Riley Hern

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size = 150 px
position = Goaltender
caught = Left
height_ft = 5
height_in = 9
weight_lb = 170
played_for = Pittsburgh Keystones (WPHL)
Portage Lakes (IPHL)
Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA/NHA)
nationality = CAN
birth_date = December 5, 1880
birth_place = St. Marys, Ontario
death_date = June 24 1929
death_place = "place unknown"
career_start = 1898
career_end = 1911
halloffame = 1962

William Milton "Riley" Hern (December 5, 1880 – June 24, 1929) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He was the first professional goaltender to play on a Stanley Cup-winning team.cite book |title=Without Fear: Hockey's 50 greatest goaltenders |coauthors=Kevin Allen and Bob Duff |year=2002 |publisher=Triumph Books |location=Chicago |isbn=1-57243-48-4-8 |pages=107]

Hern began playing ice hockey at an early age, playing for school teams in St. Marys and Stratford, playing both as a goaltender and a forward.cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196208&type=Player&page=bio&list=ByName#photo|title=Riley Hern — Biography|publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame|accessdate=2008-07-24] Hern played for Stratford Legionnaires from 1898 to 1901.

He began his professional career with the Pittsburgh Keystones of the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League (WPHL) during the 1901–02 season. In his first season, Hern led the league in victories, with nine in 14 games. Hern, as a result, was named to the WPHL All-Star Team. However, in the next season, Hern led the league in losses, losing 10 out of 11 games. In the 1903–04 season, Hern played with the Portage Lakes Hockey Club of the International Professional Hockey League (IPHL). Hern played, in total, three seasons with Portage Lakes.cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196208&type=Player&page=statsawards&list=ByName#photo|title=Riley Hern — Career statistics|publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame|accessdate=2008-07-24]

In the 1906–07 season, Hern joined the Montreal Wanderers, of the Eastern Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (ECAHA). Hern posted a 10–0 regular season record in his first season with the Wanderers.cite book |title=Without Fear: Hockey's 50 greatest goaltenders |coauthors=Kevin Allen and Bob Duff |year=2002 |publisher=Triumph Books |location=Chicago |isbn=1-57243-48-4-8 |pages=108] The Wanderers won the Stanley Cup four straight seasons in the playoffs, from 1907 to 1911. The Wanderers also successfully defended the Cup in six out of seven challenges in that timespan. The only challenge they lost was against the Kenora Thistles in January 1907; the Wanderers reclaimed the Cup in their own successful challenge two months later.

Hern retired from playing professional ice hockey in 1911, at the age of 30. Hern went on to become a successful businessman, owning a haberdashery in Montreal. He was involved in organizing various ice hockey leagues and printing schedules. Hern also served as an NHL referee and a goal judge.cite book |title=Without Fear: Hockey's 50 greatest goaltenders |coauthors=Kevin Allen and Bob Duff |year=2002 |publisher=Triumph Books |location=Chicago |isbn=1-57243-48-4-8 |pages=108] Hern was inducted posthumously into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962.

References

External links

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* [http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196208&type=Player&page=statsawards&list=ByName#photo Riley Hern's statistics] at Legends of Hockey