Garnet Bailey

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For the Toronto Maple Leafs player, see Ace Bailey.

Garnet Bailey
Bailey in 1978
Born(1948-06-13)June 13, 1948
Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada
DiedSeptember 11, 2001(2001-09-11) (aged 53)
New York City, U.S.
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
PositionLeft Wing
ShotLeft
Played forBoston Bruins
Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues
Washington Capitals
Edmonton Oilers
NHL draft13th overall, 1966
Boston Bruins
Playing career1968–1979

Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey (June 13, 1948 – September 11, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and scout who was a member of Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup-winning teams. He died at the age of 53 while aboard United Airlines Flight 175, which was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11 attacks.

Hockey Career

[edit]

Garnet Edward Bailey was born on June 13, 1948, in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, a border city straddling the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta.[1]

Bailey had a successful junior hockey career with the Edmonton Oil Kings, winning the Memorial Cup in 1966. After recording a 93 point year during the 1966–67 season he was selected by the Boston Bruins in the 1966 amateur draft.

Bailey then spent two seasons with the Bruins' minor league affiliate teams. During the 1968-69 season, he helped lead the Hershey Bears to the Calder Cup, leading the American Hockey League (AHL) in assists during the postseason with 10. He also made eight appearances for the Boston Bruins throughout the season.[2]

The following year, he played 58 games for the 1969–70 Bruins team that won the Stanley Cup. Bailey broke his ankle in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 7, 1970;[3] not appearing in any postseason games resulted in him not getting his name engraved on the trophy.

However, during the 1971–72 season, he appeared in 73 games for the Bruins. During the postseason, he broke a 5-5 tie with the game winning goal at 17:44 of the third period to give the Bruins a victory in Game 1 of the 1972 Stanley Cup Final versus the New York Rangers. Bailey and the Bruins went on to win the Stanley Cup.

In 1972–73, Bailey was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings, and after playing two seasons for them was traded to the St. Louis Blues.[3]

Baileys former teammate Gerry Cheevers once stated: "You know, Ace was a great talent, "The times when we'd scrimmage, and Bobby (Orr) decided he didn't want the puck, Ace had it most of the time." Bailey was remembered by his teammates for his wit and comradeship. He also was a fan favorite. "I remember all the kids who used to come in for our morning skate," Cheevers said. "Ace was always the guy playing with them on the ice … he loved 'em."[4]

Bailey spent his final four seasons with the Washington Capitals, posting his best statistical season during the 1976-77 season, during which he scored 19 goals and 27 assists. After his time in Washington, he played one year in World Hockey Association. He then moved to the Central Hockey League as a player-assistant coach for the Houston Apollos for the 1979-80 season. The following year he was named head coach of the Wichita Thunder prior to the start of the 1980-81 season, and during that season he also played his final professional game.[3]

After two seasons coaching, he was named a pro scout for the Edmonton Oilers, and held the position until the 1993-94 season. Bailey earned five Stanley Cup rings, but his name was only engraved on the trophy once, alongside the 1989-90 team due to limits on the number of names that could be engraved on the Cup in each of those years.[3]

At the time of his death, Bailey was the Los Angeles Kings' director of pro scouting a position he held since 1994.[5] Former Kings general Manager Dave Taylor, said "Bailey had a gift for measuring the intangibles that a player could "bring to the table."[6]

Death and legacy

[edit]
Bailey's name is located on Panel S-3 of the National September 11 Memorial's South Pool, along with those of other passengers of Flight 175.

Bailey died when the plane in which he was travelling, United Airlines Flight 175, was hijacked and deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11 attacks. Bailey and amateur scout Mark Bavis were travelling from Boston to Los Angeles when the flight was hijacked. They had been in Manchester, New Hampshire, visiting the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs. Neither of their remains were ever recovered.[5]

Bailey and Bavis are mentioned in the Boston-based Dropkick Murphys song "Your Spirit's Alive." Denis Leary wore a Bailey memorial T-shirt as the character Tommy Gavin in the season 1 episode "Immortal" and the fourth-season episode "Pussified" of the TV series Rescue Me. In his memory, the Los Angeles Kings named their new mascot "Bailey".[7][8][9]

