Babe Pratt

For other people named Walter Pratt, see Walter Pratt (disambiguation).
Babe Pratt
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1966
Born (1916-01-07)January 7, 1916
Stony Mountain, Manitoba, Canada
Died December 16, 1988(1988-12-16) (aged 72)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Boston Bruins
Playing career 1935–1952

Walter Peter "Babe" Pratt (January 7, 1916 – December 16, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman/left winger who played for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League between 1935 and 1947. He is the father of the NHL hockey player, Tracy Pratt.

Babe was an important member of two Stanley Cup winning teams, the 1940 Rangers and 1945 Maple Leafs. He won the Hart Trophy in 1944. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.

In January, 1946 Pratt was caught betting on hockey games and was subsequently suspended from the NHL. Pratt admitted to gambling but denied ever placing a bet against his own team. After promising to quit betting he was reinstated to the Toronto Maple Leafs. His last NHL season was with the Boston Bruins in 1946–47 and he played in the minors after that.[1][2]

He subsequently worked as an analyst for CBC Television's Hockey Night In Canada telecasts from Vancouver in the 1970s and served as a goodwill ambassador of the Vancouver Canucks. Pratt died of a heart attack in the media lounge of the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver during the first intermission of a Canucks game on December 16, 1988.[3][4][5] The Canucks honored Pratt's memory by stitching "BABE" on their sweaters for the remainder of the hockey season.

In 1998, he was ranked number 96 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

  1. ^ "Pratt, Leafs' Star, Is Reinstated With Warning Against Gambling; Governors of National Hockey League Rule That Henceforth Any Player Betting on Games Shall Be Barred for Life". The New York Times. 1946-02-15. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  2. ^ "Sens' Pinto inks deal prior to gambling ban return". ESPN.com. 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  3. ^ Ap (1988-12-18). "Babe Pratt, 72, a Former Ranger And Hall of Fame Member, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  4. ^ "Archives: Babe dies while watching Canucks game". Vancouver Is Awesome. 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  5. ^ "Death of Walter 'Babe' Pratt". The Berkshire Eagle. 1988-12-18. p. 27. Retrieved 2024-01-26.