Dit Clapper

Aubrey Victor "Dit” Clapper (February 9, 1907 in Newmarket, Ontario – January 20, 1978 in Newmarket, Ontario) was a Canadian Hall of Fame player.

Clapper was given the nickname "Dit" at an early age when he would lisp his name "Vic." It came out "Dit." The name stuck.

Career
As a member of the Boston Bruins, he became the first player to play in the National Hockey League for twenty seasons. He was a great player both as a forward and defenceman, being named to All-Star squads at both right wing and defenceman.

A lifelong member of the Bruins, in 1947 the team retired his number 5 sweater and the Hall of Fame selection committee waived the customary three-year waiting period, and immediately inducted him into the Hockey Hall of Fame upon the night of his retirement. His used jersey from that night's game was donated to the Hall of Fame by Clapper himself during an on-ice presentation that night announcing his retirement and induction into the Hall. The jersey is currently on display in the International Hockey Hall of Fame's museum in Kingston, Ontario. Until he was named as coach, he had served as captain for longer than any NHL player until Ray Bourque and Steve Yzerman.

Coaching
Clapper coached the Bruins for two seasons as a player-coach and for two more seasons after his retirement. He became the first player in NHL history to play for 20 seasons, and the last active player that played during the 1920s.

Trivia

 * Retired NHL defenceman Greg Theberge is Dit’s grandson.
 * Clapper died of complications from a stroke January 20, 1978.
 * In 1998, he was ranked number 41 on List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News.
 * Although Clapper is famous for wearing #5, which the Bruins retired, he wore #12 for his first two seasons in Boston.

Awards

 * Stanley Cup Champion (1929, 1939, 1941)
 * First All-Star Team: (1939, 1940, 1941)
 * Second All-Star Team: (1944) as a defenceman
 * Second All-Star Team: (1931, 1935) as a right wing