This Day in Hockey History – October 11, 1930 – A King’s Ransom

Frank “King” Clancy was born in Ottawa, Ontario and that was also where his professional hockey career was born when he joined the Ottawa Senators for the 1921-22 season. The diminutive defenseman, who stood just 5’ 7”, didn’t let his size prevent him from doing whatever was necessary.

Prolific hockey author Brian McFarlane wrote of him that “Clancy started a thousand fights and never won one.” Toronto journalist Trent Frayne once wrote that he had a face “like a Dublin back alley.”

“Today King Clancy and Harold Starr—a pair of fighting-est Irishmen who ever laced on a skate—are the mutual admirers they were in other years when they played together on their home-town Ottawa team in the National League.” Saskatoon’s Star-Phoenix reported on a game between Clany’s Toronto Maple Leafs and Starr’s Montreal Maroons. “When the general war broke a few seconds before the game’s end, the inevitable happened. Starr went for Clancy and Clancy raced for Starr. Arms wildly churned the air but little damage was done.”

However, lest you dismiss Clancy as some early NHL goon, he was in fact a fast-skating, goal-scoring defenseman. During the 1929-30 season—his last with the Ottawa Senators—Clancy had a career high 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 44 games. And he had helped the Senators win the Stanley Cup in 1923 and 1927.

After having played 10 seasons with the Senators he found himself part of what was an astounding trade by Toronto Maple Leafs’ manager Conn Smythe to acquire Clancy from the Senators on October 11, 1930.

“Directors of the Toronto club today approved of the deal made by Manager Conny Smythe whereby Eric Pettinger, a forward, and Art Smith, husky defence player, together with $35,000 in cash, will go to Ottawa in return for the services of the mighty ‘King,’” wrote The Ottawa Citizen. “This completes one of the biggest player deals ever consummated by the astute manager of the Leafs and constitutes a record price ever to be paid for a player in the National Hockey League.”

The $35,000 would be the equivalent of roughly $538,118 today. When one considers that this deal was transpiring less than a year after the U.S. Stock Market crash sent financial ripples around the globe ushering in The Great Depression, the monetary amount is staggering.

“And, when apprised that the vote held by the Toronto club in order to obtain expressions of opinion on the transaction was a big one and unanimous in favor of the deal, the modest King said he would do his best to please them.”

When the Leafs acquired Clancy, they got a player who could be used in many different situations, including serving as a center. During a game against the Maroons in Montreal on December 23, 1930, that resulted in a 4-4 tie, Clancy pulled double duty.

“King Clancy, as dashing and effective as ever, alternated between his usual defensive work and centre for the second-string forward line. The King’s speed made of the combination of himself, [Harvey “Busher”] Jackson and the youthful [Roger] Jenkins, who showed up well, a dangerous trio. Clancy always a great play-maker, fed his wings perfectly while acting as pivot, and wrecked many a Maroon foray with a potent poke-check in the middle zone. He was the guiding hand and the moving spirit behind the Leafs last night,” wrote Marc T. McNeil of The Gazette.

Six games into the 1936-37 season Clancy would announce his retirement, however not before aiding the Leafs to a Stanley Cup during his second season in Toronto.

It’s safe to say though, that King Clancy was certainly worth the king’s ransom that was paid by the Leafs to acquire him.

Additional Sources:

• Marc T. McNeil, “Leafs and Maroons Proved Fans with Thrilling Display,” The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec), Wednesday, December 24, 1930, p. 14.
• “Toronto Hockey Club Directors Support Manager Conny Smythe,” The Ottawa Citizen (Ottawa, Ontario), Saturday, October 11, 1930, p. 13.
• “Story Book Ending to Clash Between Irish Hockey Stars,” The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix  (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), Monday, February 15, 1932, p. 8.