Charlie Conacher Humanitarian Award

The Charlie Conacher Humanitarian Award (or Charlie Conacher Memorial Trophy) was an award given to a National Hockey League (NHL) player who made "outstanding contribution to humanitarian or community service projects".[1] It was established in 1968–69 in the memory of Hockey Hall of Fame player Charlie Conacher, who died of throat cancer in 1967, and featured an annual benefit dinner that raised money for the Charlie Conacher Research Fund for Cancer.[2] The award was not affiliated with the NHL, though it was given to one of the league's players.[3]

Charlie Conacher Memorial Trophy
SportIce hockey
Awarded forNHL player who makes an outstanding contribution to humanitarian or community service projects.
History
First award1968–69 NHL season
Final award1983–84 NHL season

Toronto Maple Leafs captain George Armstrong was the first winner, named following the 1968–69 season.[4] Co-winners were named on two occasions, as Jean Beliveau and Bobby Orr shared the award in 1970–71,[5] as did Jimmy Peters, Jr. and Gary Bergman in 1972–73.[6] Calgary Flames forward Lanny McDonald was announced as the winner of the award at the 1982–83 Conacher Hockey Awards dinner,[7] though he was actually the runner-up to Boston Bruins defenceman Brad Park. The mistake was cleared up a few days after the dinner.[8]

Calgary's Jim Peplinski was named the final recipient of the award in 1983–84, after which the trophy was retired and put on display at the newly constructed Charlie Conacher Research Centre for cancer at the Toronto General Hospital. Former Chicago Blackhawks star Stan Mikita was given a special award at that final banquet in recognition of his work with the hearing impaired.[9] The benefit dinners held in conjunction with the award raised over $2 million towards throat cancer research in the 17 years that they were held.[9] Two years after the Conacher Award was retired, Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard presented the NHL with the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, also to be given to the league's top humanitarian.[10] The new trophy was first awarded in 1987–88.[3]

Winners
Bobby Baun was the second winner of the Charlie Conacher Trophy
Season Winner Team Player's humanitarian contribution
1968–69 George Armstrong Toronto Maple Leafs [4]
1969–70 Bobby Baun Detroit Red Wings Work with the Big Brothers of Toronto.[11]
1970–71 Jean Beliveau Montreal Canadiens Co-winner[5]
1970–71 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins Co-winner[5]
1971–72 Orland Kurtenbach Vancouver Canucks
1972–73 Jimmy Peters, Jr. Los Angeles Kings Co-winner[6]
1972–73 Gary Bergman Detroit Red Wings Co-winner[6]
1973–74 Ed Westfall New York Islanders Work with the physically and mentally handicapped.[12]
1974–75 Ted Irvine New York Rangers Charitable work on behalf of the mentally handicapped.[13]
1975–76 Johnny Bucyk Boston Bruins
1976–77 Jim Lorentz Buffalo Sabres Work with muscular dystrophy programs in the United States.[14]
1977–78 Bryan Watson Washington Capitals
1978–79 Ed Staniowski St. Louis Blues
1979–80 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers [1]
1980–81 Ed Kea St. Louis Blues
1981–82 Borje Salming Toronto Maple Leafs
1982–83 Brad Park Boston Bruins Work with the Cerebral Palsy Association of Massachusetts.[8]
1983–84 Jim Peplinski Calgary Flames Work with the Calgary Special Olympics and Big Brothers of Calgary[9]

References
  1. "Gretzky adds male athlete award to list". Calgary Herald. 1980-12-19. p. C2. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  2. "Honoured members – Charlie Conacher". Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  3. Shea, Kevin (2011-02-04). "One on one with Charlie Conacher". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2013-02-21. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  4. "World of sports in brief". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. 1969-05-31. p. 21. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  5. "Beliveau, Orr, Keon receive special honor". Edmonton Journal. 1971-05-29. p. 37. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  6. "Names in the news". Los Angeles Times. 1973-06-02. p. C2.
  7. "Lanny honored". Windsor Star. 1983-06-04. p. B5. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  8. "Tough luck, Lanny". Calgary Herald. 1983-06-08. p. A1. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  9. "Peplinski voted Conacher Award". Ottawa Citizen. 1984-05-30. p. 40. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  10. "Ballard honors Clancy's life with trophy". Ottawa Citizen. 1986-12-17. p. F3. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  11. "Wings' Baun is awarded Conacher Cup". Windsor Star. 1970-05-21. p. 51. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  12. "Honors to Westfall". Ottawa Citizen. 1974-05-31. p. 17. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  13. "Irvine awarded trophy". Newburgh Evening News. 1975-05-30. p. 5B. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  14. "Buffalo's Jim Lorentz skates to the Conacher". Calgary Herald. 1977-06-03. p. 63. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
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