1951-52 Pittsburgh Hornets (AHL)

(46-19-3) Finished 1st in Western Division, Calder Cup Champions

• Francis “King” Clancy took over as the sixth coach of the Hornets.

• The Hornets wore black and gold jerseys for the first time.

• Gil Mayer’s 4,120 minutes played and 46 wins was the highest among AHL goalkeepers. Mayer won his second Harry “Hap” Holmes Award for being the AHL’s best goaltender.

• For the first time in team history, Pittsburgh finished first overall in the AHL, finishing with 46 wins and 95 points (both are all-time best in club’s history).

• Frank Mathers and Tim Horton were the team’s All-Star representatives.

For the first time in team history, Pittsburgh finished first overall in the AHL, finishing with 46 wins and 95 points (both are all-time best in club’s history).

On April 20, 1952, the Hornets won their first AHL Championship by beating the Providence Reds in six games on a Ray Hannigan goal at the 6:08 mark of he second overtime.

Hanningan fired a 15-foot wrist shot past Harvey Bennett in front of 6,154 fans inside the Providence Auditorium giving the Hornets their first championship in their 16-year existence.

The AHL president, Maurice Podoloff, nor the Calder Cup Trophy, were not present when the Hornets earned the championship. They were later presented with the Cup while en route to Pittsburgh.

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Front: Bob Solinger, Rudy Migay, King Clancy (Coach) Peter Backor, Baz Bastien (GM), Andy Barbe, Ray Hannigan

Middle:  Socko McCarey, Phil Maloney, Gord Hannigan, Gil Mayer, Bill Ezinicki, Chuck Blair, Leo Boivin, Jim Balmer (GM)

Back: George Armstong, ?, John McLellan, Bob Hassard, Frank Mathers, Tim Horton, John Ashley

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