Citizens Memorial: Eddie Shore - West Springfield, MA

Eddie Shore

West Springfield, MA

N 42° 05.501 W 072° 37.126

Short Description: 

A memorial plaque honoring hockey great Eddie Shore is located on the wall near the entrance to the Eastern States Exposition Coliseum in West Springfield, MA
Location: Massachusetts, United States

Long Description:

Eddie Shore was one of the greatest hockey players ever to play the game. After he retired from the National Hockey League he dedicated his life to advancing the sport of hockey. He owned and coached the Springfield Indians minor league franchise, organized amateur hockey leagues, and taught youngsters how to play the game. A laser etched aluminum plaque shows two pictures of Eddie Shore. One as a player with the Boston Bruins and the other instructing youngsters. It also contains a detailed biography of this hockey legend.

EDDIE SHORE

1902 - 1985

EDDIE SHORE WAS BORN IN CANADA , WHERE HE LEARNED TO SKATE AND PLAY HOCKEY AT A YOUNG AGE. IN 14 SEASONS AS A SKILLFUL DEFENSEMAN WITH THE BOSTON BRUINS, HE ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE'S ALL-TIME GREAT PLAYERS. HE BECAME KNOWN AS "MR. HOCKEY" BECAUSE OF HIS CONTIBUTIONS TO THE GAME AS PLAYER, COACH, MANAGER, OWNER, BENEFACTOR AND TEACHER FOR SEVEN DECADES

HE IS REMEMBERED IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AS THE SAVIOR OF HOCKEY, WHEN IN 1939 HE TOOK OVER THE BANKRUPT SPRINGFIELD FRANCHISE OF THE AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE, WHOSE HOME AT THAT TIME WAS THE EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION COLISEUM. THROUGH HIS EFFORTS, HE TURNED THE FRANCHISE INTO ONE OF THE GREATEST MINOR LEAGUE OPERATIONS IN

THE COUNTRY, AND THE COLISEUM INTO A PLACE FOR AREA YOUNGSTERS TO LEARN THE SPORT.

HE LED THE SPRINGFIELD INDIANS TO AN UNPRECEDENTED THREE CONSECUTIVE AHL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOCKEY, 1959 - 1962. MANY OF HIS PLAYERS MOVED ON TO BECOME NHL PLAYERS, COACHES AND GENERAL MANAGERS.

THE GREATER SPRINGFIELD JUNIOR AMATEUR HOCKEY LEAGUE, WHICH EDDIE SHORE OPERATED FREE OF CHARGE FOR BOYS IN THE 10-16 AGE GROUP, WAS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ASPIRING YOUNG PLAYERS. THE SUPERIOR TRAINING THEY RECEIVED LED MANY OF THEM TO COLLEGE WITH HOCKEY SCHOLARSHIPS. EDDIE ALSO ORGANIZED FREE SKATING SESSIONS AT THE COLISEUM FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, TEACHING THEM THE TECHNIQUES OF PROPER SKATING.

AS A PERENNIAL ALL-STAR AND FOUR-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER, HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE NHL HALL OF GAME IN 1947. HE WAS GIVEN THE LESTER PATRICK AWARD IN 1970 FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO HOCKEY IN THE UNITED STATES. IN 1996, HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE SPRINGFIELD HOCKEY HALL OF FAME DURING ITS FIRST ENSHRINEMENT. 

THIS IS ALSO A MEMORIAL TO THE YOUNGSTERS WHO WORKED AT THE 

EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION COLISEUM IN EXCHANGE FOR ICE TIME AND INSTRUCTION FROM EDDIE. THEY ARE AFFECTIONATELY REMEMBERED AS THE "RINK RATS".

EDDIE SHORE'S LEGACY TO HOCKEY LIVES ON AND HIS SPIRIT WILL

ALWAYS BE PRESENT IN THE COLISEUM.

DEDICATED NOVEMBER 3, 2004