1965-66 Topps 65 Ken Hodge Hockey Card (Front)
1965-66 Topps 65 Ken Hodge Hockey Card (Back)
Card Notes
This big rookie right wing led OHA last season with most goals and points playing for St. Catharine’s. Touted by Hawks’ scout Kenny Campbell as junior most likely to succeed.
What was last year St. Catharine’s won Memorial Cup?
En Français
Ce gros ailier droit, recrue des Hawks, a dominé la saison dernière comme mielleur compteur avec les Ste.-Catherines. Choisi par Kenny Campbell comme le débutant le plus apte a remporter des succès.
Details
1964-65 wasn’t the greatest season for the St. Catharines Blackhawks as a franchise but it was outstanding for Ken Hodge. Kenny led the OHA Junior A with 63 goals and was awarded the Eddie Powers Trophy, putting up 123 points, a four point edge over Andre Lacroix of the Peterborough TPT’s. However, it would be Lacroix that would be awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as MVP.
As for the trivia snippet on the back of the card, the St. Catharines Teepees won the Memorial Cup in 1959-60. It was their second win as a franchise, also winning in 1953-54. Both times, they beat the Edmonton Oil Kings for the championship. That franchise is currently the Saginaw Spirit, after becoming the St. Catharines Blackhawks, Niagara Falls Flyers and North Bay Centennials.
Hodge would not become a star with Chicago. However, after he, Fred Stanfield and Phil Esposito were traded to the Boston Bruins prior to the start of the 1967-68 season, Ken became very productive. With Boston, Hodge had eight 20+ goal seasons with three of those over the 43 goal mark, topping out with a 50 goal season in 1973-74. He twice had 105 points in a season with the Bruins.
Ken Hodge played 880 regular season and 97 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1964-65 and 1977-78 with the Blackhawks, Bruins and New York Rangers. He twice helped Boston to a Stanley Cup championship.