here in the Montreal Daily Star, "in the first playoff game in Montreal on March 7 [1923], won by Ottawa 2-0, Hitch became the target of one of the most ruthless attacks in hockey history and suffered his first of many concussions." The Canadiens took the unusual step of suspending their own player, Sprague Cleghorn.

 

[JMCx4]

Thanks, Pam, for introducing HFB members to your book. Your responses have been particularly helpful, as they reflect an easy & personal communication style that should translate well in your published work.

My questions are tangential to the book: Did you know either of your grandparents (your bio photo would indicate not)? And did you learn any surprises about them through your book research that you're willing to share?

 

[Pam Coburn]

Thanks, Pam, for introducing HFB members to your book. Your responses have been particularly helpful, as they reflect an easy & personal communication style that should translate well in your published work.

My questions are tangential to the book: Did you know either of your grandparents (your bio photo would indicate not)? And did you learn any surprises about them through your book research that you're willing to share?

Thanks, I hope my responses help HFB members get to know Hitch.

Yes, as a child, I knew my grandparents. My grandmother was in my life almost every day until I was 14 — I still remember her phone number. Hitch lived a few hours away, but we saw him quite a lot until I was 12. I have vivid recollections of these two, but they didn’t talk to me much about his hockey career. After Hitch died, my grandmother and mother opened up about that, and from their perspective, the Hockey Hall of Fame snub.

When I decided to write the book and began my research in earnest, there were several big surprises. One, provided by family members, deals with the Hall (and I’ll leave it for those who read the book).

Another discovery was Hitch’s older sister. Growing up, I knew his younger sister Dorothy and thought she was his only sibling. It was through genealogy searches that I learned of Mary, who died when I was young. It’s been great fun meeting relatives that my siblings and I never knew we had.

I also learned that Hitch’s father was considered one of Canada’s leading authorities on cricket and is an honorary officer of both the Canadian and Ontario Cricket Associations.

It was gratifying to learn about Hitch’s life, both on and off the ice, the driving forces of his life choices, his pursuits — hockey, other sports, music, literature, the wilderness. Coming back to hockey, I already knew about some of the injuries that seemingly changed his life trajectory, but it was hard learning and writing about the extent of them. After all the research, the biggest surprise was just how good a hockey player Hitch was and how much his team depended on him.

 

[goliver845]

I spoke with Pam Coburn for my SIHR hockey book column back when the book came out, if you want to learn a little more about it:

The unappreciated Lionel Hitchman and George Orton

 

[Theokritos]

@Pam Coburn

In Stan Fischler's Who's Who In Hockey, Lionel Hitchman is apparently not only labeled an outstanding defensive player, but also called a "playmaking defenseman". Is there anything to his game you have come across that would support this label?

 

[Pam Coburn]

@Pam Coburn

In Stan Fischler's Who's Who In Hockey, Lionel Hitchman is apparently not only labeled an outstanding defensive player, but also called a "playmaking defenseman". Is there anything to his game you have come across that would support this label?

Absolutely! I detail this aspect of Hitch’s play in the book.

As a defenseman, Hitch dominated his zone — incoming opponents never knew if they would be bounced to high heaven from his body checks or have the puck they were carrying disappear onto Hitch’s stick from his poke or sweep checks. “You could be carrying the puck in your teeth, and Hitch would steal it from you” (Jerry Nason, Boston Globe, 1946).

His tactics created conversions for his teammates, and he was in full command of the quick transitions he generated from defense to offense. A careful review of the detailed game by game accounts by the leading sportswriters of the 1920s and 30s reveals that Hitch, more than not, was at least the first offensive pass up the ice, and he was very effective up there.

A heads-up player who reads the game exceptionally well — Hitch knew where all the players were, anticipated where they were going, and created open teammates. Most of his play wasn’t quantified on the stat sheets, although he tied for first in league assists in 1923-24 when the NHL only recorded the closest pass to the goal.

Sportswriters described Hitch as being integral to the game every minute he played. As the Toronto Telegraph quote I referenced earlier stated, “Hitchman directed every play from his position and made what rushes he did execute count for goals or near-goals.”

