{{short description|Canadian ice hockey player (1885–1971)}} {{For|other people with the same name|Samuel Crawford (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox ice hockey player | image = Rusty Crawford, Toronto Arenas.jpg | caption = Crawford with the Toronto Arenas | image_size = 230px | played_for = Quebec Bulldogs<br />Ottawa Senators<br />Toronto Arenas<br />Saskatoon Crescents<br />Calgary Tigers<br />Vancouver Maroons | position = Left wing | shoots = Left | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 11 | weight_lb = 165 | birth_date = {{birth date|1885|11|7|mf=y}} | birth_place = Cardinal, Ontario, Canada | death_date = {{death date and age|1971|12|19|1885|11|7}} | death_place = Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada | career_start = 1909 | career_end = 1930 | halloffame = 1963 }} '''Samuel Russell Crawford''' (November 7, 1885 – December 19, 1971) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Quebec Bulldogs of the National Hockey Association (NHA), Ottawa Senators and Toronto Arenas of the National Hockey League (NHL) and Saskatoon Crescents, Calgary Tigers and Vancouver Maroons of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). He was a two-time Stanley Cup champion, winning the trophy with the Bulldogs in 1913 and the Arenas in 1918. Crawford was one of the sport's early stars and appeared in 258 games in the three major leagues, scoring 110 goals. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.{{sfn|Hockey Hall of Fame|2003}}
==Playing career== Crawford was born in Cardinal, Ontario, and played junior hockey in Vernon, near Ottawa,<ref name="PodnieksPlayers">{{cite book |last=Podnieks |first=Andrew |title=Players: The ultimate A–Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL |publisher=Doubleday Canada |year=2003 |location=Toronto |isbn=0-385-25999-9 |page=172}}</ref> winning the Shaver Cup with the team in 1910.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JnMuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ntkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7051,2669393 |title=Vernon Hockey Team, Osgoode Cup holders |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=1928-04-05 |access-date=2010-07-03 |page=12}}</ref> Following a stint playing amateur hockey in Verdun, Quebec, Crawford moved to Saskatchewan, settling in Prince Albert.<ref name="PodnieksPlayers" /> He played with the Prince Albert Mintos of the Saskatchewan Professional Hockey League in 1910–11 where he scored 26 goals in 7 games. He joined the Saskatoon Hoo-Hoos from 1911–12. Both the Mintos and Hoo-Hoos issued challenges for the Stanley Cup in the year Crawford played with them, but his teams were eliminated from the competition by other teams before facing the holders of the trophy.<ref name="OGHHOF">{{cite book |last1=Duplacey |first1=James |last2=Zweig |first2=Eric |title=Official Guide to the Players of the Hockey Hall of Fame |publisher=Firefly Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-55407-662-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/officialguidetop00/page/117 117] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/officialguidetop00/page/117 }}</ref> [[File:Rusty Crawford.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Rusty Crawford with the Quebec Bulldogs]] Returning east, Crawford joined the defending Stanley Cup champion Quebec Bulldogs of the National Hockey Association (NHA) in 1912 and became a top scorer in the NHA during his time there.<ref name="LOHBio">{{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196203&page=bio&list=ByName#photo |title=Rusty Crawford biography |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=2010-07-03}}</ref> He won his first Stanley Cup in his first season, helping the Bulldogs defend their title against challenger from Sydney, Nova Scotia.<ref name="OGHHOF" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=STC&year=1912-13 |title=Quebec Bulldogs 1912–13 Stanley Cup champions |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=2010-07-03}}</ref> Following the collapse of the NHA in 1917, the Bulldogs joined the newly formed National Hockey League, but chose not to operate in its first seasons. Crawford was claimed by the Ottawa Senators in a dispersal draft.<ref name="LOHStats">{{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196203&page=statsawards&list=ByName#photo |title=Rusty Crawford transactions and statistics |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=2010-07-03}}</ref> He began the 1917–18 NHL season with Ottawa but was loaned to the Toronto Arenas late in the season as the Senators were required to keep their roster within required limits after they signed Frank Nighbor to a contract.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=daAuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YtkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4727,1730517 |title=Frank Nighbor rejoined the Ottawa squad at Toronto; will play rest of season |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=1918-02-05 |access-date=2010-07-03 |page=6}}</ref> Completing the season in Toronto, Crawford and the Arenas won the Stanley Cup,<ref name="LOHBio" /> defeating the Pacific Coast Hockey Association's Vancouver Millionaires in a five-game series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=STC&year=1917-18 |title=Toronto Arenas 1917–18 Stanley Cup champions |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=2010-07-03}}</ref> The Arenas signed Crawford to a new contract before the 1918–19 season, a deal that was protested by Ottawa who claimed that they retained his rights since he was only given to Toronto on loan. NHL president Frank Calder was required to arbitrate a resolution, and ordered the Toronto club to surrender one player of Ottawa's choice in exchange for Crawford.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=20MuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XdkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6930,2567343 |title=National Hockey League clubs to operate a three-team schedule |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=1918-12-16 |access-date=2010-07-03 |page=8}}</ref> Following the season, Crawford returned to Saskatoon to play senior-amateur hockey with the Saskatoon Crescents.<ref name="LOHStats" />
