Bouse Hutton
Multi-sport champion and Hall of Fame goaltender.
John Bower "Bouse" Hutton was a versatile Canadian athlete who excelled as a goaltender in both ice hockey and lacrosse, and as a fullback in Canadian football. He won championships with the Ottawa Hockey Club (ice hockey), the Ottawa Capitals (lacrosse), and the Ottawa Rough Riders (football). Hutton was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.
Hutton began his ice hockey career with the Ottawa Hockey Club in 1899, playing two games. By his first full season in 1900, he posted a 2.70 goals-against average in an era of high-scoring games. Over the next two seasons, his average dropped to 2.50 (1901) and then 1.70, with two shutouts in 1902. In 1903, his regular-season average rose to 3.80, but he excelled in the playoffs, posting a 0.50 goals-against average with a shutout, and a 2.00 average in the Stanley Cup finals as Ottawa won the Cup. Following that victory, the team became known as the Silver Seven, named after silver nuggets given to the players by a team official who owned a silver mine.
In 1904, Hutton won all four of Ottawa’s games before the team withdrew from the Canadian Amateur Hockey League mid-season. He then appeared only in Stanley Cup challenges, posting a 6–1–1 record with a shutout and a 2.90 goals-against average, and Ottawa retained the Cup. During the summers, Hutton played lacrosse for the Ottawa Capitals, winning the first Minto Cup in 1901. In 1904, his lacrosse team was ruled professional, costing Hutton his amateur status in hockey. Combined with a severe case of quinsy, this led to his retirement from ice hockey. He returned to lacrosse, winning another Minto Cup with the Capitals in 1906, then touring England and winning 23 of 24 games.
Hutton returned to professional ice hockey for one season in 1909, playing five games for the Ottawa Senators of the Federal Amateur Hockey League. He also played rugby football, winning the Canadian football championship with the Ottawa Rough Riders in the fall of 1902.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Goaltender
- Played For
- Ottawa Hockey Club
- Birth Date
- 1877-10-24
- Birth Place
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Death Date
- 1962-10-27
- Career Start
- 1898
- Career End
- 1909
- Halloffame
- 1963
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hutton began his ice hockey career with the Ottawa Hockey Club of the Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL) in the 1899 season with two appearances. His first full season was 1900, finishing with a 2.70 goals-against average in an era when double-digit scores were common. In the 1901 season he played all eight games with a 2.50 goals-against average, and in 1902 he recorded two shutouts with a 1.70 average. In the 1903 CAHL playoffs he posted a 1–0–1 record with one shutout and a 0.50 goals-against average, and in the Stanley Cup finals he went 2–0 with a 2.00 average as Ottawa won the Cup. After that win, the team became known as the Silver Seven, after silver nuggets given to players by a team official who owned a silver mine. In 1904 Hutton won all four of Ottawa's games, but the team withdrew from the CAHL mid-season; he appeared in Stanley Cup challenges only, posting a 6–1–1 record with one shutout and a 2.90 goals-against average. At the end of the CAHL season, the Stanley Cup trustees ruled that Ottawa would retain the Cup.
Reader's Guide
Hutton's career is notable for his success across three sports at the highest level of competition. In ice hockey, he was a key goaltender for the Ottawa Hockey Club during its early Stanley Cup victories, including the 1903 championship that led to the team's rebranding as the Silver Seven. His low goals-against averages, such as 1.70 in 1902 and 0.50 in the 1903 playoffs, were exceptional for an era of high-scoring games. In lacrosse, he won the first Minto Cup in 1901 with the Ottawa Capitals and another in 1906, after which the team toured England and won 23 of 24 games. In Canadian football, he won the championship with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1902. His amateur status was lost in 1904 when his lacrosse club was ruled professional, leading to his retirement from ice hockey due also to a severe case of quinsy. He returned for one more season in 1909 with the professional Ottawa Senators of the FAHL, appearing in five games. After his playing career, he coached ice hockey in Ottawa for several years. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.
Did You Know?
- Hutton won championships in ice hockey, lacrosse, and Canadian football.
- He recorded a 0.50 goals-against average in the 1903 CAHL playoffs.
- After the 1903 Stanley Cup win, the Ottawa Hockey Club became known as the Silver Seven.
- He lost his amateur status in 1904 because his lacrosse club was ruled professional.
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