Hod Stuart

William Hodgson "Hod" Stuart (February 20, 1879 – June 23, 1907) was a Canadian professional ice hockey point (now called a defenceman) who played nine seasons for many teams in different leagues. He also played for a short time with the Ottawa Rough Riders football team. With his brother Bruce, Stuart played in the first professional ice hockey league, the International Professional Hockey League. In 1907 Stuart, thought of as the finest defender of the era, helped the Montreal Wanderers win the Stanley Cup, the trophy for best hockey team. A few months after winning the Cup, he died in a diving accident. The Wanderers hosted a all-star game to raise money for his family, the first time ever that an all-star game was played. When the Hockey Hall of Fame was created in 1945, Stuart was one of the first twelve players put in the Hall; his brother Bruce would also be elected into the Hall of Fame in 1961.