Bailey's family founded the Ace Bailey Children's Foundation in his memory. The foundation raises funds to benefit hospitalized children, infants and their families.[10][11]

At the National September 11 Memorial, Bailey and Bavis are memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-3.[12] On October 14, 2012, the Kings brought the Stanley Cup, which the team had just won in June, to the memorial and placed it on panels featuring Bailey and Bavis's names so that the families of Bailey and Bavis could "[have] their day with the Stanley Cup", continuing a hockey tradition whereby players and personnel of the reigning Cup champion team each get a personal day with the trophy.[5]

In 2023, he was named one of the top 100 Bruins players of all time.[13]

Career statistics

[edit]

Regular season and playoffs

[edit]
Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1966–67Edmonton Oil KingsCMJHL56474693177—————
1967–68Oklahoma City BlazersCHL348132167705536
1968–69Hershey BearsAHL6024325610494101410
1968–69Boston BruinsNHL83361010002
1969–70Boston BruinsNHL5811112282—————
1970–71Oklahoma City BlazersCHL11381128—————
1970–71Boston BruinsNHL3606644100010
1971–72Boston BruinsNHL7391322641324616
1972–73Boston BruinsNHL578132189—————
1972–73Detroit Red WingsNHL132111316—————
1973–74Detroit Red WingsNHL459142333—————
1973–74St. Louis BluesNHL22731020—————
1974–75St. Louis BluesNHL49152641113—————
1974–75Washington CapitalsNHL22413178—————
1975–76Washington CapitalsNHL6713193275—————
1976–77Washington CapitalsNHL7819274651—————
1977–78Washington CapitalsNHL407121928—————
1978–79Edmonton OilersWHA385492220004
1979–80Houston ApollosCHL71010—————
1980–81Wichita WindCHL10002—————
NHL totals5681071712786331524628

Personal life

[edit]

Bailey was not related to Hockey Hall of Famer Irvine Wallace "Ace" Bailey. However Bailey also used the Ace nickname throughout his career which he obtained during his youth.[15]

Bailey was married to his wife Katherine. Together, they had a son named Todd.[4][15] They resided in Lynnfield Massachusetts. He enjoyed cooking.[6]

Awards and achievements

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Garnet Bailey Obituary (2001) - Lynnfield, MA - The Republican". Legacy.com. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  2. ^ "Garnet 'Ace' Bailey Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d "Garnet Bailey career profile at HockeyDraftCentral.com". www.hockeydraftcentral.com. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "In Memoriam Birthday Wish to Former Bruin 'Ace' Bailey". Black N' Gold Hockey. June 13, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Kings' Sept. 11 victims get day with Cup". National Hockey League. October 15, 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Garnet Edward Bailey "Ace" | Voices Center for Resilience". voicescenter.org. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  7. ^ Arritt, Dan (September 11, 2011). "Ace Bailey still leaving gifts 10 years later". ESPN.
  8. ^ Olson, Lisa (June 7, 2012). "Ace Bailey’s spirit lives on in hockey and the Los Angeles Kings" Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Sporting News.
  9. ^ Hammond, Rich (September 9, 2011). "10 Years Later: Memories of Kings Scouts Still Strong". Los Angeles Kings/NHL.com Network.
  10. ^ Dupont, Kevin Paul (September 11, 2011). "Widow still holds her Ace in hand". Boston.com.
  11. ^ "BAILEY & BAVIS MEMORIAL FUND". Los Angeles Kings/NHL.com Network. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  12. ^ Garnet Bailey Archived 2013-07-27 at the Wayback Machine. Memorial Guide: National 9/11 Memorial. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  13. ^ a b Bruins Announce "Historic 100" Ahead of All-Centennial Team Reveal https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/bruins-announce-historic-100-ahead-of-all-centennial-team-reveal
  14. ^ "Garnet Bailey NHL Page". National Hockey League. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Bobblehead Memorializes Pro Hockey Scout Garnet "Ace" Bailey | National September 11 Memorial & Museum". www.911memorial.org. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Garnet Bailey.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Garnet_Bailey&oldid=1328114790"

    Garnet Bailey
    Bailey in 1978
    Born(1948-06-13)June 13, 1948
    Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada
    DiedSeptember 11, 2001(2001-09-11) (aged 53)
    New York City, U.S.
    Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
    Weight180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
    PositionLeft Wing
    ShotLeft
    Played forBoston Bruins
    Detroit Red Wings
    St. Louis Blues
    Washington Capitals
    Edmonton Oilers
    NHL draft13th overall, 1966
    Boston Bruins
    Playing career1968–1979

    Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey (June 13, 1948 – September 11, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and scout who was a member of Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup-winning teams. He died at the age of 53 while aboard United Airlines Flight 175, which was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11 attacks.

