Frank Rankin

Frank Gilchrist Rankin (April 1, 1891 – July 23, 1932) was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach. As a player, Rankin played the rover position for the Toronto Eaton's and Toronto St. Michael's Majors in senior hockey between 1910 and 1914. Rankin later coached the Toronto Granites to the gold medal for Canada at the 1924 Winter Olympics.

Frank Rankin
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1961
Born (1891-04-01)April 1, 1891
Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Died July 23, 1932(1932-07-23) (aged 41)
Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Weight 145 lb (66 kg; 10 st 5 lb)
Position Rover
Shot Right
Played for Toronto Eaton's
Toronto St. Michael's Majors
Playing career 1904–1915

Personal

Rankin was one of ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rankin of Stratford, Ontario. He had seven brothers: Charles, Jimmy, George, Gordon, Reginald, Sid and Fred, and two sisters, Annie and Nellie.[1] Rankin was conscripted into the Canadian military on November 2, 1918 for the First World War, but an armistice was signed on November 11 so he did not actively serve.[2] He died in 1932 in his hometown of Stratford from blood poisoning.[3]

Ice hockey career

Rankin played junior hockey in his hometown of Stratford with the Stratford team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1904 until 1910.[4] His brother Jimmy also played with the team.[1] He then moved to Toronto and played senior hockey with the Toronto Eaton's. He played two seasons with the Eaton's, scoring 21 goals in ten games. He then joined the senior Toronto St. Michael's Majors where he played in three seasons. In 1912, Rankin scored an 20 goals in five games. In the 1914–15 season, while playing for St. Michael's, Rankin was seriously cut in the face and suffered blood poisoning, which required hospitalization.[5] He retired from playing shortly after.[6]

While an amateur player in the OHA Rankin was a highly sought after player from the professional ranks, and he was said to have been offered over $2,000 to finish the 1912–13 season with the Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey Association, but eventually stayed in the amateur ranks.[7]

Rankin became coach of the Toronto Granites, leading them to the Allan Cup championship in 1922 and 1923.[8] For winning the Cup in 1923, the Granites were selected to represent Canada at the 1924 Winter Olympics. The team won six consecutive games to take the gold medal.[3]

Frank Rankin was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 1961.[9]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1909–10 Stratford HC Exhib 2404— —————
1910–11 Toronto Eaton's OHA Sr 415015— 2404—
1911–12 Toronto Eaton's OHA Sr 6606— 430312
1912–13 Toronto St. Michael's OHA Sr 522022— 4404—
1913–14 Toronto St. Michael's OHA Sr 210010— 2303—
1914–15 Toronto St. Michael's OHA Sr 410010— 11012
OHA Sr totals 2163063— 1315015—

References
  1. "Jimmy Rankin Is Dead After Long Sickness". The Globe. Toronto, Ontario. December 28, 1926. p. 6.
  2. MacLeod 2018, pp. 62–63
  3. MacLeod 2018, p. 64
  4. MacLeod 2018, p. 62
  5. "Frank Rankin Has Blood Poisoning". The Globe. Toronto. February 19, 1915. p. 10.
  6. MacLeod 2018, p. 62
  7. "Frank Rankin Has Achieved a Great Record in Amateur Hockey" Winnipeg Tribune. Jan. 25, 1913 (p. 7). Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  8. MacLeod 2018, p. 63
  9. Hockey Hall of Fame 2003, p. 42.

Bibliography
  • Hockey Hall of Fame (2003). Honoured Members: Hockey Hall of Fame. Bolton, Ontario: Fenn Publishing. ISBN 1-55168-239-7.
  • MacLeod, Alan Livingstone (2018), From Rinks to Regiments: Hockey Hall-of-Famers and the Great War, Victoria, British Columbia: Heritage House, ISBN 978-1-77203-268-0
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