Bud Poile
A hockey lifer who scored the first goal for the Chicago Black Hawks and later built champions as a visionary executive.
1924–2005 (age 81)·Canadian ice hockey player, coach and executive·Birthday: February 10·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bud Poile's hockey story is woven into the fabric of the game's expansion era. As a player, he was a reliable center, notable for etching his name in history by scoring the very first goal for the Chicago Black Hawks franchise in 1926. But his true impact came from the front office. After a playing and coaching career that included a Stanley Cup win with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1947, he became a master architect of teams. As the general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1970s, he assembled the rough, talented core that would become the Broad Street Bullies, laying the groundwork for their back-to-back championships. He later became the first president of the World Hockey Association, a rebel league that forced the NHL to grow and compete.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bud was born in 1924, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bud Was Born
The biggest hits of 1924
#1 Movie
The Sea Hawk
Bud's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1924Born
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1929Started school
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1937Became a teenager
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Could drive
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1942Could vote
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Turned 21
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1954Turned 30
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 40
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 50
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 60
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 70
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 80
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2005Died at 81
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
Key Achievements
- Scored the first goal in Chicago Black Hawks franchise history on November 17, 1926.
- Won the Stanley Cup as a player with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1947.
- Served as the general manager who built the early Philadelphia Flyers teams that later won two Stanley Cups.
- Was the first president of the World Hockey Association (WHA), challenging the NHL's dominance.
Did You Know?
His son, David Poile, became the longest-tenured general manager in NHL history with the Nashville Predators.
He and his brother, Don Poile, both played in the NHL.
He coached the Edmonton Flyers of the WHL to a Memorial Cup championship in 1963.
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