    Hockey Career

    Garnet Edward Bailey was born on June 13, 1948, in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, a border city straddling the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta.[1]

    Bailey had a successful junior hockey career with the Edmonton Oil Kings, winning the Memorial Cup in 1966. After recording a 93 point year during the 1966–67 season he was selected by the Boston Bruins in the 1966 amateur draft.

    Bailey then spent two seasons with the Bruins' minor league affiliate teams. During the 1968-69 season, he helped lead the Hershey Bears to the Calder Cup, leading the American Hockey League (AHL) in assists during the postseason with 10. He also made eight appearances for the Boston Bruins throughout the season.[2]

    The following year, he played 58 games for the 1969–70 Bruins team that won the Stanley Cup. Bailey broke his ankle in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 7, 1970;[3] not appearing in any postseason games resulted in him not getting his name engraved on the trophy.

    However, during the 1971–72 season, he appeared in 73 games for the Bruins. During the postseason, he broke a 5-5 tie with the game winning goal at 17:44 of the third period to give the Bruins a victory in Game 1 of the 1972 Stanley Cup Final versus the New York Rangers. Bailey and the Bruins went on to win the Stanley Cup.

    In 1972–73, Bailey was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings, and after playing two seasons for them was traded to the St. Louis Blues.[3]

    Baileys former teammate Gerry Cheevers once stated: "You know, Ace was a great talent, "The times when we'd scrimmage, and Bobby (Orr) decided he didn't want the puck, Ace had it most of the time." Bailey was remembered by his teammates for his wit and comradeship. He also was a fan favorite. "I remember all the kids who used to come in for our morning skate," Cheevers said. "Ace was always the guy playing with them on the ice … he loved 'em."[4]

    Bailey spent his final four seasons with the Washington Capitals, posting his best statistical season during the 1976-77 season, during which he scored 19 goals and 27 assists. After his time in Washington, he played one year in World Hockey Association. He then moved to the Central Hockey League as a player-assistant coach for the Houston Apollos for the 1979-80 season. The following year he was named head coach of the Wichita Thunder prior to the start of the 1980-81 season, and during that season he also played his final professional game.[3]

    After two seasons coaching, he was named a pro scout for the Edmonton Oilers, and held the position until the 1993-94 season. Bailey earned five Stanley Cup rings, but his name was only engraved on the trophy once, alongside the 1989-90 team due to limits on the number of names that could be engraved on the Cup in each of those years.[3]

    At the time of his death, Bailey was the Los Angeles Kings' director of pro scouting a position he held since 1994.[5] Former Kings general Manager Dave Taylor, said "Bailey had a gift for measuring the intangibles that a player could "bring to the table."[6]

    Death and legacy

    Bailey's name is located on Panel S-3 of the National September 11 Memorial's South Pool, along with those of other passengers of Flight 175.

    Bailey died when the plane in which he was travelling, United Airlines Flight 175, was hijacked and deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11 attacks. Bailey and amateur scout Mark Bavis were travelling from Boston to Los Angeles when the flight was hijacked. They had been in Manchester, New Hampshire, visiting the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs. Neither of their remains were ever recovered.[5]

    Bailey and Bavis are mentioned in the Boston-based Dropkick Murphys song "Your Spirit's Alive." Denis Leary wore a Bailey memorial T-shirt as the character Tommy Gavin in the season 1 episode "Immortal" and the fourth-season episode "Pussified" of the TV series Rescue Me. In his memory, the Los Angeles Kings named their new mascot "Bailey".[7][8][9]

    Bailey's family founded the Ace Bailey Children's Foundation in his memory. The foundation raises funds to benefit hospitalized children, infants and their families.[10][11]

