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The Ace Bailey Benefit Game was the first all-star game in National Hockey League (NHL) history. It was played on February 14, 1934 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto to raise money to support Ace Bailey, whose career was ended by a violent hit by Eddie Shore during a game earlier in the 1933–34 season. The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated a team made up of the top players from the rest of the league, 7–3, before a crowd of 14,074 spectators. The game was held two months following the incident between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Boston Garden that resulted in Bailey's injuries. Toronto's Red Horner dazed Shore with a heavy hit. Intent on revenge, Shore thought he was skating at Horner, but instead knocked Bailey over. Bailey flew through the air, and suffered a fractured skull when he landed on his head. Shore himself was knocked unconscious in the melee that resulted. Though it was initially feared he would not survive his injuries, Bailey recovered enough to participate in the benefit game. He presented gifts and shook the hands of each player as they were introduced. Among them was Eddie Shore himself, who was playing for the NHL all-stars. The crowd fell silent as Shore approached, then erupted into loud cheering when Bailey extended his hand toward his attacker. The Maple Leafs announced during the ceremonies that no player on their team would again wear Bailey's number 6, marking the first time in NHL history that a team retired a player's uniform number. ==Bailey's injury== The incident between Ace Bailey and Eddie Shore occurred in the Boston Garden during the second period of a regular league game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins on December 12, 1933. Having taken two penalties in quick succession, the Maple Leafs were playing short handed, and sent Bailey, Red Horner and King Clancy out to defend against Boston's power play. During that sequence, Clancy upended Shore with a hard check as the later player rushed up the ice. Angry, dazed, and thinking he was going after Clancy, Shore rushed at Bailey intent on revenge. He hit Bailey hard from the side, sending the stricken player flying through the air. Bailey struck the ice head first and lapsed into convulsions.〔 Furious, Horner asked Shore what he was doing, and when met with only a smile in response, knocked Shore out cold with one punch.〔 Both players were carried off the ice, where Shore first regained consciousness. He was able to reach Bailey, who briefly regained consciousness himself, and attempted to apologize. Bailey was able to respond with "it's all part of the game" before again passing out. As Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe attempted to reach his team's dressing room to find out the status of Bailey, he was accosted by angry Bruins fans, one of whom accused Bailey of faking his injury. An angry Smythe punched the fan in the mouth, and was later charged with assault.〔 Bailey was rushed to hospital in Boston with a fractured skull where neurosurgeons worked through the night to save his life. His injuries were so severe that doctors gave him only hours to live. Distraught over his son's injuries, Bailey's father boarded a train bound for Boston carrying a revolver, telling everyone he met of his intent to kill Shore.〔 When Smythe found out about this, he contacted his assistant general manager, Frank Selke, for help. Selke got in touch with a friend of his who worked in the Boston Police, who met Bailey's father at a hotel and talked the man out of his plan before returning him to Toronto.〔 Authorities in Boston made it known that they intended to charge Shore with manslaughter if the player died.〔 Bailey held on, though his life hung in the balance for several days. Following several surgeries, doctors eventually found reason to hope Bailey would survive. He amazed observers by showing a steady recovery, and by mid January was well enough to be transferred home to Toronto.〔 The NHL quickly absolved the referees of blame,〔 while Shore protested that he was in a dazed state and not conscious of his actions at the time. League president Frank Calder suspended Horner until January 1, 1934, a period of six games, and Shore indefinitely for their roles in the incident. When he was assured that Bailey would survive, Calder set Shore's suspension at 16 games.〔 Bailey never played another game. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ace Bailey Benefit Game」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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