Garnet Bailey

For the Toronto Maple Leafs player, see Ace Bailey.

Garnet Bailey
Bailey in 1978
Born (1948-06-13)June 13, 1948
Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died September 11, 2001(2001-09-11) (aged 53)
South Tower, World Trade Center, New York City, U.S.
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shot Left
Played for Boston Bruins
Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues
Washington Capitals
Edmonton Oilers
NHL draft 13th overall, 1966
Boston Bruins
Playing career 1968–1979

Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey (June 13, 1948 – September 11, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and scout who was a member of Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup-winning teams. He died at the age of 53 while aboard United Airlines Flight 175, which was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11 attacks.

Hockey Career

Bailey had a successful junior hockey career with the Edmonton Oil Kings, winning the Memorial Cup in 1966. After recording a 93 point year during the 1966–67 season he was selected by the Boston Bruins in the 1966 amateur draft.

Bailey then spent two seasons with the Bruins' minor league affiliate teams. During the 1968-69 season, he helped lead the Hershey Bears to the Calder Cup, leading the American Hockey League (AHL) in assists during the postseason with 10. He also made eight appearances for the Boston Bruins throughout the season.[1]

The following year he played 58 games for the 1969-70 Bruins team that won the Stanley Cup. Bailey became injured, and not appearing in any postseason games resulting in him not getting his name engraved on the trophy.

However during the 1971-72 season he appeared in 73 games for the Bruins. During the postseason he broke a 5-5 tie with the game winning goal at 17:44 of the third period to give the Bruins a victory in Game 1 of the 1972 Stanley Cup Final versus the New York Rangers. Bailey and the Bruins went on to win the Stanley Cup.

In 1972–73, Bailey was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings, and after playing two seasons for them was traded to the St. Louis Blues.[2]

Baileys former teammate Gerry Cheevers once stated "You know, Ace was a great talent, "The times when we'd scrimmage, and Bobby (Orr) decided he didn't want the puck, Ace had it most of the time." Bailey was remembered by his teammates for his wit and comradeship. He also was a fan favorite. "I remember all the kids who used to come in for our morning skate," Cheevers said. "Ace was always the guy playing with them on the ice … he loved 'em."[3]

Bailey spent his final four seasons with the Washington Capitals, posting his best statistical season during the 1976-77 season, during which he scored 19 goals and 27 assists. After his time in Washington he played one year in World Hockey Association. He then moved to the Central Hockey League as a player-assistant coach for the Houston Apollos for the 1979-80 season. The following year he was named head coach of the Wichita Thunder prior to the start of the 1980-81 season, and during that season he also played his final professional game.[2]

After two seasons coaching he was named a pro scout for the Edmonton Oilers, and held the position until the 1993-94 season. Bailey earned five Stanley Cup rings, but his name was only engraved on the trophy once, alongside the 1989-90 team due to limits on the number of names could that could be engraved on the Cup in each of those years.[2]

At the time of his death, Bailey was the Los Angeles Kings' director of pro scouting.[4]

Death and legacy

Bailey's name is located on Panel S-3 of the National September 11 Memorial's South Pool, along with those of other passengers of Flight 175.

Bailey died when the plane in which he was travelling, United Airlines Flight 175, was hijacked and deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11 attacks. Bailey and amateur scout Mark Bavis were travelling from Boston to Los Angeles when the flight was hijacked. They had been in Manchester, New Hampshire visiting the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs.[4]

Bailey and Bavis are mentioned in the Boston-based Dropkick Murphys song "Your Spirit's Alive." Denis Leary wore a Bailey memorial T-shirt as the character Tommy Gavin in the season 1 episode "Immortal" and the fourth-season episode "Pussified" of the TV series Rescue Me. In his memory, the Los Angeles Kings named their new mascot "Bailey".[5][6][7]

Bailey's family founded the Ace Bailey Children's Foundation in his memory. The foundation raises funds to benefit hospitalized children, infants and their families.[8][9]