    At the National September 11 Memorial, Bailey and Bavis are memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-3.[12] On October 14, 2012, the Kings brought the Stanley Cup, which the team had just won in June, to the memorial and placed it on panels featuring Bailey and Bavis's names so that the families of Bailey and Bavis could "[have] their day with the Stanley Cup", continuing a hockey tradition whereby players and personnel of the reigning Cup champion team each get a personal day with the trophy.[5]

    In 2023, he was named one of the top 100 Bruins players of all time.[13]

    Career statistics

    Regular season and playoffs

    Regular seasonPlayoffs
    SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
    1966–67Edmonton Oil KingsCMJHL56474693177—————
    1967–68Oklahoma City BlazersCHL348132167705536
    1968–69Hershey BearsAHL6024325610494101410
    1968–69Boston BruinsNHL83361010002
    1969–70Boston BruinsNHL5811112282—————
    1970–71Oklahoma City BlazersCHL11381128—————
    1970–71Boston BruinsNHL3606644100010
    1971–72Boston BruinsNHL7391322641324616
    1972–73Boston BruinsNHL578132189—————
    1972–73Detroit Red WingsNHL132111316—————
    1973–74Detroit Red WingsNHL459142333—————
    1973–74St. Louis BluesNHL22731020—————
    1974–75St. Louis BluesNHL49152641113—————
    1974–75Washington CapitalsNHL22413178—————
    1975–76Washington CapitalsNHL6713193275—————
    1976–77Washington CapitalsNHL7819274651—————
    1977–78Washington CapitalsNHL407121928—————
    1978–79Edmonton OilersWHA385492220004
    1979–80Houston ApollosCHL71010—————
    1980–81Wichita WindCHL10002—————
    NHL totals5681071712786331524628
    • Source: NHL.com[14]

    Personal life

    Bailey was not related to Hockey Hall of Famer Irvine Wallace "Ace" Bailey. However Bailey also used the Ace nickname throughout his career which he obtained during his youth.[15]

    Bailey was married to his wife Katherine. Together, they had a son named Todd.[4][15] They resided in Lynnfield Massachusetts. He enjoyed cooking.[6]

    Awards and achievements

    References

    1. ^ "Garnet Bailey Obituary (2001) - Lynnfield, MA - The Republican". Legacy.com. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
    2. ^ "Garnet 'Ace' Bailey Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
    3. ^ a b c d "Garnet Bailey career profile at HockeyDraftCentral.com". www.hockeydraftcentral.com. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
    4. ^ a b "In Memoriam Birthday Wish to Former Bruin 'Ace' Bailey". Black N' Gold Hockey. June 13, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
    5. ^ a b c "Kings' Sept. 11 victims get day with Cup". National Hockey League. October 15, 2012.
    6. ^ a b "Garnet Edward Bailey "Ace" | Voices Center for Resilience". voicescenter.org. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
    7. ^ Arritt, Dan (September 11, 2011). "Ace Bailey still leaving gifts 10 years later". ESPN.
    8. ^ Olson, Lisa (June 7, 2012). "Ace Bailey’s spirit lives on in hockey and the Los Angeles Kings" Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Sporting News.
    9. ^ Hammond, Rich (September 9, 2011). "10 Years Later: Memories of Kings Scouts Still Strong". Los Angeles Kings/NHL.com Network.
    10. ^ Dupont, Kevin Paul (September 11, 2011). "Widow still holds her Ace in hand". Boston.com.
    11. ^ "BAILEY & BAVIS MEMORIAL FUND". Los Angeles Kings/NHL.com Network. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
    12. ^ Garnet Bailey Archived 2013-07-27 at the Wayback Machine. Memorial Guide: National 9/11 Memorial. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
    13. ^ a b Bruins Announce "Historic 100" Ahead of All-Centennial Team Reveal https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/bruins-announce-historic-100-ahead-of-all-centennial-team-reveal
    14. ^ "Garnet Bailey NHL Page". National Hockey League. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
    15. ^ a b "Bobblehead Memorializes Pro Hockey Scout Garnet "Ace" Bailey | National September 11 Memorial & Museum". www.911memorial.org. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Garnet Bailey.
    • Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
    • Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey at Find a Grave
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Garnet_Bailey&oldid=1328114790"