Dit Clapper

Dit Clapper
Born	February 9, 1907(1907-02-09) Newmarket, ON, CAN
Died	January 21, 1978(1978-01-21) (aged 70) Newmarket, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Left wing (1927-37) Defence (1937-47)
Shot	Right
Played for	Boston Bruins
Playing career	1927–1947
Hall of Fame, 1947

Aubrey Victor "Dit" Clapper (February 9, 1907 in Newmarket, Ontario – January 21, 1978 in Newmarket, Ontario) was a Canadian Hall of Fame ice hockey player.

Clapper was given the nickname "Dit" at an early age when he would lisp his name "Vic." It came out "Dit." The name stuck.

Early years

Aubrey Clapper, son of Bill Clapper, was raised in Hastings, Ontario.

Athletic career

As a member of the Boston Bruins, he became the first player to play in the National Hockey League for twenty seasons. He was a great player both as a forward and defenceman, being named to All-Star squads at both right wing and on defence.

A lifelong member of the Bruins, in 1947 the team retired his number 5 sweater and the Hall of Fame selection committee waived the customary three-year waiting period, and immediately inducted him into the Hockey Hall of Fame upon the night of his retirement. He was the only active player to be inducted into the Hall. His used jersey from that night's game was donated to the Hall of Fame by Clapper himself during an on-ice presentation that night announcing his retirement and induction into the Hall. The jersey is currently on display in the International Hockey Hall of Fame's museum in Kingston, Ontario. Until he was named as coach, he had served as team captain for longer than any NHL player until Ray Bourque and Steve Yzerman.

Coaching

Clapper coached the Bruins for two seasons as a player-coach and for two more seasons after his retirement. He became the first player in NHL history to play for 20 seasons, and the last active player that played during the 1920s.

He is mentioned in the hockey cult movie Slap Shot with Toe Blake, and Eddie Shore as prime examples of old time hockey—the way hockey is supposed to be played.

Retired NHL defenceman Greg Theberge is Dit's grandson.

Clapper died of complications from a stroke January 21, 1978. He is buried in Trent Valley Cemetery, Hastings, Ontario.

In 1998, he was ranked number 41 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

Awards

• Stanley Cup champion (1929 as the player-coach, 1939, 1941 as a player)
• NHL First All-Star Team: (1939, 1940, 1941)
• Second All-Star Team: (1944) as a defenceman.
• Second All-Star Team: (1931) as a right wing.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1926–27	Boston Tigers	CAHL		29	6	1	7	57		—	—	—	—	—
1927–28	Boston Bruins	NHL		31	4	1	5	20		2	0	0	0	2
1928–29	Boston Bruins	NHL		40	9	2	11	48		5	1	0	1	0
1929–30	Boston Bruins	NHL		44	41	20	61	48		6	4	0	4	4
1930–31	Boston Bruins	NHL		43	22	8	30	50		5	2	4	6	4
1931–32	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	17	22	39	21		—	—	—	—	—
1932–33	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	14	14	28	42		5	1	1	2	2
1933–34	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	10	12	22	6		—	—	—	—	—
1934–35	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	21	16	37	21		3	1	0	1	0
1935–36	Boston Bruins	NHL		44	12	13	25	14		2	0	1	1	0
1936–37	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	17	8	25	25		3	2	0	2	5
1937–38	Boston Bruins	NHL		46	6	9	15	24		3	0	0	0	12
1938–39	Boston Bruins	NHL		42	13	13	26	22		11	0	1	1	6
1939–40	Boston Bruins	NHL		44	10	18	28	25		6	0	2	2	2
1940–41	Boston Bruins	NHL		48	8	18	26	24		11	0	5	5	4
1941–42	Boston Bruins	NHL		32	3	12	15	31		—	—	—	—	—
1942–43	Boston Bruins	NHL		38	5	18	23	12		9	2	3	5	9
1943–44	Boston Bruins	NHL		50	6	25	31	13		—	—	—	—	—
1944–45	Boston Bruins	NHL		46	8	14	22	16		7	0	0	0	0
1945–46	Boston Bruins	NHL		30	2	3	5	0		4	0	0	0	0
1946–47	Boston Bruins	NHL		6	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				824	228	246	474	462		82	13	17	30	50

External links

• Freeman, Bill. "NHL legend lives on in Hastings" (newspaper article), Shieldmedia, February 16, 2007^{Dead link}
• Freeman, Bill. "Dit Clapper story needs to be told says local writer" (newspaper article), Northwest EMC, January 12, 2012
• Dit Clapper's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Dit Clapper's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by George Owen	Boston Bruins captain 1932–38	Succeeded by Cooney Weiland
Preceded by Cooney Weiland	Boston Bruins captain 1939–46	Succeeded by John Crawford
Preceded by Art Ross	Head coach of the Boston Bruins 1945–49	Succeeded by Georges Boucher