George McNamara

For the MLB player, see George McNamara (baseball).

George McNamara
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1958
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Born	(1886-08-26)August 26, 1886 Penetanguishene, ON, CAN
Died	Miami, FL, USA
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Toronto 228th Battalion Toronto Ontarios Toronto Blueshirts Halifax Crescents Waterloo Colts Montreal Shamrocks Cobalt Silver Kings Sault Ste. Marie Marlboros
Playing career	1907–1917

George Andrew McNamara (August 26, 1886 – March 10, 1952) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was a member of the 1914 Toronto Blueshirts Stanley Cup champions. His brothers Harold and Howard also played professional ice hockey.

Playing career

When George was a youngster, his family moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and it was in the Soo that he first learned the game of hockey. McNamara made his professional hockey debut playing with the Sault Ste. Marie Marlboros of the International Hockey League during the 1906–1907 season. George and his brother, Howard, also briefly a member of the Soo Marlboros, were known as the "Dynamite Twins" because of their bone-crunching body checks.

The International Hockey League folded in 1907 when a purely amateur game in Canada finally gave way to professional leagues and the top Canadian players were lured back to Canada to play. McNamara, a big, rugged defenceman, was in high demand among Canadian professional clubs, playing with four different clubs in four different leagues from 1908 to 1913.

McNamara was one of the best open ice checkers of his day. He would help the Toronto Blueshirts win the 1914 Stanley Cup. His professional hockey career was interrupted when he joined the Canadian Army in World War I. He was a member of the 228th Battalion team that played in the National Hockey Association before being ordered overseas on February 10, 1917.

After returning from the service, McNamara became the coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and lead the team to the Allan Cup championship in 1924. George and Howard founded the McNamara Construction Company and developed it into a prosperous firm.

McNamara was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1906–07	Canadian Soo	IPHL		3	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1907–08	Montreal Shamrocks	ECAHA		10	3	0	3	34		—	—	—	—	—
1908–09	Montreal Shamrocks	ECHA		12	4	0	4	60		—	—	—	—	—
1910–11	Waterloo Colts	OPHL		16	15	0	15	—		1	0	0	0	0
1911–12	Halifax Crescents	MPHL		10	2	0	2	24		—	—	—	—	—
1912–13	Toronto Tecumsehs	NHA		20	4	0	4	23		—	—	—	—	—
1912–13	Toronto Tecumsehs	Exhib.		2	2	0	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
1913–14	Toronto Ontarios	NHA		9	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1913–14	Toronto Blueshirts	NHA		9	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
1913–14	Toronto Blueshirts	St-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		3	2	0	2	0
1914–15	Toronto Shamrocks	NHA		18	4	8	12	67		—	—	—	—	—
1915–16	Toronto Blueshirts	NHA		23	5	2	7	74		—	—	—	—	—
1916–17	Toronto 228th Battalion	NHA		11	2	1	3	15		—	—	—	—	—
ECAHA/ECHA totals				22	7	0	7	94		—	—	—	—	—
NHA totals				90	15	13	18	181		—	—	—	—	—

External links and references

• George McNamara's biography at Legends of Hockey
• George McNamara at Find a Grave