Butch Keeling
Encyclopedia
Melville Sydney "Butch" Keeling (August 10, 1905 in Owen Sound, Ontario
– November 12, 1984 in Toronto, Ontario) was a professional hockey
player. A left winger, he played 12 National Hockey League
seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs
and the New York Rangers
.
Keeling began his hockey career in his hometown, learning the game at Victoria Public School under the tutelage of principal Henry Kelso, for whom Owen Sound's Kelso Beach was named. Several Victoria students, including Keeling, eventually ended up playing for the city's junior club, the Owen Sound Greys
. He was a key member of the Greys when they captured their first Memorial Cup
as Canadian junior hockey champions in 1924, scoring an incredible 37 goals and 46 points in only 15 playoff games.
Keeling's pro career began in 1926–27 with the London Panthers of the Canadian Professional Hockey League
, although he was quickly elevated to the NHL's Toronto St. Patricks, with whom he had signed as a free agent on September 7, 1926. The St. Pats changed their name to the Maple Leafs later that season. Despite playing in only 30 of Toronto's 44 games, Keeling finished fourth in team scoring with 11 goals and 13 points, right behind fellow Owen Sound native Hap Day
.
He repeated that showing in 1927–28, again placing right behind Day, but was traded to the New York Rangers on the eve of the 1928–29 season. He and goaltender John Ross Roach
were packaged off to the Big Apple for another netminder, Lorne Chabot
. Keeling slumped to only six goals and nine points, although he did lead the league in playoff goals and points as the Rangers marched to the final against the Boston Bruins
. Boston swept the best-of-three series for its first Stanley Cup win. Among the victorious Bruins was Cooney Weiland
, who had starred with Keeling on the 1924 Greys.
Keeling continued to rebound in 1929–30, registering career bests in goals (19) and points (26). Once again, he ended up fourth in team scoring. The Rangers went back to the Cup final in 1931–32 against Toronto but were again swept aside. It was another bitter disappointment for Keeling to see even more of his old mates skating off with the Cup.
But he and his new club got revenge in a rematch the following year, on April 13, 1933. Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens
was the site of Game 4 of the 1933 Cup final, and the Rangers held a 2–1 lead in the best-of-five series. The contest was scoreless through three periods but was decided at the 7:33 mark of sudden-death overtime. According to an article which appeared in the April 24, 1933 edition of Time magazine
,
Keeling had finally won the Stanley Cup, but his finest campaign as a professional was still yet to come. In 1936–37 he led the Rangers with a career-high 22 goals (third in the league) and matched his previous career best with 26 points. He was fourth in team scoring for the fifth time (he never did place higher than fourth in any of his NHL seasons) and also posted high-water marks in the playoffs, notching three goals and five points as the Rangers advanced to a fifth and deciding game in the Stanley Cup final against the Detroit Red Wings
.
He left the NHL after the 1937–38 season and played one year with the Philadelphia Ramblers
, a Rangers farm team in the International-American Hockey League
. Keeling was also the team's captain. He then became a player-coach with the Kansas City Greyhounds of the American Hockey Association. Keeling later returned to the NHL, spending three seasons as a referee.
During Keeling's NHL career, he played in 526 regular season games, scoring 157 goals and 220 points. He added five goals and 11 points in 26 playoff contests.
He was 79 years old when he died suddenly at his Toronto home in 1984. He is buried in Park Lawn Cemetery
in that city.
In 2009, Keeling was ranked No. 45 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & Sons
).
Owen Sound, Ontario
Owen Sound , the county seat of Grey County, is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada...
– November 12, 1984 in Toronto, Ontario) was a professional hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
player. A left winger, he played 12 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...
seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and 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...
.
Keeling began his hockey career in his hometown, learning the game at Victoria Public School under the tutelage of principal Henry Kelso, for whom Owen Sound's Kelso Beach was named. Several Victoria students, including Keeling, eventually ended up playing for the city's junior club, the Owen Sound Greys
Owen Sound Greys
The Owen Sound Greys are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League...
. He was a key member of the Greys when they captured their first Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
as Canadian junior hockey champions in 1924, scoring an incredible 37 goals and 46 points in only 15 playoff games.
Keeling's pro career began in 1926–27 with the London Panthers of the Canadian Professional Hockey League
Canadian Professional Hockey League
The Canadian Professional Hockey League, also known as Canpro, was a minor professional hockey league founded in 1926. After three seasons, it became the International Hockey League in 1929...
