Bullet Joe Simpson

Lore & Background

Simpson learned hockey on a frozen slough near his house in Selkirk, Manitoba, during the early 1900s. He recalled that Manitoba Avenue divided the town into northern and southern teams. After playing junior hockey with the Selkirk Fishermen Juniors, he played senior hockey with the Winnipeg Victorias of the NHA in 1914–15. He enlisted in the Canadian military in August 1915, serving with the 31st and 61st Battalions. While in the military, he helped his battalion's hockey team win the 1916 Allan Cup. He was sent overseas, fought at the Battle of the Somme where he was wounded in the left leg and back, and was later wounded again in the right shoulder. He was awarded the Military Medal in August 1917 and was promoted to lieutenant. He was dismissed from service on February 28, 1918 by a General Court Martial, but returned to his position five days later. He was discharged in early November 1918.

After the war, Simpson played for the Selkirk Fisherman Seniors. In 1920, he turned professional when Kenny MacKenzie of the Edmonton Eskimos offered him $3,000 in a Winnipeg pool room. He signed as a free agent on November 4, 1920. In 1921–22, he earned a Western Hockey League first team all-star berth, and was named to the first team three times and the second team once. Newsy Lalonde called Simpson the greatest living hockey player. His end-to-end rushes were legendary. When the Western Hockey League ended in 1925, his contract was purchased by the New York Americans for $10,000, along with John Morrison and Roy Rickey. He played six seasons with the Americans and later coached the team for three years. He also managed teams in New Haven and Minneapolis.

Simpson moved to Florida in 1938 to promote ice hockey, becoming head coach of the Miami Clippers of the short-lived Tropical Hockey League. After a heart attack kept him inactive for two years, fellow retired player Art Coulter hired him to work at Coulter White's hardware store in Coral Gables, a position he held until 1965.

Reader's Guide

Simpson's significance lies in his recognition as a top defenceman of his era, earning multiple all-star selections in the Western Hockey League and being called the greatest living hockey player by contemporary star Newsy Lalonde. His nickname 'Bullet' derived from his very fast skating ability, and his end-to-end rushes were considered legendary. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963, and later into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1975 and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. His military service included winning the Allan Cup with his battalion team, serving at the Battle of the Somme, and receiving the Military Medal. After his playing and coaching career, he worked to promote ice hockey in Florida, coaching the Miami Clippers. A 1963 flat-bottomed freighter donated to the Marine Museum of Manitoba in Selkirk in 1994 is named the Joe Simpson, commemorating his connection to his hometown.

Did You Know?

• Simpson was nicknamed 'Bullet' because of his very fast skating ability.
• He was awarded the Military Medal in August 1917 for his service in World War I.
• A 1963 flat-bottomed freighter named the Joe Simpson is on display at the Marine Museum of Manitoba in Selkirk.