Dickie Boon

Little Dickie Boon (he stood just 5'4") was one of Montreal's earliest hockey stars.

Boon first became prominent in 1894. The 16 year old joined another future Hall of Famer named Mike Grant with the Montreal Young Crystals. He later joined the Monarch Hockey Club and by 1900 he the Montreal Hockey Club of the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association.

The speedy defensman, described as a "118lb dynamo" captained Montreal HC to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1902 and 1903. Other notable players on that team included Jimmy Gardner, Tommy Phillips and Jack Marshall, all of whom would join Boon in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Boon was noted as a fantastic speedster (in 1892 he won Canada's junior amateur championship in speed skating) and an offensive spark plug. But he was also an innovative defender as one of the earliest proponents of the stick check. In fact his poke checking ability was noted before the likes of Frank Nighbor and Jack Walker, the usual credited "inventors" of the tactic.

This was all during the days where professional sports was frowned upon and amateurism in sport was highly regarded. Boon soon left the ice because he and his family decided not to turn pro. He soon became manager of the Montreal Wanderers pro team winning four Stanley Cup titles in 1906, 1907, 1908, and 1910 as manager.

Later in life Boon became busier and busier in his coal business, and also became very adept at two more sports - golf and curling.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1952, Dickie Boon passed away in 1961.