Garnet Bailey
| Garnet Bailey | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bailey in 1978 | |||
| Born |
June 13, 1948 Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada | ||
| Died |
September 11, 2001 (aged 53) South Tower, World Trade Center, New York City, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Boston Bruins Detroit Red Wings St. Louis Blues Washington Capitals Edmonton Oilers | ||
| NHL draft |
13th overall, 1966 Boston Bruins | ||
| Playing career | 1968–1979 | ||
Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey (June 13, 1948 – September 11, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and scout who was a member of Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup-winning teams. He died at the age of 53 while aboard United Airlines Flight 175, which was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11 attacks.
Hockey Career
Bailey had a successful junior hockey career with the Edmonton Oil Kings winning the Memorial cup in 1966. Then after having a 93 point year during the 1966–67 season he was then selected by the Boston Bruins in the 1966 amateur draft.
Bailey would then spend two seasons with the Bruins minor league affiliate teams during the 1968-69 season he would help lead the Hershey Bears the Calder Cup leading the AHL in assists during the postseason with 10. He would also make 8 appearances for the Boston Bruins throughout the season.[1]
The following year he played 58 games for 1969-70 Boston bruins team won the Stanley Cup. But he would get injured not appearing in any postseason games resulting in him not getting his name inscribed on Cup. However during the 1971-72 season he appeared in 73 games for the bruins. During the postseason he broke a 5-5 tie with the game winning goal at 17:44 of the third period to give the bruins Game 1 Stanley Cup Finals vs New York. He and the Bruins would go on to win the Stanley cup that year. In 1972–73 he was dealt to the Detroit red wings playing two seasons for them. Then moving to the St. Louis blues who he would also play 2 seasons for.[2]
Baileys former teammate Gerry Cheevers once stated “You know, Ace was a great talent, “The times when we’d scrimmage, and Bobby (Orr) decided he didn’t want the puck, Ace had it most of the time.” Bailey left an indelible mark on his teammates for his wit and comradeship. He also was a fan favorite. “I remember all the kids who used to come in for our morning skate,” Cheevers said. “Ace was always the guy playing with them on the ice … he loved ‘em.”[3]
He then spent his final four years in the NHL with the Washington Capitals having his best statistical season during the 1976-77 season where he scored 19 goals and 27 assists. After his time in Washington he played 1 year in WHA. Then moving on to the CHL where he was named a player-assistant coach for Houston’s for the 1979-80 season. The following year he was Named head coach of Wichita head coach for the 1980-81 season and remained in that position through 1980-81 season. During that season he also played his final professional game.[2]
After two seasons coaching he was named the Edmonton oilers pro scout holding the position till the 1993-94 season. During his time with the team Edmonton won the Stanley Cup 5 times in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990. Bailey received Stanley Cup rings for every season but his name was only engraved the Cup one time for the 1989-90 team due to limits on the number of names could that could be engraved on the Cup in each of those years.[2]
At the time of his death, Bailey was the Los Angeles Kings' director of pro scouting.[4]
Death and legacy
Bailey died when the plane in which he was travelling, United Airlines Flight 175, was hijacked and deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11 attacks. Bailey and amateur scout Mark Bavis were travelling from Boston to Los Angeles when the flight was hijacked. They had been in Manchester visiting the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, the Monarchs.[4]
Bailey and Bavis are mentioned in the Boston-based Dropkick Murphys song "Your Spirit's Alive." Denis Leary wore a Bailey memorial T-shirt as the character Tommy Gavin in the season 1 episode "Immortal" and the fourth-season episode "Pussified" in the TV series Rescue Me. In his memory, the Los Angeles Kings named their new mascot "Bailey".[5][6][7]
Bailey's family founded the Ace Bailey Children's Foundation in his memory. The foundation raises funds to benefit hospitalized children, infants and their families.[8][9]
At the National September 11 Memorial, Bailey and Bavis are memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-3.[10] On October 14, 2012, the Kings brought the Stanley Cup, which the team had just won in June, to the memorial and placed it on panels featuring Bailey and Bavis's names so that the families of Bailey and Bavis could "[have] their day with the Stanley Cup", continuing a hockey tradition whereby players and personnel of the reigning Cup champion team each get a personal day with the trophy. The Kings' general manager Dean Lombardi was also in attendance.[4]
In 2023 he was named one of the top 100 Bruins players of all time.[11]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1966–67 | Edmonton Oil Kings | CMJHL | 56 | 47 | 46 | 93 | 177 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1967–68 | Oklahoma City Blazers | CHL | 34 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 67 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 36 | ||
| 1968–69 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 60 | 24 | 32 | 56 | 104 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 10 | ||
| 1968–69 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 8 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1969–70 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 58 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Oklahoma City Blazers | CHL | 11 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 36 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| 1971–72 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 73 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 64 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 16 | ||
| 1972–73 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 57 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 89 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 13 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 45 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 22 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 49 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 113 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 22 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 67 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 78 | 19 | 27 | 46 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 40 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Edmonton Oilers | WHA | 38 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1979–80 | Houston Apollos | CHL | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Wichita Wind | CHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 568 | 107 | 171 | 278 | 633 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 28 | ||||
- Source: NHL.com[12]
Family
Bailey was the son of Hockey hall of Famer Irvine Wallace "Ace" Bailey. Bailey would also use the Ace nickname throughout his career.[13]
Bailey was married to his wife Katherine together they had a son named Todd.[3][13]
References
- ^ "Garnet 'Ace' Bailey Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Garnet Bailey career profile at HockeyDraftCentral.com". www.hockeydraftcentral.com. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ a b "In Memoriam Birthday Wish to Former Bruin 'Ace' Bailey". Black N' Gold Hockey. June 13, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Kings' Sept. 11 victims get day with Cup". National Hockey League. October 15, 2012.
- ^ Arritt, Dan (September 11, 2011). "Ace Bailey still leaving gifts 10 years later". ESPN.
- ^ Olson, Lisa (June 7, 2012). "Ace Bailey’s spirit lives on in hockey and the Los Angeles Kings" Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Sporting News.
- ^ Hammond, Rich (September 9, 2011). "10 Years Later: Memories of Kings Scouts Still Strong". Los Angeles Kings/NHL.com Network.
- ^ Dupont, Kevin Paul (September 11, 2011). "Widow still holds her Ace in hand". Boston.com.
- ^ "BAILEY & BAVIS MEMORIAL FUND". Los Angeles Kings/NHL.com Network. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
- ^ Garnet Bailey Archived 2013-07-27 at the Wayback Machine. Memorial Guide: National 9/11 Memorial. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
- ^ Bruins Announce “Historic 100” Ahead of All-Centennial Team Reveal https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/bruins-announce-historic-100-ahead-of-all-centennial-team-reveal
- ^ "Garnet Bailey NHL Page". National Hockey League. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
- ^ a b "Bobblehead Memorializes Pro Hockey Scout Garnet "Ace" Bailey | National September 11 Memorial & Museum". www.911memorial.org. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey at Find a Grave