It seems the more I look at this guy in comparison to other available goalies from future generations, the more comfortable I get about picking him.
Billy Nicholson, G
pasting in my bio from last MLD:
- 5'10, 220 lbs
- Stanley Cup (1902, 1903)
- Stanley Cup Finalist (1904)
- Intermediate CAHL Champion (1900)
- IHL and US Pro Champion (1905)
- Fit-Reform Cup (1909)
- ECAHA 2nd All-Star Team (1908)
- TPHL 1st All-Star Team (1909)
- League GAA Leader (1900-CAHLi, 1905-IHL, 1909-TPHL)
- League Wins Leader (1902-CAHL, 1904-FAHL, 1905-IHL)
- Had a record of 87-86-1 in 177 official games, with a cumulative GAA of 4.03 and 11 shutouts
- 4-2-2 in Stanley Cup play, with a 1.88 GAA and 1 shutout
- Retired in 1917, at age 39
Ultimate Hockey said:
William Nicholson was one of the fattest men ever to play hockey at the semi-professional or professional level. Originally the goalie for the Montreal AAA "Little Men of Iron" -- circa 1901 -- he has been called the first true "butterfly" goalie. He was flopping to the ice to make saves at least 10 years before Clint Benedict, the goalie who has been generally credited with pioneering the style.
Throughout most of his career Nicholson was a solid, dependable goalkeeper. He played on some poor teams, such as the 1907-08 Shamrocks and 1912-13 Toronto Tecumsehs. He rounded out his career with the Toronto Arenas in 1916-17.
The sight of Nicholson in full uniform, wearing his trademark toque and weighing anywhere from 250 to 275 pounds, must have been delicious. Apparently, whenever he crashed down onto the ice to make a save, everyone would hold their breath in fear that the ice would crack. He was surprisingly athletic, though, despite the constraints of his plus-sized frame. His career, while not of Hockey Hall of Fame caliber, compares favorably to the goaltending standard of his era.
Up until now, not much is known about Nicholson aside from that he was portly and acrobatic and won a Cup. Let's take a look at what else I could find:
Montreal Gazette said:
Nicholson, the Montreal goalkeeper, was in great form.
This is about where the characterization of "Nicholson the Martyr" begins:
Montreal Gazette said:
The holders of the Stanley Cup, the Montrealers, were defeated by the Ottawas at Dey's rink, Saturday night, by a score of 7 to 1. Nicholson's exceptionally good work between the poles was the reason for the score not being larger... Billy Gilmour threw in some cannonball shots at Nicholson, and it was only hard luck that prevented him from adding more goals to his list... Suddie shot hard and accurately when opportunity offered, but bothered Nicholson not a little.
Really good account of Nicholson at his peak. He was a major part of Montreal's success, a very aggressive goalie who in this case actually made the play that started the rush back for a goal, thanks to his aggression on the puck carrier.
Ottawa Citizen said:
Nicholson was in fine form and he needed it... the last couple of minutes, the Maroon jerseys sent in shot after shot and Nicholson had to move his padding over the glacial... Caps came very close to scoring when Sims got in, but Nick did his old trick of sliding out and falling down on the puck. It worked, and ***** got away for a shot by Marshall which scored.
Looks like the next goalie was being judged by the standard Nicholson set:
Montreal Gazette said:
Brighton, who guarded the nets for the Wanderers, made good, and is certainly a worthy successor of his predecessor, Billy Nicholson, now with the Calumets.
Pittsburgh Press said:
Nicholson played a wonderful game, stopping shot after shot that looked like a score for the gold and black.
1905-01-10 said:
If the locals happened to get past Stuart and ********, they had Nicholson to reckon with, and the score shows that none of the shots directed at his net were permitted to land on the inside.
Pittsburgh Press said:
Pittsburgh would have rolled up a bigger score against Calumet last night had it not been for the great work in goal of Nicholson, who stopped many clever shots.
Nicholson may have had a temper, too:
Pittsburgh Press said:
****** had rushed the puck down to the Calumet net and passed close to the goal, when Nicholson gave him a mighty smash on the hand. After the game, ******** told Nicholson that he had no reason in the world to make a play like that, and asked why he had done it. Nicholson answered that the Pittsburgh seven had been showing him up all game, and he had to do something to get even. Be that as it may, there is no doubt that the condition of *******'s hand is such that it will keep him out of the game for quite a while.
Pittsburgh Press said:
********** and Nicholson are both at the top in the goaltending line, and their phenomenal stops Tuesday night saved their teams many goals.
Pittsburgh press said:
Reports from Calumet say the playing of ********** at goal was the finest ever witnessed on the ice in that city, and this is saying a great deal, for it must be remembered that that team has a good goaltender in Nicholson that is second to none in the country.
More dirty stuff:
Pittsburgh Press said:
Even Nicholson got in his dirty work. Once, as captain Campbell skated across the ice in front of the Calumet net, Nicholson deliberately took his stick and slashed him across the ankles.
Ottawa Citizen said:
Laviolette and ******** were the pick of the Shamrocks, Nicholson doing fine work in the nets.
