Samuel Rothschild
Samuel "Sam" Rothschild (October 16, 1899 – April 15, 1987) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 102 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). Rothschild was the first Jewish player in the NHL.[1][2] He played for the Montreal Maroons, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Americans. He was the last surviving member of the 1926 Stanley Cup champion Maroons.
| Samuel Rothschild | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Rothschild with the Montreal Maroons | |||
| Born |
October 16, 1899 Sudbury, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Died |
April 15, 1987 (aged 87) Sudbury, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||
| Weight | 145 lb (66 kg; 10 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
NHL Montreal Maroons Pittsburgh Pirates New York Americans | ||
| Playing career | 1924–1928 | ||
Early life
Rothschild was born in Sudbury, Ontario, to Daniel and Annie Rothschild, the city's first Jewish settlers.[3] Daniel Rothschild was a merchant in the city, whose retail and office property is listed on the city's register of historic properties.[4]
Playing career
Rothschild played hockey in the Montreal area for Montreal Harmonia, McGill University, and the Montreal Stars before returning home to play for the junior Sudbury Wolves in 1919. He played the next four seasons with the senior Sudbury Wolves before joining the expansion Montreal Maroons in 1924, becoming the first Jewish player in the NHL.[5] He played three seasons with the Maroons before being sold to the Pirates in 1927.[6] He finished the 1927–28 season with the New York Americans after being suspended by the Pirates in December 1927.[6][7] It was his last season in the NHL.
Post-NHL career
Following his retirement from the NHL Rothschild took up coaching, and coached the junior Sudbury Wolves to the 1932 Memorial Cup championship. He married Eva Yackman in 1933.[3]
He was also a prominent supporter of curling in the city, including stints as president of the Northern Ontario Curling Association and the Canadian Curling Association from 1957 to 1958, and securing the city's status as host city of the 1953 Brier.[3] He was later inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame.[3]
As well, he served for two years on Sudbury's city council.[3] He died at a hospital in Sudbury on April 15, 1987.[8]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1915–16 | Sudbury Midgets | NOHA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1916–17 | Montreal Harmonia | QAAA | 9 | 16 | 0 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1917–18 | Montreal 65th Regiment | MCHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1917–18 | Montreal Vickers | MCHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1918–19 | Montreal Vickers | MCHL | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1918–19 | Montreal Stars | MCHL | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1919–20 | Sudbury Cub Wolves | NOJHA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1920–21 | Sudbury Wolves | NOHA | 9 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1921–22 | Sudbury Wolves | NOHA | 6 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1922–23 | Sudbury Wolves | NOHA | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1923–24 | Sudbury Wolves | NOHA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1924–25 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 28 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1925–26 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 33 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1925–26 | Montreal Maroons | St-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1926–27 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 22 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1927–28 | Pittsburgh Pirates | NHL | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1927–28 | New York Americans | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 100 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
References
- "Ontario Jewish Communities: Sudbury - Sports". Ontario Jewish Archives. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
- The Big Book of Hockey for Kids – Eric Zweig – Google Books
- Sam Rothschild at Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums.
- Early Community History: Sudbury, First Jewish Settlers. Ontario Jewish Archives.
- Day by Day in Jewish Sports History – Bob Wechsler – Google Books
- "Unconditional Release of Sammy Rothschild". The Globe. December 30, 1927. p. 13.
- "Sammy Rothschild Goes To New York Americans". The Globe. January 6, 1928. p. 6.
- DEATHS The Globe and Mail (1936-Current); Apr 18, 1987; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Globe and Mail pg. A12
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database