December 16, 1988(1988-12-16) (aged 72) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height
6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight
212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position
Defence
Shot
Left
Played for
New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs Boston Bruins
Playing career
1935–1952
Walter Peter "Babe" Pratt (January 7, 1916 – December 16, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman/left winger who played for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League between 1935 and 1947. He is the father of the NHL hockey player, Tracy Pratt.
Babe was an important member of two Stanley Cup winning teams, the 1940 Rangers and 1945 Maple Leafs. He won the Hart Trophy in 1944. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.
In January, 1946 Pratt was caught betting on hockey games and was subsequently suspended from the NHL. Pratt admitted to gambling but denied ever placing a bet against his own team. After promising to quit betting he was reinstated to the Toronto Maple Leafs. His last NHL season was with the Boston Bruins in 1946–47 and he played in the minors after that.[1][2]
He subsequently worked as an analyst for CBC Television's Hockey Night In Canada telecasts from Vancouver in the 1970s and served as a goodwill ambassador of the Vancouver Canucks. Pratt died of a heart attack in the media lounge of the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver during the first intermission of a Canucks game on December 16, 1988.[3][4][5] The Canucks honored Pratt's memory by stitching "BABE" on their sweaters for the remainder of the hockey season.
In 1998, he was ranked number 96 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.
^"Pratt, Leafs' Star, Is Reinstated With Warning Against Gambling; Governors of National Hockey League Rule That Henceforth Any Player Betting on Games Shall Be Barred for Life". The New York Times. 1946-02-15. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
^"Sens' Pinto inks deal prior to gambling ban return". ESPN.com. 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
^Ap (1988-12-18). "Babe Pratt, 72, a Former Ranger And Hall of Fame Member, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
^"Archives: Babe dies while watching Canucks game". Vancouver Is Awesome. 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
^"Death of Walter 'Babe' Pratt". The Berkshire Eagle. 1988-12-18. p. 27. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
Walter Peter "Babe" Pratt (January 7, 1916 – December 16, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman/left winger who played for the New York...
The Walter "Babe" Pratt Trophy is an annual award presented to the best defenceman on the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). One of...
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Brooklyn Americans 1942–43 Bill Cowley* (2) Centre Boston Bruins (6) 1943–44 BabePratt* Defenceman Toronto Maple Leafs 1944–45 Elmer Lach* Centre Montreal Canadiens...
Maple Leafs (11, 5–6) Hap Day 4–3 Detroit Red Wings (7, 3–4) Jack Adams BabePratt (12:14, third) 1946 Montreal Canadiens (9, 6–2) Dick Irvin 4–1 Boston...
involving Pavel Bure. During his tenure with Vancouver, he was awarded the BabePratt Trophy as the team's best defenceman three consecutive years. He also...
Howie Meeker: 1969–1987 Mike Milbury: 2008–2012 Scott Morrison: 2009–2011 BabePratt: 1970–1980 P. J. Stock: 2007–2016 Red Storey: 1970–1977 Kevin Weekes:...
Gardiner, Eddie Shore (four times), Albert "Babe" Siebert, Ebbie Goodfellow, Tommy Anderson and BabePratt. Save for Randy Carlyle, every Norris winner...
finals) Defencemen 2 Art Coulter (Captain) 3 Erhardt Ott Heller 8 Walter BabePratt 15 Murray Muzz Patrick Goaltenders 1 Dave Kerr John Reed Kilpatrick...
lesser-known players such as rookie goaltender Frank McCool and defenceman BabePratt. The Maple Leafs beat the Red Wings in the 1945 Finals. They won the first...
for 41 points. In recognition of his efforts, Hughes was awarded the BabePratt Trophy as the team's best defenseman. As contract discussions continued...
his first of back-to-back 44-point seasons and earned his first of four BabePratt Trophies as the team's top defenceman. In 1993–94, Lumme posted a career-high...
Parent Jacques Plante BabePratt Bill Quackenbush Jean Ratelle Mark Recchi Art Ross Terry Sawchuk Milt Schmidt Eddie Shore Babe Siebert Hooley Smith Allan...
August 2009. During his two seasons with the club, he won back-to-back BabePratt Trophies as the team's top defenceman and helped them to the 2011 Stanley...
Pratt (born 1946), American law professor and administrator BabePratt (Walter Peter Pratt, 1916–1988), Canadian ice hockey player This disambiguation...
H. McLean Trophy recognizes the Canucks' leading scorer; the Walter "Babe" Pratt Trophy is given to the best Canucks defenceman; the Fred J. Hume Award...
Vezina Trophy". The Day. March 17, 1941. p. 7. "NHL Governors Reinstate "Babe" Pratt But Eliminate Right of Appeal in Future". Ottawa Citizen. February 15...
defencemen have reached the mark faster: Borje Salming (42 GP in 1976-77), BabePratt (44 GP in 1943-44), and Bryan McCabe (45 GP in 2005-06). He scored his...
points in both 1988–89 and 1989–90, and was named the recipient of the BabePratt Trophy as the Canucks' top defenceman in both seasons. However, chronic...
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