It could be as simple as Aurel Jolliat’s quote, “That long stick of his can break up any play, and I don’t go down on his side if I can help it” (Henry J. Disken, Boston Advertiser, 1930), demonstrating how his presence alone impacted a game.

Or to the grand compliment paid Hitch by the New York Rangers president Colonel John Hammond, “Hitchman is the hardest man to get around, the greatest checker, and the greatest blocker in the game” (syndicated writer Walter Trumbull, 1929). And his standout defenseman Ching Johnson, who when asked by John Kieran of the New York Times in 1930, to name his NHL all-star defensive team picks (excluding his teammates): “I’d pick Hitchman first.”

A great playmaker makes their teammates look good — safe to say this was a hallmark of Hitch’s game.

 

[Theokritos]

Pam, can you tell us a little about Hitchman's post-playing days and his coaching? I've read he was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins and also head-coached the Boston Cubs and the Springfield Indians.

 

[JMCx4]

Watch out, @Pam Coburn, I think Theo is slowly trying to transcribe a free copy of your book through mock interview.

 

[Pam Coburn]

Pam, can you tell us a little about Hitchman's post-playing days and his coaching? I've read he was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins and also head-coached the Boston Cubs and the Springfield Indians.

Hitch played his last NHL game on Jan 28, 1934 (not Feb 22, as is often recounted). He immediately took over as coach of the Bruins’ minor pro hockey team, the Boston Cubs, who played in the Canadian-American Hockey league, and remained there for three seasons.

The Can-Am League was in its eighth season. Five teams competed for its Henri Fontaine Cup, including the Boston Cubs, New Haven Eagles, Philadelphia Arrows, Providence Reds, and Quebec Beavers.

By the time Hitch arrived, the Cubs had 17 games left in the season. His first home game at the Boston Garden was quite a spectacle. That night, 8,000 came out to see Hitch’s Cubs beat Philadelphia 2-1, giving them a two-point lead in the standings. Hitch received a real 11-month-old bruin cub as a “lucky token” from a group of fans. But not lucky enough — the Cubs lost the championship to the Reds.

In Hitch’s next and first full season of coaching (1934-35), the team finished first with a 29-13-6 record and won the Cup. It was also a successful season at the gate, equalling or outpacing the Bruins in attendance at the Garden.

The Cubs were slow starting in Hitch’s third season, with inexperienced amateurs playing against some of the most hardened and seasoned minor pros. But they continued to draw well at the box office, culminating in a season-high of 12,000 on Feb 21, 1936. By then, the Cubs were on a winning spree of 10 games in 13 starts, pulling within two points of a playoff berth.

Notable protégés from Hitch’s time with the Cubs included:

• Jack Portland, who won the Stanley Cup in 1939.
• Two-time Stanley Cup winner Flash Hollett, whose 1945 league record of 20 regular-season goals by a defenseman stood for 25 years until beaten by Bobby Orr.
• Another two-time Stanley Cup winner, Ray Getliffe.
• Hall of Famers Woody Dumart and Bobby Bauer, two-thirds of Boston’s famous Kraut Line and two-time Stanley Cup winners.

Dumart, Bauer, and the third member of the Kraut line, newcomer Milt Schmidt broke in with the Bruins in 1936-37 — the same season, Hitch became assistant coach. The Kraut Line, so named to honor their German heritage, was instrumental in rejuvenating the team. Schmidt gave Hitch much credit, not only in the early professional development of Dumart and Bauer but also in his own early NHL career.

Others in the past, performed specialty tasks for Bruins manager, Art Ross, like Cy Denneny working with the forwards in the 1928-29 season, but Hitch was the first full-fledged assistant coach. “Pres Adams revealed that the brand new portfolio of assistant manager has been created for Fred Lionel Hitchman, great defenseman, who piloted the now-defunct Bruin Cubs last season.” (Boston Globe, Sept 15, 1936)

Hitch stayed in this position for two seasons, primarily responsible for training, player development, scouting, and coaching when Art Ross was not available. Hitch was well known for scouting promising young hopefuls, including Jack Crawford (listed #90 on the top 100 NHL defensemen by THN in Nov 2020, one ahead of Hitch).

