Billie Dawe

Billie Dawe (June 8, 1924 – May 20, 2013) was a Canadian amateur ice hockey player. He was a member of the 1950 World Champion team, the Edmonton Mercurys (the Mercs), and captained that team to a gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics.

Billie Dawe
Born (1924-06-08)June 8, 1924
Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
Died May 20, 2013(2013-05-20) (aged 88)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Position Left wing
Played for Edmonton Mercurys
National team  Canada
Playing career 1949–1952
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1952 Oslo Ice hockey
World Championship
Gold medal – first place 1950 London Ice hockey

Early life

Dawe was born in Cochrane, Alberta, but lived most of his life in Edmonton. His mother, Hilda, was a British war bride of his father, Bill, who met her while he was serving in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I. The hockey-playing Dawe would meet his own wife, Lee, in Manitoba, Canada, while training to be a pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force at RCAF Station Gimli during World War II.

Career

In 1949, Dawe joined the Edmonton Mercurys, a newly formed intermediate senior-A ice hockey team in Edmonton, Alberta.[1] Dawe played with the Mercurys when they took part in exhibition games in Ayr, Scotland in 1950,[2] and later helped them to win the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships in London, England.

Two years later, Dawe was team captain when the Mercs won the gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics/1952 World Championship in Oslo, Norway.[3][4] Dawe tied for second in team scoring, with 6 goals and 6 assists during 8 games, as the Mercurys outscored their opponents 71-14 en route to the gold medal.[5][6][7]

Dawe retired from hockey following the 1952 Olympics, going to work at the Edmonton Waterloo Mercury car dealership, sponsor of the Edmonton Mercurys hockey team, for a number of decades. Dawe became parts manager at the dealership and a partner in the firm, along with four other Mercurys teammate, including eventual principal owner Al Purvis.[8][1] He continued to be involved in sports, serving as president of the Canadian Athletic Club, coaching Little League baseball, and participating in curling.[1]

Canada did not win the ice hockey Olympic gold medal again for 50 years following the win by the Mercurys. Dawe and a number of the surviving Mercury players were invited to Salt Lake City in 2002 to watch – then help Team Canada celebrate – their next gold medal win.[9]

Dawe, as part of the 1952 Olympic/World Champion Edmonton Mercurys, was inducted to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1968.[10] The 1952 Mercurys, including Dawe, was inducted to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2002 - the same year that Team Canada finally broke its 50-year gold medal drought.[11] Dawe, as part of the 1950 World Champion version of the Mercs, was inducted to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.[12]

Dawe died in Edmonton on May 20, 2013, at age 88.[8][1]

See also

References
  1. Daum, Evan (2013-06-01). "Hockey Hero Helped Canada Win Gold". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  2. Staff writer (1950-01-12). "Two in a row for the Mercurys". Lethbridge Herald. p. 12. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  3. Brown, Gene, ed. (1979). The New York Times Encyclopedia of Sports: Winter Sports. Arno Press. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-405-12635-2. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  4. "3-3 tie gives Mercurys Olympic Hockey Crown". Edmonton Journal. 1952-02-25. Archived from the original on 2007-10-01. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  5. "Billy Dawe Bio, Stats, and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  6. "Canada Ice Hockey at the 1952 Oslo winter Games". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  7. Dwyer, Bill (2002-02-15). "Canadian Goose Egg - It Has Been 50 Years Since Edmonton Mercurys Won Country's Last Gold". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  8. Costello, Brian (2013-12-02). "Remembering the golden Edmonton Mercurys of 1952". The Hockey News. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  9. Rush, Curtis (2014-02-24). "Olympic repeat first in 62 years: Edmonton-based team was last to defend Canadian gold". Toronto Star. p. S-4. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  10. "Edmonton Waterloo Mercurys 1952". Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  11. "Members of the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame - Sport: Ice Hockey". Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  12. "Edmonton Waterloo Mercurys 1950". Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
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