Billie Dawe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Billie Dawe |
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| Born | June 8, 1924 Cochrane, Alberta, Canada |
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| Died | May 20, 2013 (aged 88) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
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| Position | Left wing | ||||||||||||||||||
| Played for | Edmonton Mercurys | ||||||||||||||||||
| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| Playing career | 1949–1952 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Billie Dawe (born June 8, 1924 – died May 20, 2013) was a Canadian amateur ice hockey player. He was a key member of the Edmonton Mercurys team. This team won the World Championship in 1950. Billie also led the team as captain to a gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics.
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Early Life of Billie Dawe
Billie Dawe was born in Cochrane, Alberta. He spent most of his life living in Edmonton. His parents met during World War I. Billie himself met his wife, Lee, while he was training to be a pilot. This was for the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II.
Billie Dawe's Hockey Career
Joining the Edmonton Mercurys
In 1949, Billie Dawe joined a new ice hockey team. They were called the Edmonton Mercurys. This team was based in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1950, Billie played with the Mercurys in games in Ayr, Scotland. Later that year, he helped them win the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships. This big event took place in London, England.
Olympic Gold Medal Win
Just two years later, Billie Dawe was the team captain. He led the Edmonton Mercurys to win the gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics. This event was held in Oslo, Norway. The Mercurys were very strong. They scored 71 goals while their opponents only scored 14. Billie himself scored 6 goals and had 6 assists in 8 games. This made him one of the top scorers on the team.
Life After Hockey
After the 1952 Olympics, Billie Dawe stopped playing professional hockey. He started working at the Edmonton Waterloo Mercury car dealership. This dealership was the sponsor of the Edmonton Mercurys hockey team. Billie worked there for many years. He became a parts manager and a partner in the business. Some of his Mercurys teammates also became partners.
Billie stayed involved in sports even after retiring from hockey. He was the president of the Canadian Athletic Club. He also coached Little League baseball. And he enjoyed playing curling.
Canada's Olympic Hockey History
After the Mercurys won in 1952, Canada did not win an Olympic ice hockey gold medal again for 50 years. In 2002, Billie Dawe and other surviving Mercury players were invited to Salt Lake City. They watched Team Canada win their next gold medal. Billie and his teammates helped celebrate this big win.
Awards and Recognition
Billie Dawe and the 1952 Olympic champion Edmonton Mercurys team were honored. They were inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1968. In 2002, the 1952 Mercurys team, including Billie, were also inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame. This was the same year Canada won gold again after 50 years. Billie was also inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. This was for being part of the 1950 World Champion Mercurys team.
Billie Dawe passed away in Edmonton on May 20, 2013. He was 88 years old.
More About Ice Hockey
- Canada men's national ice hockey team
- Ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics
- Ice hockey at the Olympic Games
- List of Canadian national ice hockey team rosters
- List of ice hockey teams in Alberta