, although he was quickly elevated to the NHL's Toronto St. Patricks, with whom he had signed as a free agent on September 7, 1926. The St. Pats changed their name to the Maple Leafs later that season. Despite playing in only 30 of Toronto's 44 games, Keeling finished fourth in team scoring with 11 goals and 13 points, right behind fellow Owen Sound native Hap Day
Hap Day
Clarence Henry "Happy" Day , later known as Hap Day, was a Canadian professional hockey player who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Americans...
.
He repeated that showing in 1927–28, again placing right behind Day, but was traded to the New York Rangers on the eve of the 1928–29 season. He and goaltender John Ross Roach
John Ross Roach
John Ross Roach was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League. Roach was known for his acrobatic style of goaltending. He was a First Team All-Star during the 1932–33 NHL season. He won a Stanley Cup in 1922...
were packaged off to the Big Apple for another netminder, Lorne Chabot
Lorne Chabot
Lorne "Chabotsky" Chabot was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender.-Playing career:Lorne played in the National Hockey League from 1926 to 1937. During this time, he played for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, Montreal Maroons, and New York Americans...
. Keeling slumped to only six goals and nine points, although he did lead the league in playoff goals and points as the Rangers marched to the final against the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. Boston swept the best-of-three series for its first Stanley Cup win. Among the victorious Bruins was Cooney Weiland
Cooney Weiland
Ralph "Cooney" Weiland was an NHL forward who played for the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings....
, who had starred with Keeling on the 1924 Greys.
Keeling continued to rebound in 1929–30, registering career bests in goals (19) and points (26). Once again, he ended up fourth in team scoring. The Rangers went back to the Cup final in 1931–32 against Toronto but were again swept aside. It was another bitter disappointment for Keeling to see even more of his old mates skating off with the Cup.
But he and his new club got revenge in a rematch the following year, on April 13, 1933. Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
was the site of Game 4 of the 1933 Cup final, and the Rangers held a 2–1 lead in the best-of-five series. The contest was scoreless through three periods but was decided at the 7:33 mark of sudden-death overtime. According to an article which appeared in the April 24, 1933 edition of Time magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
,
"Butch Keeling took the puck at a face-off, whipped through the Toronto defense on the left side of the rink, made a pass all the way across the ice of which he later said: 'If I hadn't seen that Bill was there, I would have kept the puck myself.' Bill was Bill Cook, oldest active player on the Rangers, leading scorer of the National League ... (Cook) took the puck without breaking his stride, feinted to bring tall Lorne Chabot away from the Toronto net, then flipped the puck over Chabot's shoulder for the goal that ended the game 1 to 0, the series 3 to 1."
Keeling had finally won the Stanley Cup, but his finest campaign as a professional was still yet to come. In 1936–37 he led the Rangers with a career-high 22 goals (third in the league) and matched his previous career best with 26 points. He was fourth in team scoring for the fifth time (he never did place higher than fourth in any of his NHL seasons) and also posted high-water marks in the playoffs, notching three goals and five points as the Rangers advanced to a fifth and deciding game in the Stanley Cup final against the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
.
He left the NHL after the 1937–38 season and played one year with the Philadelphia Ramblers
Philadelphia Ramblers
The Philadelphia Ramblers were a minor professional ice hockey team based in the Philadelphia Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Ramblers played for six seasons during the infancy of the American Hockey League from 1935 to 1941.-History:...
, a Rangers farm team in the International-American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. Keeling was also the team's captain. He then became a player-coach with the Kansas City Greyhounds of the American Hockey Association. Keeling later returned to the NHL, spending three seasons as a referee.
During Keeling's NHL career, he played in 526 regular season games, scoring 157 goals and 220 points. He added five goals and 11 points in 26 playoff contests.
He was 79 years old when he died suddenly at his Toronto home in 1984. He is buried in Park Lawn Cemetery
Park Lawn Cemetery
Park Lawn Cemetery is a large cemetery in the western Etobicoke section of Toronto, Canada. It currently has some 22,000 graves. It is managed by the Park Lawn Income Trust, which also runs five other cemeteries in Toronto. Controversy arose in 1995 when the company had re-zoned a section of the...
in that city.
In 2009, Keeling was ranked No. 45 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...
).