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Wayback Wednesday: Ace Bailey’s service station, Bracebridge

This photo comes from local historian and author Andrew Hind, who recently published his latest book Bygone Bracebridge.

It depicts Ace Bailey’s service station in the 1930s.

Born in Bracebridge, Irvine Wallace “Ace” Bailey played for the Toronto Maple Leafs for eight seasons, from 1926–1933. His playing career ended with a hit from Eddie Shore in a game against the Boston Bruins; he was severely injured with a fractured skull when Shore hit Bailey from behind in retaliation for a check by teammate King Clancy. Bailey fell, fracturing his skull upon hitting the ice, and was knocked unconscious. Ace is the first professional sports player to have a jersey number retired in his honour and he is the only Toronto Maple Leafs player to wear the number 6. Bailey led the NHL in scoring in 1929, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.

He returned to Bracebridge following his NHL career and opened a service station where Woodchester Parking Lot is located, on Entrance Drive.

You can read more about Bygone Bracebridge here.

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One Comment

  1. Norm Raynor says:

    Ron Ellis wore number six after Ace Bailey requested that the sweater be un-retired so Ellis could wear it. The sweater was re-retired after Ellis retired.

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