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Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989. Defenceman Art Hodgins was born November 17th,
1927 in Timmins, Ontario of Scottish parents and first crossed the
Atlantic in 1946 to play for the Paisley Pirates. At the end of his first season in this country, he was
voted ‘Rookie of the Year.’ He was to play a second season in
Scotland before moving south to join Streatham of the English
National League. Whilst there, he was again named ‘Rookie of the
Year,’ thus becoming the only player ever to be so honoured both sides
of the border. Hodgins remained with the Streatham club until the rink
closed its doors on hockey in 1954, whereupon, like several of his
teammates, he crossed London to join the all-conquering Harringay Racers
in the inaugural British League. However, eighteen months later he was
forced to cease playing suffering from a recurring sinus ailment. He
made a short-lived comeback with the Brighton Tigers, and didn’t reach
his previous level of play until in 1959/60, he iced for the Nottingham
Panthers. With the collapse of the British League, he was appointed
player/coach of the newly formed Altrincham Aces in 1961. He then went
to play for Milan in Italy, returning to Britain when Wembley re-opened
its doors to hockey in 1963, and he finally retired when the Lions
folded in 1968. An almost perennial all-star in the national leagues of
the forties and fifties, Art Hodgins was arguably the best defenceman to
play in Britain in the post-war era and in the opinion of many, would
have had a good chance at making the NHL. He was renowned as the master
of the perfectly timed body-check and although primarily a defensive
defenceman, he possessed a powerful and accurate shot from the blue
line. Although a formidable opponent on the ice, Art Hodgins was
a gentleman off it and an intelligent conversationalist. After retiring
from hockey, he settled with his wife and family in the Midlands where
he died in 1988, following a long illness.
His career statistics read :-
Compiled with research, provided by Martin C.Harris – April 1989. |
