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Babe Pratt
Babepratt
Position Left Wing
Shoots Left
Height
Weight
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Teams New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Boston Bruins
Nationality Flag of Canada Canadian
Born January 7,1916,
Stony Mountain, MB, CAN
Died December 16,1988 (age 72),
Vancouver, BC, CAN
Pro Career 1935 – 1952

Walter "Babe" Pratt (January 7, 1916 in Stony Mountain, Manitoba - December 16, 1988) was a Canadian professional defenceman who played for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League.

Babe was an important member of two Stanley Cup winning teams, the 1940 Rangers and 1945 Maple Leafs. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1944. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.

In January, 1946 Pratt was caught betting on hockey games and was subsequently suspended from the NHL. Pratt admitted to gambling but denied ever placing a bet against his own team. After promising to quit betting he was reinstated to the Toronto Maple Leafs. His last NHL season was with the Boston Bruins in 1946–47 and he played in the minors after that.

He subsequently worked as an analyst for CBC Television's Hockey Night In Canada telecasts from Vancouver in the 1970s and served as a goodwill ambassador for the Vancouver Canucks. Pratt collapsed and died of a heart attack in the media lounge of the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver during the first intermission of a Canucks game on December 16, 1988. The Canucks honored Pratt's memory by stitching "BABE" on their sweaters for the remainder of the hockey season.

Despite the brevity of his career, the time passed since it ended, and a reputation for rough play, in 1998, he was ranked number 96 on List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News.

Career Statistics[]

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1933-34 Kenora Thistles MJHL 16 14 7 21 33 9 6 2 8 18
Turnbull Cup -- -- -- -- -- 2 0 2 2 8
Memorial Cup -- -- -- -- -- 2 4 2 6 6
1934-35 Kenora Thistles MJHL 17 17 22 39 21 2 0 4 4 5
1935-36 New York Rangers NHL 17 1 1 2 16 -- -- -- -- --
Philadelphia Ramblers CAHL 28 7 8 15 48 4 0 0 0 2
1936-37 New York Rangers NHL 47 8 7 15 23 9 3 1 4 11
1937-38 New York Rangers NHL 47 5 14 19 56 2 0 0 0 2
1938-39 New York Rangers NHL 48 2 19 21 20 7 1 2 3 9
1939-40 New York Rangers NHL 48 4 13 17 61 12 3 1 4 18
1940-41 New York Rangers NHL 47 3 17 20 52 3 1 1 2 6
1941-42 New York Rangers NHL 47 4 24 28 65 6 1 3 4 34
1942-43 New York Rangers NHL 4 0 2 2 6 -- -- -- -- --
Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 40 12 25 37 44 6 1 2 3 8
1943-44 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 50 17 40 57 30 5 0 3 3 4
1944-45 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 50 18 23 41 39 13 2 4 6 8
1945-46 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 41 5 20 25 36 -- -- -- -- --
1946-47 Boston Bruins NHL 31 4 4 8 25 -- -- -- -- --
Hershey Bears AHL 21 5 10 15 23 11 3 5 8 19
1947-48 Cleveland Barons AHL 17 1 4 5 8 -- -- -- -- --
Hershey Bears AHL 36 2 14 16 39 2 0 0 0 0
1948-49 New Westminster Royals PCHL 63 18 48 66 64 12 1 8 9 10
1949-50 New Westminster Royals PCHL 59 8 29 37 56 18 2 6 8 22
1950-51 New Westminster Royals PCHL 65 8 15 23 54 7 0 0 0 4
1951-52 Tacoma Rockets PCHL 63 7 31 38 20 5 0 1 1 0
NHL Totals 517 83 209 292 473 63 12 17 29 100

Awards & Achievements[]

Career Moves[]

  • Signed as a free agent by NY Rangers, October 18, 1935.
  • Traded to Toronto by NY Rangers for Hank Goldup and Red Garrett, November 27, 1942.
  • Suspended by NHL President Red Dutton for gambling violations, January 29, 1946.
  • Suspension lifted by NHL President Red Dutton, February 15, 1946.
  • Traded to Boston by Toronto for the rights to Eric Pogue and cash, June 19, 1946.
  • Traded to Cleveland (AHL) by Boston for cash, May 15, 1947.
  • Traded to Hershey (AHL) by Cleveland (AHL) with Joe Cooper for Hy Buller, December 24, 1947.
  • Traded to New Westminster (PCHL) by Hershey (AHL) for cash, October 5, 1948.

Gallery[]

Video[]

Highlights of the April 1, 1937 Stanley Cup Semi-finals Game 1 in which the New York Rangers defeated the Montreal Maroons 1-0 on a first period goal by Babe Pratt.

External Links[]

Preceded by
Bill Cowley
Winner of the Hart Trophy
1944
Succeeded by
Elmer Lach
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