Hap Day

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Clarence Henry "Happy" Day (June 1, 1901 – February 17, 1990), later known as Hap Day, was a Canadian professional hockey player who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto St. Pats, Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Americans. Day enjoyed a 33-year career as a player, referee, coach and general manager, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961.

[edit] Career

Day was born in Owen Sound, Ontario. He played for the Hamilton Tigers of the Ontario Hockey Association in 1922-23 and 1923-24, and then joined the varsity team at the University of Toronto, where he was enrolled as a pharmacy major. Day was persuaded to turn professional in 1924 by Charlie Querrie, owner of the Toronto St. Pats. He played forward in his rookie season and then switched to defence, where he would remain for the rest of his career. He became team captain in 1926.

In 1927, the St. Pats were purchased by Conn Smythe and renamed the Toronto Maple Leafs. Smythe named Day as team captain, a post he held until 1937. He also became a partner in Smythe's sand and gravel business. After Smythe acquired star defenseman King Clancy from the Ottawa Senators in 1931, Day and Clancy formed one of the top defence pairings in the NHL. The team won the Stanley Cup in 1931. While still playing for the Leafs, Day became coach of the West Toronto Nationals OHA junior team and led them to a Memorial Cup victory in 1936. On September 23, 1937, Day was sold to the New York Americans and spent one season there before retiring as a player in 1938.

Day worked as a referee for the next two years before returning to the Leafs as coach. He guided the team through the 1940s, winning the Stanley Cup five times. Day became assistant general manager to Smythe in 1950, and was responsible for running the team until 1957. Just after the Leafs were eliminated in the playoffs in March 1957, Day was publicly embarrassed by Smythe, who told the media that he didn't know if Day was available to return to the Leafs for the following season. Officially, Day resigned, but behind the scenes he had been pushed out and was replaced by a committee headed by Smythe's son Stafford Smythe.

Day retired to enter business life, running Elgin Handles in St. Thomas, Ontario until selling it to his son in 1977. Day was almost convinced by Jack Kent Cooke to become the first general manager of the Los Angeles Kings in 1967, but he decided not to take the job, recommending Larry Regan instead.

Day died in St. Thomas at age 88 in 1990. He and his number 4 were honoured by the Maple Leafs on October 4, 2006 at the Air Canada Centre.