Posts
In researching early European hockey stars like Rudi Ball, Gustav Jaenecke and Herbert Brück, an interesting name caught my attention. They all seemed to idolize and respect a fellow by the name of Blake Watson.Now Blake Watson certainly is not your typical European name, so I became curious. After a bit of digging it turns out Blake Watson was born and raised in Canada, growing up with the game of hockey. In fact he was so good he is inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
The left winger from Carman, Manitoba was a star with the University of Manitoba from 1922 through 1925, winning the Memorial Cup in 1923 with a teammate of Murray Murdoch and Art Chapman. He captained the 1927-28 University of Manitoba Grads hockey club that won the Allan Cup as amateur champions of Canada. In 1931 the same Varsity squad represented Canada at the World Championships in Poland, bringing home the gold medal to Manitoba.
Obviously he was a pretty good hockey player. Undoubtedly he would have drawn interest from professional clubs in Canada, although I am unsure if any of the NHL teams ever had any interest.
But Watson may have had little interest in pursuing the game professionally. You see he was a very studious fellow who at some point became a doctor, apparently a dentist.
His studies in medicine led him to Vienna, where he also played and coach the local club Wiener EV. He played in Austria from 1925 through 1927 and then again for the 1929-30 season. He also played in Zurich, Davos, Prague (where he may have practiced medicine as a podiatrist) and Germany, and was regularly asked to represent European all star teams to play against travelling Canadian squads.
Watson was one of the strongest players in Europe during this time, serving as an inspiration to many younger home-grown talents.Watson returned to Canada in 1933, working as an assistant clinical professor at the University of Manitoba while also serving on staff at Winnipeg General Hospital.
In 1936 Watson relocated permanently to California, where he established himself as a noted obstetrician for over 50 years. He even had celebrity patients such as Greta Garbo, Carol Burnett, Judy Garland and Elizabeth Taylor. He may have also continued as a dentist, serving Gary Cooper, Fred Astair and Oliver Hardy.
At the age of 94 Blake Haverson Watson died in California on May 19, 1998.
I really do not know any more about Mr. Watson. If you have any more information about his life in hockey and after hockey, please email me. But it does seem Dr. Blake Watson was absolutely vital to the development of hockey in Austria in particular, and in Europe on a larger scale as well. I am really surprised he is not already inducted into the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame.
8 comments:
Doctor Blake Watson practiced
OB/GYN in West Lost Angeles and Santa Monica for many years. He was the chief of the Gyn Department at St Johns Hospital and served on the clinical faculty at the UCLS Medical School.
I worked with him as Resident MD at St Johns in 1854-55 and as a colleague until the time of his retirement.
He talked, often, of his interest in Hockey, but I had no idea that his accomplishments in that sport were so auspicious.
In addition, he was my wife's obstetrician and delivered my two daughters at St Johns
Simon Sayre MD
Ojai, CA
sasmd3@aol.com
Joe,
Great site! I believe you may have already checked out this website about the Canadian club teams that used to participate in the World Championships.
http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/ruskeeah/english_e1.html
According to the site, he represented Canada in the 1931 World championships in Poland with a team of University of Manitoba students.
I'd also be curious to know if he's related to another "legend" of those early days - Harry Watson, an IIHF Hall of Famer.
I think Dr. Sayre meant 1954-55, not 1854-55. I was a Dr. Watson baby, as was my youngest son, he being one of the last babies he delivered. My mother was a highly respected RN at St. Johns and in private duty, and was a good friend of Dr. Watson's. What many people do not know about the man was that every year, for as long as I can remember, he played Santa Claus for St. John's Christmas party for the staff and children. He was one of the kindest, most gentle men I ever met. AND, he had quite the sense of humor.
He was the son of Johnston W Watson of Ireland.
He is missed by all.
I am a Dr. Watson "baby" as well. Born in '58 in Santa Monica at St. Johns.
To continue my statement about Dr. Watson's sense of humor, I have always been on the "large side" of the scale. Dr. Watson assisted in the delivery of my youngest son in 1984. When he walked in to the operating room (he was a scheduled C Section baby), he looked at my chart and then at me and said "I know you. I brought you into this world. Where'd you get that fat? It wasn't from your mother". I did not take offense, just chimed in with "No Dr Watson, I did it all by myself. Now can we please get on with this?". My very first encounter with him was when I was 13 years old and my mother took me to see him because I was having female issues. I was terrified to think that anyone was going to touch me "in those places" and was in tears. He came in and smiled and said "Oh Sweetheart, I'm not going to hurt you. How could I EVER think about that?" Again, kind and gentle... And remembered everyone whose life he touched by name...
Happened upon this while doing research on my family tree. As well as his celebrity patients, he marred an ex-Ziegfeld Girl, Marion Benda, birth name Mary Wilson, in 1933. They seem to have had a son in 1946 named Blake (known as Chip). She died in 1951 of a barbiturate overdose. Dr Blake later re-married.
I am the same person who wrote about Dr. Watson's sense of humor and the fact that my youngest son was ne of the last babies he delivered. He actually assisted in the delivery, as he was already semi-retired at that point (1984). When he came in to the delivery room, he looked at my chart and said "I KNOW you. I brought you into this world and then was your doctor for a while. You're Carol's baby. Where'd you get all of that fa? It wasn't from your mother". I took absolutely no offense, but I smiled and said "No Dr. Watson. I did it all by myself. Now can we get on with the show?"... I also worked at the bank next door to the hospital some time later, after he was fully retired. He would come in to the bank to do business. He'd be talking to his colleagues and say "You see this young lady standing next to me? I brought her into this world and she's the reason I'm retired!"... They would all just giggle as I'd say "that's not fair. You brought my son into the world thirty years later!". I admired him greatly. Such a kind heart. They don't make 'em like that very often.
Post a Comment