Bun Cook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bun Cook |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1995 | |||
Bun Cook with the 1922 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
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| Born | September 18, 1903 Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
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| Died | March 19, 1988 (aged 84) Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Saskatoon Crescents New York Rangers Boston Bruins |
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| Playing career | 1926–1937 | ||
Frederick Joseph "Bun" Cook (born September 18, 1903 – died March 19, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He was a talented forward who played for the Saskatoon Crescents and later in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.
Bun Cook was famous for being part of the "Bread Line." This was a super-scoring line with his brother Bill and Frank Boucher. With the Rangers, he helped win two Stanley Cup championships in 1928 and 1933. After playing, Cook became a very successful coach. He led teams in the American Hockey League (AHL) to a record seven Calder Cup championships. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995. Later, he joined the AHL Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Early Life and First Steps in Hockey
Frederick Joseph Cook was born in Kingston, Ontario, on September 18, 1903. He was one of three brothers, including his older brother Bill. Even though they were eight years apart, Bun often followed Bill to different hockey teams. They played together for most of their careers.
Bun joined Bill playing senior hockey for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 1921. In 1924, Bun helped the Greyhounds win the Allan Cup. This trophy was for the best senior hockey team in Canada. After this win, Bun became a professional player. He signed with the Saskatoon Crescents in 1924. His brother Bill was already playing there and even let Bun stay at his house.
Playing Career Highlights
Bun Cook played two seasons in the Western League. This league faced money problems and closed down in 1926. The Montreal Maroons wanted to sign both Bun and Bill Cook. But Conn Smythe, who managed the new New York Rangers team, got to them first. Smythe signed both brothers for $12,000.
The Cook brothers then convinced Smythe to sign Frank Boucher. Boucher also played in the Western League. Together, these three players formed the famous "Bread Line." This was one of the NHL's best scoring lines early on.
The Rangers played their first game on November 16, 1926. Bun Cook helped his brother Bill score the team's first goal ever. The Rangers won that game 1–0. During that season, a journalist gave him the nickname "Bun." The journalist said he was "quick as a bunny" on the ice.
In the 1927–28 season, Cook led the Rangers with 14 assists. The Rangers made it to the 1928 Stanley Cup Finals. They played against the Montreal Maroons. The "Bread Line" scored every single goal for the Rangers in that series. In one famous game, the Rangers' coach, Lester Patrick, even played goalie because their regular goalie was hurt. New York won that game and went on to win their first Stanley Cup championship!
The 1929–30 season was Bun Cook's best for scoring points. He scored 24 goals and had 43 points in 44 games. The next year, he was named to the first-ever NHL All-Star team. He was chosen as a top left wing.
In the 1932–33 season, Cook scored 22 goals. The Rangers reached the 1933 Stanley Cup Finals again. In the final game, Bun had chances to score. His brother Bill eventually scored the winning goal in overtime. The Rangers won their second Stanley Cup!
Bun Cook continued to score well for the next two seasons. But in 1935–36, he missed many games because of arthritis. The Rangers thought he wouldn't recover. So, they sold him to the Boston Bruins. This move broke up the "Bread Line" after nine seasons. He played one more season with the Bruins in 1936–37.
Throughout his career, Bun Cook played 531 professional games. He scored 183 goals and had 335 points. He was also known for inventing the slapshot and the "drop pass." He said he dreamed about the drop pass one night. He tried it with Bill and Frank, and it worked! This creative play helped them score many goals. In 1995, Bun Cook was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Coaching Career Success
After finishing his playing career in 1937, Bun Cook became a coach. He started as the head coach for the Providence Reds in the American Hockey League (AHL). In his first season, he led the Reds to win the Calder Cup championship. He was named an AHL All-Star coach four seasons in a row. The Reds won another Calder Cup in 1940.
In 1943, Cook left Providence to coach the Cleveland Barons. He had amazing success with the Barons. In his first nine seasons, they won their division six times. They reached the Calder Cup Final six times and won three championships! These wins were in 1945, 1948, and 1951.
In 1953, Cook led the Barons to win both the regular season championship and the Calder Cup. They won the final game in overtime. He coached the Barons to another Calder Cup win in 1954. This was his seventh Calder Cup victory as a coach!
Bun Cook retired from coaching in 1961. He is known as one of the most successful coaches in AHL history. His seven Calder Cups are more than any other coach. His 636 career wins were the most in league history for a long time. He was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2007.
Personal Life
After his hockey career, Bun Cook returned to his hometown of Kingston, Ontario. He had previously tried farming next to his brother Bill in Saskatchewan. Bun Cook passed away on March 19, 1988.
Images for kids
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Bun Cook with the 1922 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
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Cook with the New York Rangers in 1926–27.
