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Herb Carnegie

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Hockey Player

The Resume

    (November 8, 1919-March 9, 2012)
    Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Born to Jamaican parents
    Played for Shawingan (1944-45) and Sherbrooke (1945-49) of the Quebec Provencial Hockey League (QPHL)
    Played for the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League (1949-53)
    Published the biography 'A Fly in a Pail of Milk' (1996)
    Recipient of the Order of Canada (2003)

Why he might be annoying:

    When he, his brother Ossie, and Manny McIntyre formed pro hockey's first all-black line, they were given such politically incorrect nicknames as Les Noirs, the Brown Bombers, the Black Aces and the Dusky Speedsters.
    He claimed the color barrier kept him out of the NHL, but he was offered a contract by the New York Rangers to play in their minor league system.
    He declined to sign since it would have required a pay cut from his QPHL salary.
    Hockey historian Stan Fischler said, 'I think Herbie made a mistake. He should have gone to the minors like Jackie Robinson and proven how good he was.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He had to put up with racist slurs from the stands.
    After watching him play, Toronto Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe allegedly said, 'I’ll give $10,000 to anyone who can turn Herb Carnegie white.'
    He was named the QPHL's Most Valuable Player three times (1946-47, 1949).
    He is widely considered the best hockey player to never make it to the NHL.
    He founded Future Aces, one of the first hockey academies in Canada (1954).
    He was a two-time winner of the Canadian Seniors Golf Championship (1977-78).
    He and his wife Audrey were married for 63 years until her death.
    He became legally blind from glaucoma.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 76 Votes: 44.74% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 64.29% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 85 Votes: 76.47% Annoying