| Earl Balfour | |
| |
| Position | Left Wing |
| Shot | Left |
| Height Weight |
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Teams | Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks |
| Born | January 4, 1933, Toronto, ON, CAN |
| Pro Career | 1952 – 1961 |
Earl Frederick "Spider" Balfour (Born January 4, 1933 in Toronto, Ontario) was a National Hockey League left winger from 1952 to 1961. He was a defensive forward and penalty-killing expert. Balfour won the Stanley Cup with the 1960–61 Chicago Black Hawks.
He played junior hockey for the Toronto Marlboros from 1949 to 1952. While stull a junior, he played in three games for the Leafs in 1951-52.
From 1952 to 1958 he split his time between the Leafs and the minors and spent one full season in the NHL (1955-56). In 1958 he was claimed by the Chicago Blackhawks in the intra league draft. He played three full seasons as a Hawks regular and won the Stanley Cup in 1961.
In 1961 he was picked up by the Boston Bruins but stormed out of training camp after a run in with coach Phil Watson. He played two seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins then sat out a season to be reinstated as an amateur.
He played five seasons in the Ontario Hockey Association's Senior A league and retired in 1969.
He retired after 288 games, posting 30 goals, 22 assists, 52 points and just 78 penalty minutes.
Awards & Achievements[]
- OHA-Sr. Second All-Star Team (1965, 1966, 1967)
- 1961 Stanley Cup Championship (Chicago)