He remained with Saskatoon while they turned into a professional team with the formation of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) in 1921. He was traded to the Calgary Tigers in 1922 for cash.<ref name="LOHStats" /> By the time he joined the Tigers, he was already considered one of the game's all-time great players,<ref name="EOH">{{cite web |url=http://www.oilersheritage.com/history/early_teams_calgary_tigers.html |title=Calgary Tigers – a team of legends |publisher=Edmonton Oilers Heritage Foundation |access-date=2010-07-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090627061029/http://www.oilersheritage.com/history/early_teams_calgary_tigers.html |archive-date=2009-06-27 }}</ref> and was regarded as one of the fastest skaters in Western Canada.<ref name="VanTrade">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YSVkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YnsNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4769,298616 |title=Rusty Crawford traded to Vancouver |work=Calgary Herald |date=1925-11-04 |access-date=2013-01-07 |page=18}}</ref> He won the WCHL championship in 1923–24, scoring one of Calgary's goals in a 2–0 victory over the Regina Capitals to clinch the title.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ThFkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=93oNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1829%2C975382 |title=Tigers are Western Canada hockey champions |work=Calgary Herald |date=1924-03-08 |access-date=2013-01-07}}</ref> He appeared in the 1924 Stanley Cup Final, where Calgary lost to the Montreal Canadiens.<ref name="EOH" />
After one more year in Calgary, Crawford was traded to the Vancouver Maroons in exchange for Fern Headley.<ref name="VanTrade" /> After one year in Vancouver, he moved onto the Minneapolis Millers of the American Hockey Association for four seasons and was a member of their 1927–28 championship team. Crawford announced his retirement in 1930 at the age of 45. He coached one season of senior hockey with Prince Albert of the Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League in 1930–31 before leaving the sport for good.<ref name="LOHBio" /> Crawford was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.{{sfn|Hockey Hall of Fame|2003}}
==Instances of rough play== Crawford was involved in several instances of rough play throughout his hockey career where he was reprimanded either by legal authorities or by league ruling. In 1910, while a member of Prince Albert Mintos, he assaulted Reginald Brehaut of the Saskatoon Strathconas in a game in Saskatoon on January 11. Crawford was later found guilty of assault on January 19 in a Saskatoon city police court and fined $5 and costs.<ref>"Crawford guilty and fined $5 – Some Strong Cross Swearing on the Hockey Assault Case in the Police Court". ''The Daily Phoenix'' (''Star-Phoenix''), Saskatoon. January 19, 1910 (pg. 8).</ref>
During the 1918–19 NHL season, in a game between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Arenas, Crawford, representing Toronto, assaulted Jack Darragh of the Ottawa club by striking him with his stick over the neck, and he was given a double major penalty (10 minutes) by referee Harvey Pulford. Previous to the attack on Darragh he had also slashed Frank Nighbor during the first period drawing a major penalty on the play. During the interval between the second and third period Sergeant Barlow of the Ottawa police department visited the Toronto dressing room and informed coach Dick Carroll of the Toronto Arenas that if he used Crawford in the upcoming period Crawford would be arrested for assaulting Darragh.<ref>"Police threatened to jail Crawford – For Assaulting Jack Darragh in Match Played at Ottawa Arena". ''The Montreal Gazette''. January 24, 1919 (pg. 12).</ref> Later on January 27 NHL president Frank Calder fined Crawford $25 for rough play based on referee Harvey Pulford's report.<ref>"Rusty Crawford Is Fined $25" (Montreal). ''The Ottawa Citizen''. January 28, 1919 (pg. 8).</ref>
During the 1923–24 WCHL season Crawford, playing for the Calgary Tigers, was suspended one game by the league for assaulting Gordon Keats of the Edmonton Eskimos.<ref>"Rusty Crawford suspended for slugging Keats". ''The Edmonton Journal''. January 28, 1924 (pg. 14).</ref>
==Off the ice== Crawford ran into legal trouble in Vancouver in 1926 when he pleaded guilty to the theft of $550 at a party. He admitted taking the money but intended to keep it only for safekeeping. He was given a suspended sentence.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MllAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zU0MAAAAIBAJ&pg=1427,1408978 |title=Sentence suspended on "Rusty" Crawford |work=Border Cities Star |date=1926-01-25 |access-date=2013-01-07 |page=13}}</ref>
