HOCKEY NOTES

Jack Darragh

Right Wing

5-10 168

b. 4 Dec 1890 Ottawa, Ontario
d. 25 Jun 1924 Ottawa, Ontario

For years, John Proctor Darragh was the spirit of the Ottawa Senators. He made his professional hockey debut on December 31, 1910 against Georges Vezina -- also playing his first NHL match -- and the Montreal Canadiens. Darragh scored a goal in a 5-3 Ottawa victory.

Though a left-handed shot, Darragh was used on the right wing to take full advantage of his wicked backhand shot -- his was possibly the finest until Maurice Richard came along some 30 years later. Also like the Rocket, Darragh was a clutch performer, scoring the Cup-clinching goal for Ottawa in 1920 and following up with another timely effort in another Sens Cup triumph in 1921. Darragh was a blisteringly fast skater and compares quite favorably to the two speed fiends of the day: Didier Pitre and Cyclone Taylor. It was said that Darragh "could match strides with anybody, no matter how big or small."

For years the combination of Darragh, Frank Nighbor and Cy Denneny made fools of opposing defenses and goalies, thanks to Nighbor's silky smoothness, Denneny's bullet shot and Darragh's breakneck speed.

Having contributed to Ottawa's Stanley Cup victories in 1910-11, 1919-20 and 1920-21, Darragh decided to hang up his skates. By all accounts he wanted to retire on top. After sitting out only a year, though, he returned, contributing to yet another Ottawa Cup win in 1923. Sadly, little more than a year later, he died of a stomach virus. He was only 33.

Jack Darragh entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962.

Bios 1910-1919  |  Next>>