Earl
Robertson learned his hockey skills on the prairie ponds near Bengough,
a small town in southern Saskatchewan where he was born. ”Robbie”
traveled a long and winding path to the NHL that took him to a variety
of cities and through a handful of leagues.
In 1925 at the age of 15 he moved to Regina where he
played junior hockey for with the Regina Falcons. His goal tending
talents helped the Falcons
make
it to the 1926 Memorial Cup finals. After two seasons in Regina he moved
to the West Coast in 1927-28 to play goal for the Vancouver Monarchs
junior club. That year at the end of the season the Vancouver
Maroons picked Robbie up for the Allan Cup Tournament. In 1928 at the
age of 17 he turned pro with the Victoria Cubs of the Pacific Coast
Hockey League. In the next few years Robbie would play for the
Tacoma Tigers and the Oakland Sheiks of the Pacific Coast Hockey League,
the Hollywood Stars of the Cal-Pro League, the Edmonton Eskimos of the
Western Canada Hockey League and the Windsor Bulldogs and Rochester
Cardinals of the International American Hockey League. In 1935-36
his play gained him the recognition of being named to the IHL Second All
Star Team.
Robbie stopped the first penalty shot ever
awarded during Stanley Cup play
In 1936 the Detroit Red Wings purchased his rights from
the Bulldogs and Earl played for their minor-league affiliate in
Pittsburgh. He put in a solid season and was called up to replace
Detroit’s injured goalie in game four of the 1936-37 Stanley Cup
semi-final playoffs against Montreal. His sensational puck stopping
enabled the Wings to win the series three games to two. In the final
series against the New York Rangers he posted shut-outs in game four and
five and became the hero, leading his team to a Stanley Cup victory. In
the playoffs, Robbie stopped the first penalty shot ever awarded during
Stanley Cup play.
The next year (1937-38) Robbie was traded to the New York
Americans (who later became the Brooklyn Americans) and in his NHL
regular-season debut he recorded a shutout blanking the Chicago Black
Hawks 3-0. That year he led the Canadian Division in goaltending in the
eight team league and the”Amerks” advanced to the playoffs losing in the
semi-finals. In the next two seasons his team also made the play-offs
and because of his outstanding play Robbie was named an NHL Second Team
All-Star for the 1938-39 season. Robbie played with the Americans until
1942, the last year of the club’s existence. Robbie finished the 1942
season in Springfield of the IHL where he was the winning goal tender
for the inaugural IHL All Star Game. Robbie’s NHL career lasted 6 years
and he played 190 regular season and 15 play-off games.
Following his NHL career, Robbie moved to Edmonton in
1942 where he had spent all of his off seasons since playing hockey for
two seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos starting in 1932. It was in
Edmonton that he had met and married his wife Verna (1937). Robbie
played in one more Allan Cup tournament in 1944 with the Edmonton Vics.
As well, for many years he was involved in charity events with Old
Timer’s Hockey. A couple of times in the late 1950’s Robbie was called
on to help out the Wetaskiwin Colonels when they were in desperate need
of a goalie for a game and even though he was approaching the age of
fifty, admirably came to their rescue.
Robbie’s NHL career lasted 6 years and he played
190 regular season and 15 play-off games
After retiring from professional hockey, Robbie continued
his involvement in the sport by coaching the Edmonton Junior Canadians
for two years starting in 1945, leading them to the Western Canadian
finals in 1945-46. When the Junior Canadians were moved to Wetaskiwin
in 1947-48 he was again named coach. Another successful coaching stint
saw him coaching the Ponoka Stampeders. Robbie was also instrumental in
starting Little League Baseball and Peewee Hockey in Wetaskiwin and
coached teams in both sports.
In 1951 Robbie and his family moved to Wetaskiwin where
he became associated with Wetaskiwin Motors, lived, raised his family
and became involved in the community until he passed away in 1979. He
was a very active member of the Royal Canadian Legion, a member of the
Wetaskiwin Golf Club and served as a volunteer fireman for many years.
We recognize the outstanding hockey career of Earl Cooper
Robertson and his involvement in the Wetaskiwin community by inducting
him into the Wetaskiwin Sports Hall of Fame.
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