Bucky Hollingworth

The story of Gordon "Bucky" Hollingworth is a heartbreaking one.

Hollingworth was a solid and rugged defenseman out of Montreal. A year after turning pro, in 1954-55, he was in the National Hockey League playing with the Chicago Black Hawks.

He was traded to Detroit in the off-season as part of the Tony Leswick-Goose McCormack transaction. He would play good parts of the next three years with the Red Wings, but would be buried in the minor leagues from 1958 forward.

Hollingworth was a very serviceable AHL rearguard as the 1960s began. Hollingworth had found a nice home as the team captain of the Hershey Bears, too.

That is when tragedy struck. A simple visit to the doctor's office would change his life forever.

Feeling too ill to play hockey one night, doctor's quickly diagnosed Hollingworth with chronic leukemia.

Hollingworth's hockey days were immediately over. Doctor's felt a change in lifestyle would increase the length of his life, but that meant toning down the physical activity.

Hollingworth retired to Hampton Beach, New Jersey where he operated a hotel and became involved with the chamber of commerce. After a few years he even returned to hockey, doing some scouting for the St. Louis Blues while reffing amateur and high school games in the area.

Bucky Hollingworth did not last long. In 1974 Hollingworth died, 12 years after he was forced off of the ice. He was just 40 years old.