You may have noticed I am not camping in New York or attending Bread Day at the state fair. Colds have struck. So I am rummaging.
The gent to the left is Andy Blair who in June '29 was enjoying his first summer as a NHL player after finishing his rookie year with the Leafs. My grannie-in-law, then Evelyn Whillans, his 1st cousin, took the photo as a 13 year old spending some of her teen years in Liverpool. I wonder what the building behind him is. Later Blair would provide the Whillans Saturday night tickets including the opening of Maple Leaf Gardens as well as the longest NHL game in history. Her father, a minister, kept getting up to go saying that it was crazy, that he had a sermon to give in a few hours, only to sit back down at the roar for another close play.
Another five cousins, all Drydens of some relation, made the NHL including Murray Murdoch (Rangers left wing: '26-'37, then coach at Yale for about 30 years) who I spoke with on the phone about a year before he passed away as the then oldest NHL alumnist, a very sharp mind in its late 90's. Murdoch grew up in Winnipeg and said he was the best player in the City until Blair, two years younger, showed up during the depression. Both played for the University of Manitoba in the early 20's.
Grannie-in-law also relates being at the front of Maple Leafs Gardens with another cousin, Syl Apps (the kinda gawky 17 year old in the white pants to your right, my left) and Blair the day Apps signed for the Leafs. Blair, an All-Star for the Leafs in '34, was telling him to sign anywhere but Toronto as they treated players badly. Apps started his Leafs rookie year in 1936 after representing Canada at the Berlin Olympics. Blair was traded for cash to the Blackhawks on 7 May 1936. I wonder if the windows were open a few floors up.
In the 1936-'37 season, three cousins played on three teams: Leafs, Hawks and Rangers (two All-Stars, three Cup winners, one Calder and Bing and another the first Lester Patrick winner). In the early 70's three (two being brothers) played again for three teams - the Sabres, Habs and Penguins: Dryden, Dryden, Apps (all All-Stars but not in together in one year...and one also earned some hardware).
Comments
Rob - April 9, 2004 5:31 pm
My grannie-in-law, then Evelyn Whillans, his 1st cousin, took the photo as a 13 year old spending some of her teen years in Liverpool. I wonder what the building behind him
Hello,
the building is called The Royaal Liver Assurance Building. Built around 1905 on the site of the Georges Dock in Liverpool situated at the Pierhead on the banks of the River Mersey. I was the first building in Britain to use the new steel frame building techniques that originated in the US. It is one of three buildings known at the "Reception Commitee" because they were the first buildings travelers seen on arrival by sea. The other two buildings are the Cunard and Port of Liverpool buildings and more impressive but not as well known.
I enjoyed your site.
Rob Liverpool, UK.
Alan - April 9, 2004 9:08 pm
Thanks Rob!
Joelle Blair - April 7, 2005 12:48 am
Hi there,
I am married to Andy Blair's son (Andrew Blair Jr) and working on the family geneology. How exactly is your grannie in law related to Andy Blair senior?
We enjoyed your article and picture.
Thanks
Joelle Blair
Alan - April 7, 2005 7:54 am
Hi Joelle,
Andy and Evelyn Penny are first cousins through their Dryden sister mothers. The photos are from Evelyn's scrap book and they were close. I am pretty sure Adny was the best man at her wedding and was also there when cousin Syl Apps signed for the Leafs - Andy was a plyer for them at the time but then was traded I think to the Black Hawks. Andy gave her father, Rev. Penny, his player tickets for games at Maple Leaf Gardens and she spent many Saturdays there including the longest game in NHL history and the first at the Garden. I know she has lots of photos.
Here is a post I made about all the Dryden hockey cousins. I had a great experience once talking with Murray Murdoch on the phone before he passed away a few years ago. He played with the Rangers in the 20s and 30s when Andy was with the Leafs and he told the story about being in Winnipeg as a teen and being the best player in the City until this kid shows up a few years younger...who turns out to be his own cousin Andy.