Following his retirement, Crawford farmed in the Spruce Home, Saskatchewan area. He sold his farm in 1960 and moved to Prince Albert, where he remained until he died in 1971.<ref name="PodnieksPlayers" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CxZkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EnsNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1966,3247203 |title=Little son of "Rusty" Crawford is burned |work=Calgary Herald |date=1931-05-27 |access-date=2013-01-07 |page=5}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Regular season and playoffs=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM |- | 1907–08 | Montreal Montegnards | MCHL | — || — || — || — || — | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1908–09 | Newington Ontarios | OHA Sr | — || — || — || — || — | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1909–10 | Prince Albert Mintos | N-SSHL | 3 || 4 || 0 || 4 || — | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1909–10 | Prince Albert Mintos | Sask-Pro | — || — || — || — || — | 4 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 14 |- | 1910–11 | Prince Albert Mintos | Sask-Pro | 7 || 26 || 0 || 26 || — | 4 || 4 || 0 || 4 || 26 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1911–12 | Saskatoon Hoo-Hoos | Sask-Pro | 1 || 2 || 0 || 2 || — | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1911–12 | Saskatoon Wholesalers | Sask-Pro | 1 || 2 || 0 || 2 || — | 2 || 2 || 0 || 2 || 12 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1912–13 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 19 || 4 || 0 || 4 || 29 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1912–13 | Quebec Bulldogs | Stanley Cup | — || — || — || — || — | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1913–14 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 19 || 15 || 10 || 25 || 14 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1914–15 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 20 || 18 || 8 || 26 || 30 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1915–16 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 22 || 18 || 5 || 23 || 54 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1916–17 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 19 || 11 || 9 || 20 || 77 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1917–18 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 11 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 9 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1917–18 | Toronto Arenas | NHL | 9 || 2 || 0 || 2 || 51 | 2 || 2 || 1 || 3 || 9 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1918–19 | Toronto Arenas | NHL | 18 || 7 || 3 || 10 || 51 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1919–20 | Saskatoon Crescents | SSHL | 12 || 3 || 3 || 6 || 14 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1920–21 | Saskatoon Crescents | SSHL | 14 || 11 || 7 || 18 || 12 | 4 || 2 || 2 || 4 || 4 |- | 1921–22 | Saskatoon/Moose Jaw Crescents | WCHL | 11 || 3 || 1 || 4 || 7 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1922–23 | Saskatoon Sheiks | WCHL | 19 || 7 || 6 || 13 || 10 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1922–23 | Calgary Tigers | WCHL | 11 || 3 || 1 || 4 || 7 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1923–24 | Calgary Tigers | WCHL | 26 || 4 || 4 || 8 || 21 | 2 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 2 |- | 1923–24 | Calgary Tigers | West-PO | — || — || — || — || — | 3 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 4 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1923–24 | Calgary Tigers | St-Cup | — || — || — || — || — | 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- | 1924–25 | Calgary Tigers | WCHL | 27 || 12 || 2 || 14 || 27 | 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1925–26 | Vancouver Maroons | WHL | 14 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 8 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1926–27 | Minneapolis Millers | AHA | 32 || 2 || 3 || 5 || 51 | 6 || 3 || 0 || 3 || 13 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1927–28 | Minneapolis Millers | AHA | 34 || 4 || 2 || 6 || 27 | 8 || 3 || 0 || 3 || 10 |- | 1928–29 | Minneapolis Millers | AHA | 40 || 3 || 9 || 12 || 33 | 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 1929–30 | Minneapolis Millers | AHA | 43 || 3 || 4 || 7 || 32 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 1930–31 | Prince Albert Mintos | N-SSHL | — || — || — || — || — | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | NHA totals ! 99 !! 66 !! 32 !! 98 !! 204 ! 4 !! 3 !! 0 !! 3 !! 19 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | WCHL totals ! 121 !! 34 !! 21 !! 55 !! 102 ! 9 !! 1 !! 1 !! 2 !! 10 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 38 !! 10 !! 3 !! 13 !! 117 ! 2 !! 2 !! 1 !! 3 !! 9 |}
==References== *{{cite book |title=Honoured Members: Hockey Hall of Fame |year=2003 |isbn=1-55168-239-7 |author=Hockey Hall of Fame |publisher=Fenn Publishing |location=Bolton, Ontario }} {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{icehockeystats|legendsm=P196203}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crawford, Rusty}} Category:1885 births Category:1971 deaths Category:Calgary Tigers players Category:Canadian ice hockey forwards Category:Hockey Hall of Fame inductees Category:Ice hockey people from Ontario Category:Ottawa Senators (1917) players Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen Category:Ottawa Senators (original) players Category:People from the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Category:Quebec Bulldogs (NHA) players Category:Saskatoon Sheiks players Category:Stanley Cup champions Category:Toronto Arenas players Category:Vancouver Maroons players