Dave Gatherum
| Dave Gatherum | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1932 |
| Died | 2024 |
| Years in Thunder Bay | 1948–1952; from 1959 |
David Robert Gatherum (March 28, 1932 – June 20, 2024) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He played three games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1953–54 season. The rest of his career lasted from 1952 to 1959 and was spent in the minor leagues.[1]
Thunder Bay connections
David Robert Gatherum (March 28, 1932 – June 20, 2024) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who was born in Fort William, Ontario, and died in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Early in his career he played for the Fort William Hurricanes in the Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League from 1948 to 1952, including a run to the 1952 Memorial Cup.
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Dave Gatherum was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 as an athlete (ceremony date given as 29 September 2018), for hockey.[2]
A native of Fort William, this goaltender began his competitive career in the local midget and junior systems. Between 1948 and 1952, he played for the Fort William Hurricanes of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League. During the 1951-52 season, he backstopped the Hurricanes to the Western Canada Memorial Cup playoff finals, where the team competed against the Regina Pats.[2]
He entered the professional ranks with the Detroit Red Wings organization. During the 1952-53 season, he played for several clubs, including the Edmonton Flyers of the Western Hockey League, the St. Louis Flyers of the American Hockey League, and the Shawinigan Falls Cataracts in Quebec. Moving to the Quebec Hockey League for the 1953-54 season, he played for the Sherbrooke Saints. His performance there earned him the Lord Calvert Player of Distinction Award as the most valuable player for Sherbrooke.[2]
In October 1953, he was promoted to the National Hockey League to fill in for Terry Sawchuk. In his NHL debut, he recorded a 4-0 shutout for the Detroit Red Wings against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In his subsequent start against the Chicago Black Hawks, he maintained a shutout for over 100 minutes of play, setting a league record for a rookie at the time. He narrowly missed a second shutout in his third game when a goal was scored against him with only four seconds remaining. His contributions led to his name being engraved on the Stanley Cup when Detroit won the championship that year.[2]
After splitting the 1954-55 season between the Quebec Aces and the New Westminster Royals, he moved to British Columbia to play senior hockey with the Kelowna Packers from 1955 to 1959. During his tenure in the Okanagan Senior Hockey League, he was twice selected as an All-Star goaltender, achieved the lowest goals-against average in the league, and was named the Packers most valuable player. In 1956, he joined the Vernon Canadians as a pickup player, helping them capture the Allan Cup. He reached the Allan Cup finals again with Kelowna in 1958.[2]
In 1958, the Kelowna Packers were chosen to represent Canada during a tour of Sweden and the Soviet Union. He was a member of the first Canadian squad to compete behind the Iron Curtain, recording two wins, two losses, and one tie against the Soviet national team. Following his retirement from active play in 1959, he returned to the Lakehead region, where he served as a manager and executive member within junior hockey circles.[2]
For his achievements in the sport, he was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.[2]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (1948–1952; from 1959) rests on the following dated evidence. He played junior hockey in Fort William from 1948-52 and returned to the Lakehead upon retiring in 1959 to serve as a hockey manager and executive.[2]
Achievements listed in the profile:
- Reached the Western Canada Memorial Cup playoff finals with the Fort William Hurricanes in 1951-52
- Named the Sherbrooke Saints most valuable player and received the Lord Calvert Player of Distinction Award in 1953-54
- Recorded a shutout in his National Hockey League debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs in October 1953
- Established an NHL rookie record by playing 100 minutes and 21 seconds without allowing a goal to start a career
- Won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Detroit Red Wings in 1953-54
- Won the Allan Cup in 1956 while serving as a pickup player for the Vernon Canadians
- Twice selected as an OSHL All-Star goaltender while playing for the Kelowna Packers
- Earned the lowest goal average and team MVP honors with the Kelowna Packers
- Represented Canada as part of the first Canadian team to play in the Soviet Union in 1958[2]
References
- ↑ This article incorporates text from the Wikipedia article on Dave Gatherum, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 "Dave Gatherum", athlete profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/athlete-profile/c4461e10-ad7c-41bd-abe8-8d8191e433b2 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.