Billy Baird
Encyclopedia
William "Billy" Baird was a Canadian
professional ice hockey
player in the early 1900s. He was one of the first professionals in the sport of ice hockey
. Born in Ottawa
, Canada
, he played for the Ottawa Senators
, Haileybury Comets, Pittsburgh Pros, Waterloo Colts and Galt.
with the Pittsburgh Athletic Club of the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League
(WPHL) in 1903–04. In 1904–05, he joined the Pittsburgh Pros of the International Hockey League
(IHL) for which he played on and off for the next three seasons. He played in several cities over the next three seasons, including stops with Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
and his hometown with the Ottawa Senators in 1906–07. In 1907–08, he played the season with the Winnipeg Strathconas of the Manitoba Professional Hockey League (MPHL). In 1908–09, he returned east, playing in Ottawa with the Ottawa Aberdeens and with Haileybury of the Temiscaming Professional Hockey League (TPHL). He played his final two seasons in the Ontario Professional Hockey League
, with Waterloo
and Galt. While with Galt, he played in their 1911 Stanley Cup
challenge against the Senators.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player in the early 1900s. He was one of the first professionals in the sport of ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
. Born in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, he played for the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
, Haileybury Comets, Pittsburgh Pros, Waterloo Colts and Galt.
Playing career
At the age of 19, Baird first left Ottawa to pursue his hockey career in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
with the Pittsburgh Athletic Club of the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League
Western Pennsylvania Hockey League
The Western Pennsylvania Hockey League , was a semi-professional ice hockey league from the early 1900s. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the league was the pre-eminent ice hockey league at the time in the United States...
(WPHL) in 1903–04. In 1904–05, he joined the Pittsburgh Pros of the International Hockey League
International Professional Hockey League
The International Professional Hockey League was the first fully professional ice hockey league, operating from 1904 to 1907. It was formed by Jack 'Doc' Gibson, a dentist who played hockey throughout Ontario before settling in Houghton, Michigan. The IPHL was a five team circuit which included...
(IHL) for which he played on and off for the next three seasons. He played in several cities over the next three seasons, including stops with Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
-Transportation:Portage la Prairie railway station is served by Via Rail with both The Canadian and Winnipeg – Churchill trains calling at the station....
and his hometown with the Ottawa Senators in 1906–07. In 1907–08, he played the season with the Winnipeg Strathconas of the Manitoba Professional Hockey League (MPHL). In 1908–09, he returned east, playing in Ottawa with the Ottawa Aberdeens and with Haileybury of the Temiscaming Professional Hockey League (TPHL). He played his final two seasons in the Ontario Professional Hockey League
Ontario Professional Hockey League
-External links:*...
, with Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
and Galt. While with Galt, he played in their 1911 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
challenge against the Senators.