Busher Jackson
A blazingly fast winger whose electrifying play with the Kid Line made him the NHL's top scorer and a Toronto Maple Leafs icon.
1911–1966 (age 55)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: January 17·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Busher Jackson burst onto the NHL scene as a teenager, all raw speed and scoring instinct. He was the left wing on Toronto's legendary Kid Line, a trio with Joe Primeau and Charlie Conacher that terrorized goalies with its youthful, attacking verve. Jackson's game was pure acceleration; he could dart down the ice and unleash a hard, accurate shot that made him a consistent threat. He captured the league scoring title in 1932, the same year he helped power the Maple Leafs to a Stanley Cup championship. His career, marked by five All-Star selections, was a testament to explosive talent. While his later years saw him move to other teams, his legacy remains cemented in that early period of dazzling, high-octane hockey in Toronto.
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.
Busher was born in 1911, 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 Busher Was Born
The biggest hits of 1911
Busher's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1911Born
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1916Started school
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Became a teenager
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1927Could drive
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1929Could vote
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1932Turned 21
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1941Turned 30
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1951Turned 40
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 50
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Died at 55
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
Key Achievements
- Won the NHL scoring championship (Art Ross Trophy) in the 1931–32 season with 53 points.
- Won the Stanley Cup with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1932.
- Named to the NHL First All-Star Team five times between 1932 and 1937.
- Played in the historic Ace Bailey Benefit Game in 1934, one of the league's first all-star events.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Busher' came from his childhood habit of sweeping the ice at his local rink in exchange for skating time.
He was just 18 years old when he made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Jackson, Primeau, and Conacher were dubbed the 'Kid Line' because they were all in their early twenties when they formed.
“You can't score from your own end of the rink; you have to carry the puck in.”
