On This Day in Hockey History – October 26, 1898, 1916 – Boston Bruins Twofer

Harry Oliver was born on October 26, 1898 in Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada, to Stephan and Annie Oliver. Standing at just five feet eight inches tall with a weight of 146 pounds, he earned the nickname of PeeWee.

Oliver was a self-taught hockey player, as he said, “We just went out and played, sometimes on an outdoor rink, but mostly on the river.” He began playing organized hockey, both junior and senior with the Selkirk Fisherman.  He was part of the team that won the Manitoba Hockey League in 1919. Following the win, the Fisherman then went on to play the Hamilton Tigers for the Allan Cup, but lost the two-game series.

Oliver began his professional career when he moved to Calgary to play the 1919-20 season with the Calgary Canadians with the Big-4 League.  In the 1920-21 season he joined the Calgary Tigers of the newly formed Western Canada Hockey League. He established himself as a star player using his speed and accurate shooting in the WCHL. During the 1923-24 season, he helped the Tigers in winning the WCHL championship. They went on to challenge the Montreal Canadiens for the Stanley Cup, but lost. In 1924 and 1925, he was named to the first team All-Star team.

In 1926, the Boston Bruins bought his rights.  Part of the Boston Fog Line, with Bill Carson and Percy Galbraith, Oliver led the team in goals during his first three seasons with the Bruins.  During a game against the Chicago Black Hawks in Boston on January 11, 1927, Oliver became the first Boston Bruin to notch four goals in a single game—a feat recently accomplished by David Pastrnak on October 14, 2019 against the Anaheim Ducks, who became the 25th player in the franchise’s history to do so.

In 1929, during game three of the Stanley Cup Final against the New York Rangers, Oliver scored goals in the first and third period, leading to the Bruins 3-1 win over the Rangers.  Headlines in the Boston Globe stated, “Oliver, Boston’s Star”.  Boston went on to win the Cup.

The Bruins sold Oliver to the New York Americans in 1934.  He remained with the Americans for three years, retiring at the end of the 1936-37 season.

During his professional career, Oliver amassed 218 goals and 144 assists.  He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1967 and is an honored member of the Manitoba Hall of Fame.

Harry Oliver died June 16, 1985, aged 86, in Selkirk Manitoba.

John Shea Crawford, was born on October 26, 1916 in Dublin, Ontario, to David Crawford and Annie Shea.  Although the press always referred to him as Jack, he preferred to be called John or Johnny.

John “Jack” Crawford began playing hockey for Ontario Hockey Association Junior B team, the Saint Michael’s Buzzers in the 1933-34 season.  Crawford was part of the team that brought the Buzzers their first ever Sutherland Cup as All-Toronto Junior B Champions.  In 1934, he was on the OHA Junior A Team, the Saint Michaels Majors.   The 1935-36 season Crawford played nine games for the OHA West Toronto Nationals, he then played 15 games for the TIHL League, Toronto McColl-Frontenacs, and was back with the Nationals to play in the playoffs, helping them to win the Memorial Cup as the Canadian Hockey League Champions.   Crawford then played for the Kirkland Lake Blue Devils for 1936-37 season.

Crawford began his professional hockey career playing for the Providence Reds for the 1938-1939 season. He played 46 games for the Reds, suiting up twice for the Boston Bruins.  Crawford played 12 years for the Bruins, his entire professional career, which saw him part of two Stanley Cup teams, in 1939 and 1941.  During the 1939 Stanley Cup Final facing the Toronto Maple Leafs, Crawford scored in game 3 at 8:14 in the third period, helping the Bruins win the game 3-1.   Crawford was also a member of the All-Star teams of 1943 and 1946.

John “Jack” Crawford retired from the Boston Bruins at the end of the 1950 season.  He then joined the American Hockey League Hershey Bears for two years as a player coach.  In his professional hockey career, Crawford played 547 games with 38 goals and 140 assists in the regular season.

Crawford focused on coaching after retiring from playing.  He coached 659 games in the American Hockey League, making him number ten on the all-time coaching list. He spent five of his ten seasons as a coach in the AHL with the Providence Reds serving as bench boss in 340 games. He was general manager of the Eastern Hockey League, Cape Cod Cubs in 1972-1973.

John “Jack Crawford died on January 19, 1973, leaving his wife Marjorie and three children.

Additional Sources:

• Stanley Woodward, “Boston Scores Four Goals in Minute and a Half of First Period,” Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), Wednesday, January 12, 1927, p. 15.
• “Harry Oliver and Alex Smith Sold By Boston Bruins to N.Y. Americans in Straight Deal Price Unannounced,” Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), Wednesday, October 17, 1934, p. 29.
• “Harry Oliver,” Legends of Hockey.
• “Boston Takes Lead, by 3-2 Victory,” The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts), Monday, March 11, 1929, p. 1.
• “Harold (Harry) Oliver” Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame-Honoured Members
• “Boston Beat Toronto 3-1, to Take Lead,” Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), Wednesday, April 12, 1939, p. 1.
• Victor O. Jones, “Boston Beats Maple Leafs 3-1,” The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts), Wednesday, April 12, 1939, p. 1.
• “Ex-Bruin Crawford Dies at 56,” The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts), Tuesday, January 20, 1973, p. 23.
• “Jack Crawford,”Legends of Hockey.