Brian Smith (ice hockey, born 1940)

Brian Desmond "Smitty" Smith (September 6, 1940 – August 2, 1995) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and sportscaster. Smith was born in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of former professional ice hockey player Des Smith and brother of former professional ice hockey goaltender Gary Smith. Smith was a professional ice hockey player from 1960 to 1973, playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Los Angeles Kings and Minnesota North Stars. Following his hockey career, Smith was a broadcaster for CJOH-TV in Ottawa until 1995, when he was shot and killed by gunman Jeffrey Arenburg.

Brian Smith
Born (1940-09-06)September 6, 1940
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Died August 2, 1995(1995-08-02) (aged 54)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shot Left
Played for Hull-Ottawa Canadiens (EPHL)
Springfield Indians (AHL)
Los Angeles Kings (NHL)
Phoenix Roadrunners (WHL)
Memphis South Stars (CHL)
Minnesota North Stars (NHL)
Denver Spurs (WHL)
SC Bern (Swiss NLA)
Houston Aeros (WHA)
Playing career 1960–1973

Career

Smith played junior hockey for the Brockville Canadiens in 1959–60, making a Memorial Cup appearance in 1960. He began his professional ice hockey career with the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens of the EPHL from 1960 to 1963. He refused to report to the Springfield Indians in 1963 because he was wary of mistreatment by coach Eddie Shore. He played the 1963–64 season in Austria,[1] under the assumed name Bobby Smith before joining the Indians, but only after being suspended by International Ice Hockey Federation President Bunny Ahearne for playing without his release. He played for the Indians from 1964 to 1967 and participated in the team's strike against Shore in 1966. Smith, along with teammate Bill White, got the little-known Alan Eagleson to represent the players in the conflict, which eventually started Eagleson's career as an agent. The players refused to practice and ultimately Shore was forced to sell the team to Kings owner Jack Kent Cooke for $900,000.

When the NHL expanded in 1967, he was one of the players transferred to the new Los Angeles Kings franchise when they purchased the Indians franchise and its contracts, and he was one of the original Kings' players, playing the 1967–68 season with the Kings. He scored two goals against his brother, Gary Smith.

In the following season, he played for the Phoenix Roadrunners of the Western Hockey League and the Memphis South Stars of the CHL. He then returned to the NHL with the Minnesota North Stars in 1968–69, and finished his career with the WHA Houston Aeros in 1972–73. He broke his jaw in an exhibition game and soon after his career ended.

In 1973, Smith joined Ottawa television station CJOH-TV as the station's 6 p.m. sports anchor, a position he held until his death. He also participated in charitable activities, especially the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club.

Death

On August 1, 1995, Smith was shot in CJOH's parking lot, just minutes after the end of the station's 6 p.m. newscast. He was on his way to a charitable fund-raising event for the Children's Wish Foundation. He died about 18 hours later on August 2 in the Ottawa Civic Hospital. The gunman, Jeffrey Arenburg, was a paranoid schizophrenic who had gone to CJOH because he believed the station was broadcasting messages in his head. Smith was the first broadcast personality that Arenburg recognized coming out of the building.

'Smitty' patch worn by the team during the 1995 season.

Smith's death was a shock to the Ottawa sports community. The Ottawa Senators honoured him with a 'Smitty 18' patch on their jerseys, which they wore for the 1995–96 season and with a banner hanging in the rafters at Canadian Tire Centre. The press box at Canadian Tire Centre was also renamed the "Brian 'Smitty' Smith Press Box" in his honour. Flags flew at half-mast at an Ottawa Lynx baseball game, and a tribute was held by the Ottawa Rough Riders, whose players raised their helmets while the crowd joined in a one-minute cheer.

Gunman Arenburg was found to be not criminally responsible due to his mental disorder and was sentenced to a mental institution in 1997. He had previously been sentenced to a mental institution but had never reported. An inquest into Smith's killing recommended there should be more public protection and significant changes to the Mental Health Act of Ontario. The end result, Brian's Law, was passed on June 21, 2000 by the Ontario Legislature.

Smith's widow, Ottawa Citizen journalist Alana Kainz, established the Brian Smith Memorial Scholarship fund in Smith's memory, which provides tuition funds to attend college or university. It is administered by the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club. In 2001, the club renamed its summer camp from Camp Minwassin to Camp Smitty in Smith's honour.[2] CJOH-TV established the Brian Smith Foundation to give disadvantaged children and young adults in the Ottawa region an opportunity to participate in athletics, recreation and education.

Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1960–61 Montreal-H.O. EPHL 3 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
1960–61 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens EPHL — — — — — 5 1 0 1 0
1961–62 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens EPHL 59 16 15 31 35 8 4 3 7 2
1962–63 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens EPHL 72 24 34 58 40 3 0 0 0 0
1964–65 Springfield Indians AHL 70 22 12 34 32 — — — — —
1965–66 Springfield Indians AHL 69 20 18 38 15 6 0 2 2 4
1966–67 Springfield Indians AHL 68 30 31 61 15 — — — — —
1967–68 Los Angeles Kings NHL 58 10 9 19 33 7 0 0 0 0
1968–69 Phoenix Roadrunners WHL 21 1 3 4 0 — — — — —
1968–69 Memphis South Stars CHL 21 5 7 12 11 — — — — —
1968–69 Minnesota North Stars NHL 9 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
1969–70 Denver Spurs WHL 60 17 25 42 15 — — — — —
1970–71 SC Bern Swiss NLA — — — — — — — — — —
1971–72 SC Bern Swiss NLA — — — — — — — — — —
1972–73 Houston Aeros WHA 48 7 6 13 19 10 0 2 2 0
WHA totals 48 7 6 13 19 10 0 2 2 0
NHL totals 67 10 10 20 33 7 0 0 0 0
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gollark: No you don't.
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gollark: I have not stubbed my toe in several years. This is due to superior toe management.

References
  1. "Nepean Minor Hockey Association History". Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  2. "Camp Smitty History". Archived from the original on 2008-06-14. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
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