A mixed review from 1908. Apparently Nicholson was excellent aside from two softies:
Montreal Gazette said:
Nicholson, who stopped a dozen times when he seemed helpless before Stuart, Russell, or Blachford, was twice beaten out by Johnson on long range shots, which looked easy to stop... Hern had a comparitively easy time of it, while Nicholson was doing a big night's work in the second half. This was due largely to the fact that the Shamrock centremen were not taking advantage of their chances... The Shamrock defense again proved itself to be a good one, Pitre, Laviolette and Nicholson all in turn doing fine work in keeping down the score, especially when the line in front of them began to weaken. Nicholson was beaten by two long shots, but clever dives to meet oncoming rushes and heady work in baffling scrimmages around the net saved the Shamrocks.
This one was after a 12-7 loss!:
NY Times said:
The goalkeeping of Nicholson was the star feature of the game.
When Edmonton was trying to assemble a team of ringers to challenge for the cup in 1909 (Lester Patrick, Tommy Phillips, Didier Pitre, Fred Whitcroft), Nicholson was one player they pursued as a goalie. They eventually went with a different guy, but Nicholson did stick around and win two games to help them win the Fit-Reform cup (I have no idea what this is, but the stats for it are listed in SIHR and the newspaper mentions it too) - Nicholson played two of the 7 games, sporting a 3.50 GAA, compared to the 4.50 and 5.67 the other two goalies had.
Montreal Gazette said:
Another local addition to the ranks of the challengers today will be Billy Nicholson, goalkeeper of the Shamrock team of last winter that had the best defense record in the ECHA. "Nick" last night agreed to turn out today and help Edmonton during their training for the cup series, and it would not be surprising if he appeared in the challengers' lineup before the series is over. At his best there are few better net guardians in the business than the big fellow who has played successfully with Montreal, Wanderers, Calumet and Shamrocks.
When he returned, there was no shortage of interest in his services:
Montreal Gazette said:
Billy Nicholson, who went west with Fred Whitcroft's Edmonton team, is back in Montreal, having left the Stanley Cup challengers after the Winnipeg series. Nicholson has three offers to play with teams in the Cobalt league, but has not decided whether to leave Montreal or not.
Another quote showing that Nicholson was considered a good goalie:
Ottawa Citizen said:
For goalkeepers, they ought to be well-satisfied. Besides Billy Nicholson, who performed in the flags last year, they have Percy Lesueur, of last year's Ottawas...
A quite humourous story about Nicholson from 1910:
The Renfrew Millionaires said:
...finally Art Ross passed to ****** **** who shot the puck past *****. Haileybury had won! From the galleries, crowded with Cobalt supporters, there came cries of despair. Suddenly from the weight of humanity, the railing collapsed; many fans tumbled 15 feet to the ice and some were so seriously injured that they had to be taken to the hospital in sleighs. Thy hysteria continued. Winning fans showered pennies, dimes, quarters, even dollars on the ice. The air was filled with greenbacks and the players were trying to catch their floating fortune on the fly. But Billy Nicholson somehow obtained a tub and any money iced in his vicinity was quickly snared and tubbed. When he could find no more loot, and the sweat was pouring from his brow, he calmly turned the tub and its contents upside down and sat on it so that no one could dislodge him or the money. How much money he collected, Nick never admitted, but there were guesses that he wouldn't have to work for a long time.
Montreal Gazette said:
Nicholson played a remarkable game in goal... Both ***** and Nicholson were called on to turn many shots aside.
Toronto World said:
NICHOLSON, THE GREAT, IN GRAND FORM - Billy Nicholson, who was re-signed after being released on Monday, played a game in goal that has not been surpassed here all season...
Moran, LeSueur, Hern.... Nicholson?
These four are truly contemporaries, all born between 1877 and 1891. The earliest of their statistically recorded careers started in the 1900 season (Nicholson) and ended in the 1917 season (Nicholson, Moran). During this time, they all played in a variety of leagues, getting a good sample of competition, scoring level, and rules. For an eight-year period from the 1904 season, when Lesueur started, through 1911, when Hern retired, these four were all active in top-level hockey together.
It is my contention that Nicholson's goaltending stats stand up very well to those of these three HHOF goaltenders:
|Reg.|||||||St-Cup||||||
Name/Leagues|GP|W|L|T|win%|SO|GAA|GP|W|L|T|win%|SO|GAA|Cups
Nicholson/8|177|87|86|1|.503|11|
4.03
|8|4|2|2|.625|1|
1.88
|2
Hern/6|134|90|41|2|.684|5|4.07|14|10|4|0|.714|0|3.86|4
Lesueur/6|167|96|68|1|.585|6|4.36|9|7|2|0|.778|0|4.44|2
Moran/5|208|100|106|0|.486|2|5.27|4|4|0|0|1.000|1|2.00|2
Why did they get in the hall and he didn't?
They are all multiple cup winners; however, he faced probably the stiffest competition in his cup matches, along with Hern, yet, he has the best playoff GAA of the four.
Was it a longevity thing? No, he played more games than LeSueur and a lot more than Hern.
Was it his GAA? Doesn't look like it. His career average edges Hern and is significantly better than Lesueur and Moran.
Then it must be his win%, barely over .500. However, Moran made it into the Hall with a losing record. And although GAA is a team stat, it tells a better story of his individual performance than win% does.
What about honours and awards? That's not it, either. Nicholson was a champion in two other leagues, a league all-star in two leagues, and led leagues in GAA and wins multiple times, just as often as the other three did.
In all honesty, it's pretty hard to tell what made them any better than him.
Finally, as this picture from 1914 will attest to, the rumours of his weight being 250-275 pounds are very exaggerated. His SIHR-listed weight of 220 pounds is almost certainly the best guess.