During his time as assistant coach, Hitch worked with one of his on-ice nemesis, Hooley Smith, and once more with Eddie Shore. Here’s Hitch on Shore in 1937, the season he won his fourth Hart Trophy:

Everyone these days is saying that Eddie has slowed up or slipped, but as far as I’m concerned, I think Eddie is a far better player this minute than he was when we played the points together back in ’29 and ’30—the time that you literary birds refer to as the Golden Era of Boston hockey.

Why do I think Shore is better now than then? Well, I, for one, don’t think he’s slowed up appreciably, and he’s a much better team man now than he was eight years ago. Shore nowadays plays a type of defensive game that no man has ever attempted before and that I don’t think any man except Shore could get away with. If you spend the night some time watching nobody but Eddie, you’ll see that his defensive zone covers something like half the rink. (Boston Globe, Dec 24, 1937)​

During Hitch’s two seasons as assistant coach, the Bruins placed second and then first in the American Division, earning a playoff berth in both years.

The following season (1938-39), Hitch went to the Springfield Indians in the International Hockey League to get more bench coaching. But as the pre-season began, Hitch was diagnosed with a congenital blood disorder, and after the second game, he was hospitalized in Boston for several weeks. Hitch had mostly recovered by late December, and Art Ross drove him to Springfield to get resettled. But within three weeks, Springfield’s owner decided to go a different direction, and Hitch was out.

For the rest of the season he helped the Springfield Braves, who played in the newly formed New England Amateur Hockey League.

The season following the Springfield disaster, Hitch was back with the Boston Bruins and stayed until after their third Stanley Cup win, performing front office and scouting duties.

From there, he followed his passion for the outdoors, becoming an assayer in the forest industry and later a forest ranger in the NY Adirondacks. But Hitch continued to dabble in the sport. He liked the amateur ranks and later coached the Berlin, NH, Maroons, and a high school hockey team in NY.


Boston Herald, January 23, 1942, pg 28:

 

[Pam Coburn]

Watch out, @Pam Coburn, I think Theo is slowly trying to transcribe a free copy of your book through mock interview.

The good news is, the story is so deep and rich, I've only revealed but a snippet. Cheers, Pam

 

[Theokritos]

Watch out, @Pam Coburn, I think Theo is slowly trying to transcribe a free copy of your book through mock interview.

Don't worry, the presentation was interesting enough for me to order the book for Christmas.

 

[JMCx4]

Don't worry, the presentation was interesting enough for me to order the book for Christmas.

A copy for each member of your family, I hope. The lady's gotta earn a living, you know.

 

[overpass]

Thanks for a great read, Pam. I picked up a copy and thoroughly enjoyed it. Your passion for the subject comes through, I love the colour in the accounts of the old Senators team and their trip out West. The frequent quotes from newspapers of the time were a real treat as well.

Here’s Hitch on Shore in 1937, the season he won his fourth Hart Trophy:

Everyone these days is saying that Eddie has slowed up or slipped, but as far as I’m concerned, I think Eddie is a far better player this minute than he was when we played the points together back in ’29 and ’30—the time that you literary birds refer to as the Golden Era of Boston hockey.

Why do I think Shore is better now than then? Well, I, for one, don’t think he’s slowed up appreciably, and he’s a much better team man now than he was eight years ago. Shore nowadays plays a type of defensive game that no man has ever attempted before and that I don’t think any man except Shore could get away with. If you spend the night some time watching nobody but Eddie, you’ll see that his defensive zone covers something like half the rink. (Boston Globe, Dec 24, 1937)​

While Shore isn’t the subject of the book, this quote stood out to me. I’ve often though when reading about Shore that he improved defensively throughout his career and was in some ways at his very best near the end of his career. So while his defensive play suffered in comparison to Hitchman earlier in his career, it’s not really fair to paint Shore’s whole career with that brush — just as we don’t dismiss Nicklas Lidstrom defensively because he was rated below Vladimir Konstantinov by some earlier in his career. And after reading this book, it seems Lionel Hitchman at his best on defense was a very high standard for anyone to meet!