Syl Apps Jr

[crobro]

Put up some decent numbers

Why did he retire so early?

Click to read more...

 

[Neutrinos]

He scored just 12 goals (58 points) over his last 131 games and was -42 over that same stretch

 

[reckoning]

A couple of notes from his HDC page:

"Opted to retire at age 32 due to continuing struggles with groin pull and hamstring injuries."

"Was involved in real estate in Kingston during latter stages of his playing career and worked in real estate for two years in Los Angeles after his retirement. ... He then moved to Toronto and embarked on a career in finance, becoming a successful financial adviser."
http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1964/64021.html
Syl Apps Jr. career profile at HockeyDraftCentral.com


A very good player from the 70s who's mostly forgotten today. I wonder how his career may have turned out had he played for Toronto. Would the inevitable comparisons to his father help or hurt him?

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

^^^ His father retired so long before Junior started to play, there were no comparisons. Though I heard about Senior as the Olympian and hockey player, I remember him as politician. Junior's son actually a brief pro career. And one of the Apps women, Junior's daughter?, was prominent player in women's hockey.

 

[Killion]

^^^ His father retired so long before Junior started to play, there were no comparisons. Though I heard about Senior as the Olympian and hockey player, I remember him as politician. Junior's son actually a brief pro career. And one of the Apps women, Junior's daughter?, was prominent player in women's hockey.

Yes, Apps III played pro as well, though all of it in the deep minors, ECHL..... to @reckoning & how Syl Apps Jr may have faired in Toronto.... I suspect he mightve faired about as well as Terry Clancy, as yes, comparisons would have just naturally occurred & it would have been difficult for anyone really to thrive in the shadow that his father cast. Growing up, Syl Apps Jr was given a rough ride at the amateur levels, sometimes by teammates, never as easy as some might presume being the son or even sibling of a star player, even one long retired. Kids will run at anyone with a famous last name, mistakenly believing they'll be noticed, make a name for themselves.

Starting out in the NHL, Syl Apps Jr didnt get a lot of ice time with the Rangers, 70, 71, NY trying to make lots of noise, had decent depth, some great vets, Apps Jr expendable & traded to Pittsburgh which was a Godsend for the guy as the Penguins were Coached by former Leaf & Red Wing Alumni Red Kelly who had played against Apps Sr... knew him well, big admirer, saw much of Apps Sr in Jr, a diamond in the rough, gave him the opportunity to play, nurtured him along.... I do recall lifelonghf that Red did compare Jr to Sr when asked to do so specifically, basically saying that he was every bit the skater & stickhandler that was Sr, stronger.... but didnt expound further that I can recall, that he didnt seem to have the same vision, drive & determination as his father who had of course been brought up during an entirely different era, the Great Depression, entirely different set of circumstances, whole different attitude towards things, life in general. School, character issues, those things way more important to Apps Sr in raising his son, hockey a luxury, a pastime, and if Jr failed to maintain at least a 70 average in school, no hockey.

 

[Bluesguru]

I thought as a kid, I heard Syl Apps Jr got mixed up with cocaine. Which really made sense because his career path just dropped off the face of the earth. A very promising player that no longer produced at a high level and retired way too early. But I've tried to google it but could never find anything on it. Maybe I heard wrong but I'm pretty darn sure I learned that thru a media source as a kid but again, maybe I'm wrong. If anyone knows, please elaborate.

 

[Killion]

I thought as a kid, I heard Syl Apps Jr got mixed up with cocaine. Which really made sense because his career path just dropped off the face of the earth. A very promising player that no longer produced at a high level and retired way too early. But I've tried to google it but could never find anything on it. Maybe I heard wrong but I'm pretty darn sure I learned that thru a media source as a kid but again, maybe I'm wrong. If anyone knows, please elaborate.

Huh?! ... your absolutely mistaken, or have mistaken him for someone else. google it all you want.... hire a Special Council... Read my lips.... There was no collusi err... cocaine.... Syl Apps Junior? Are you freakin kiddin me? Thats laughable. That guy was so clean he squeaked.

 

[reckoning]

School, character issues, those things way more important to Apps Sr in raising his son, hockey a luxury, a pastime, and if Jr failed to maintain at least a 70 average in school, no hockey.

The more I learn about Syl Apps Sr., the more I like him. And it looks like the lessons he taught were a success. If Jr. was able to leave the game at a young age, and was educated enough to make a good living doing something else when he left, that's a better ending than a lot of players get.

 

[Bluesguru]

Huh?! ... your absolutely mistaken, or have mistaken him for someone else. google it all you want.... hire a Special Council... Read my lips.... There was no collusi err... cocaine.... Syl Apps Junior? Are you freakin kiddin me? Thats laughable. That guy was so clean he squeaked.

That's good to hear. I really did think I heard that/or read it when I was a teenager but I guess I was wrong. At the time it made sense because he disappeared as a player after putting up some great numbers early in his career. I felt bad bringing it up in case I was wrong but since I saw a thread on Syl I thought I'd find out once and for all if there was truth to it. Thanks for confirming, glad I was mistaken