Bob Dill
Encyclopedia
Robert Edward Dill was an American professional ice hockey
player. Dill played professionally in the American Hockey League alongside NHL Hall of Famer Eddie Shore in Springfield, in the United States Hockey League
for the St. Paul Saints
and in the National Hockey League
for the New York Rangers
. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1979.
Bob Dill was played by current NHL
-er Sean Avery
in the film The Rocket.
Throughout his hockey career, Dill was considered an intense, but clean, player with an aggressive style of play. While with the New York Rangers, Dill's battles with Montreal Canadiens great Maurice "Rocket" Richard became the stuff of legend, and more recently, of Canada in the French Canadian film titled "The Rocket."
Bob Dill was also a star baseball player with the AAA Minneapolis Millers
baseball team. A minor league team of the New York/San Francisco Giants, the Millers organization was the "stopping point" for Ted Williams
, Willie Mays
and many other greats on their way to the "majors."
Dill was sought by the New York/San Francisco Giants Major League Baseball organization to play baseball in the major leagues. Had Dill played for the Giants baseball team, he would have been the first (and only) American to play both NHL hockey and Major League Baseball, and probably the first "two sport" player in American professional sports history. The proposed contract was nixed, however, by the New York Ranger hockey organization because the schedules of the two sports overlapped. In that era, the NHL contracts (and professional sports contracts in general) were more restrictive, and with players having far less latitude for making career decisions than they do today.
After the New York Rangers traded Dill to the New York Ranger minor league team, the St. Paul Saints, he went on to five more years of successful play for the Saints, Dill was a 1st team all star in 1947 and 1950 and led the Saints to a USHL Championship in 1948.Fans filled the stands to watch a great rivalry between the St. Paul Saints and the Minneapolis Miller hockey team, one of whose star players was another Minnesota hockey Legend, John Mariucci.
After serving as a player-coach for his old friend Shore in Springfield during the 1951-52 season Dill retired. Following his playing days Dill worked as an NHL scout for the New York Rangers,Chicago BlackHawks and Minnesota North Stars.
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. Dill played professionally in the American Hockey League alongside NHL Hall of Famer Eddie Shore in Springfield, in the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
for the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
and in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
United States Hockey Hall of Fame
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1973 with the goal of preserving the rich history of the game in the United States while recognizing the extraordinary contributions of select players, coaches, administrators, officials and teams....
in 1979.
Bob Dill was played by current NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
-er Sean Avery
Sean Avery
Sean Christopher Avery is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He formerly played for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. Prior to the NHL, Avery played for the Owen Sound Platers and the...
in the film The Rocket.
Throughout his hockey career, Dill was considered an intense, but clean, player with an aggressive style of play. While with the New York Rangers, Dill's battles with Montreal Canadiens great Maurice "Rocket" Richard became the stuff of legend, and more recently, of Canada in the French Canadian film titled "The Rocket."
Bob Dill was also a star baseball player with the AAA Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
baseball team. A minor league team of the New York/San Francisco Giants, the Millers organization was the "stopping point" for Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
, Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
and many other greats on their way to the "majors."
Dill was sought by the New York/San Francisco Giants Major League Baseball organization to play baseball in the major leagues. Had Dill played for the Giants baseball team, he would have been the first (and only) American to play both NHL hockey and Major League Baseball, and probably the first "two sport" player in American professional sports history. The proposed contract was nixed, however, by the New York Ranger hockey organization because the schedules of the two sports overlapped. In that era, the NHL contracts (and professional sports contracts in general) were more restrictive, and with players having far less latitude for making career decisions than they do today.
After the New York Rangers traded Dill to the New York Ranger minor league team, the St. Paul Saints, he went on to five more years of successful play for the Saints, Dill was a 1st team all star in 1947 and 1950 and led the Saints to a USHL Championship in 1948.Fans filled the stands to watch a great rivalry between the St. Paul Saints and the Minneapolis Miller hockey team, one of whose star players was another Minnesota hockey Legend, John Mariucci.
After serving as a player-coach for his old friend Shore in Springfield during the 1951-52 season Dill retired. Following his playing days Dill worked as an NHL scout for the New York Rangers,Chicago BlackHawks and Minnesota North Stars.