At the National September 11 Memorial, Bailey and Bavis are memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-3.[10] On October 14, 2012, the Kings brought the Stanley Cup, which the team had just won in June, to the memorial and placed it on panels featuring Bailey and Bavis's names so that the families of Bailey and Bavis could "[have] their day with the Stanley Cup", continuing a hockey tradition whereby players and personnel of the reigning Cup champion team each get a personal day with the trophy.[4]

In 2023 he was named one of the top 100 Bruins players of all time.[11]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1966–67 Edmonton Oil Kings CMJHL 56 47 46 93 177 — — — — —
1967–68 Oklahoma City Blazers CHL 34 8 13 21 67 7 0 5 5 36
1968–69 Hershey Bears AHL 60 24 32 56 104 9 4 10 14 10
1968–69 Boston Bruins NHL 8 3 3 6 10 1 0 0 0 2
1969–70 Boston Bruins NHL 58 11 11 22 82 — — — — —
1970–71 Oklahoma City Blazers CHL 11 3 8 11 28 — — — — —
1970–71 Boston Bruins NHL 36 0 6 6 44 1 0 0 0 10
1971–72 Boston Bruins NHL 73 9 13 22 64 13 2 4 6 16
1972–73 Boston Bruins NHL 57 8 13 21 89 — — — — —
1972–73 Detroit Red Wings NHL 13 2 11 13 16 — — — — —
1973–74 Detroit Red Wings NHL 45 9 14 23 33 — — — — —
1973–74 St. Louis Blues NHL 22 7 3 10 20 — — — — —
1974–75 St. Louis Blues NHL 49 15 26 41 113 — — — — —
1974–75 Washington Capitals NHL 22 4 13 17 8 — — — — —
1975–76 Washington Capitals NHL 67 13 19 32 75 — — — — —
1976–77 Washington Capitals NHL 78 19 27 46 51 — — — — —
1977–78 Washington Capitals NHL 40 7 12 19 28 — — — — —
1978–79 Edmonton Oilers WHA 38 5 4 9 22 2 0 0 0 4
1979–80 Houston Apollos CHL 7 1 0 1 0 — — — — —
1980–81 Wichita Wind CHL 1 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
NHL totals 568 107 171 278 633 15 2 4 6 28

Family

Bailey was the son of Hockey hall of Famer Irvine Wallace "Ace" Bailey. Bailey also used the Ace nickname throughout his career.[13]

Bailey was married to his wife Katherine together they had a son named Todd.[3][13]

References

  1. ^ "Garnet 'Ace' Bailey Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Garnet Bailey career profile at HockeyDraftCentral.com". www.hockeydraftcentral.com. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "In Memoriam Birthday Wish to Former Bruin 'Ace' Bailey". Black N' Gold Hockey. June 13, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Kings' Sept. 11 victims get day with Cup". National Hockey League. October 15, 2012.
  5. ^ Arritt, Dan (September 11, 2011). "Ace Bailey still leaving gifts 10 years later". ESPN.
  6. ^ Olson, Lisa (June 7, 2012). "Ace Bailey’s spirit lives on in hockey and the Los Angeles Kings" Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Sporting News.
  7. ^ Hammond, Rich (September 9, 2011). "10 Years Later: Memories of Kings Scouts Still Strong". Los Angeles Kings/NHL.com Network.
  8. ^ Dupont, Kevin Paul (September 11, 2011). "Widow still holds her Ace in hand". Boston.com.
  9. ^ "BAILEY & BAVIS MEMORIAL FUND". Los Angeles Kings/NHL.com Network. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  10. ^ Garnet Bailey Archived 2013-07-27 at the Wayback Machine. Memorial Guide: National 9/11 Memorial. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  11. ^ Bruins Announce "Historic 100" Ahead of All-Centennial Team Reveal https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/bruins-announce-historic-100-ahead-of-all-centennial-team-reveal
  12. ^ "Garnet Bailey NHL Page". National Hockey League. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Bobblehead Memorializes Pro Hockey Scout Garnet "Ace" Bailey | National September 11 Memorial & Museum". www.911memorial.org. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
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