Memorable Manitobans: Samuel James “Sugar Jim” Henry (1923-2004)

Hockey player.

Born at Winnipeg on 23 October 1920, he was raised in the Weston area of the city, where he met Sarah Sadie McKee (1924-1994). They married in 1944 and had one son.

He pursued a hockey career as a goalie, first playing in junior and minor leagues, and winning his first Allan Cup with the Regina Rangers in 1941. He then advanced to the NHL to play for the New York Rangers (1946-1947), Chicago Blackhawks (1948-1949), and Boston Bruins (1951-1955). During the 1952 post-season, he achieved a playoff shutout in the semi-final round against Montreal. At the end of Game #7 of that series, he was photographed, sporting a black eye, shaking hands with Maurice Richard, who was bandaged and bloodied. It is considered to be one of the most iconic hockey photographs ever taken.

Other high points of his career included winning the MJHL Turnbull Cup championship in 1939, playing on the first USHL all-star team in 1950, winning the Charles Gardiner Memorial Trophy as top goaltender for the USHL in 1950, and playing in the NHL all-star game in 1952. After retiring from the NHL in 1955, he spent the next few years playing for teams in various minor leagues, including the Winnipeg Maroons. He was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame (1985) and Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame (2004).

He and his wife, in partnership with Hockey Hall-of-Famer Chuck Rayner and his wife Ina, owned and operated the Hockey Haven Resort on Longbow Lake near Kenora, Ontario. He also owned a farm at Plumas where he raised purebred Hereford cattle. In his later years, he became a founding member of the Neighbourhood Popcorn Committee in St. James.

He died at Winnipeg on 21 January 2004.

Sources:

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 24 January 2004.

Jim Henry (ice hockey), Wikipedia.

This page was prepared by Lois Braun.

Page revised: 27 August 2020

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!