Dick Clapper

Dit Clapper
Position	Defenceman
Shot	Right
Height Weight	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg)
Teams	Boston Bruins
Nationality	Canadian
Born	February 9, 1907(1907-02-09), Newmarket, ON, CA
Died	January 20 1978 (aged 70), Newmarket, ON, CA
Pro Career	1927 – 1947
Hall of Fame, 1947

Aubrey Victor "Dick” 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 "Dick" at an early age when he would lisp his name "Vic." It came out "Dick." 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.

Bill Cowley scores assisted by Clapper, Game 1 of the 1939 Semi-finals, March 21, 1939.

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 Dick’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

Gallery

1930-31 would be the last year for the "Dynamite Line" of Clapper, Cooney Weiland and Dutch Gainor.

Bruins #5 Dit Clapper, #7 Cooney Weiland battle Leafs #4 Hap Day and goalie Lorne Chabot, March 10, 1931.

Dit Clapper, Max Kaminsky, Marty Barry 1934-35.

Bruins first line, Dit Clapper, Hooley Smith, Red Beattie, November 10, 1936.

Dit Clapper scores Boston's first goal of the season, November 15, 1936.

The "Blackjack Line" of Woody Dumart, Dit Clapper and Milt Schmidt dominated in March 1937.

Eddie Shore, Dit Clapper and Tiny Thompson at the Howie Morenz Memorial Game, November 2, 1937.

Dit Clapper scores, Howie Morenz Memorial Game, November 2, 1937.

Kraut Line as successor to the "Dynamite Line", November 1937.

Dit Clapper's overtime winner, February 17, 1938.

Eddie Shore returns to practice and is greeted by Flash Hollett, Tiny Thompson, Dit Clapper and Jack Portland, November 18, 1938.

The Bruins have a long history of community work, January 24, 1939.

The Gallery Gods presentations to Eddie Shore and Dit Clapper, February 12, 1939.

Frank Brimsek and Eddie Shore (his broken nose from the Semis still bandaged) lead the team onto the ice during the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals. Following them are #4 Harry Frost, #5 Dit Clapper, #7 Cooney Weiland and #8 Jack Portland.

Bruins Frank Brimsek, #5 Clapper, #19 Jack Crawford and #12 Flash Hollett hold off Leafs #15 Metz, Game 5 of the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals, April 16, 1939.

Bruins' defence 1939-40, Clapper, Jack Crawford, Jack Portland, Jack Shewchuk.

1940-41 Bruins defense - Dit Clapper, Frank Brimsek, Des Smith, Flash Hollett, Jack Crawford.

Dit Clapper cartoon, February 12, 1941.

Bill Cowley, Clapper and Jack Crawford with the Cup in Boston, 1941.

Add a photo to this gallery

External Links

• Dit Clapper's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by George Owen	Boston Bruins Captains 1932-33	Succeeded by Marty Barry
Preceded by Cooney Weiland	Boston Bruins Captains 1939-44	Succeeded by Bill Cowley
Preceded by Art Ross	Head Coaches of the Boston Bruins 1945-49	Succeeded by George Boucher