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The Hobey Baker Story

This article originally appeared in the February 4, 1994 edition of The Princeton Packet, a weekly newspaper in the Princeton, NJ area. It was written by Stuart Duncan in a column called "Princeton Notebook."

The Tonya Harding case seems to have touched a nerve with the American Public. Each day the newspapers bring us fresh and ever-more-horrifying revelations. And each afternoon the talk shows (they are called "talk" shows because no one ever listens, everyone talks) explain ad nauseum all of the sociological and psychological implications of each new bizarre aspect of the case.

Perhaps it would be useful to recall a long-past era of gentler breeding. Perhaps we should let our minds wander back to Hobart A. H. Baker.

Hobey Baker may not have been a figure skater--in fact, figure skating was virtually unknown when he lived. That was left to Sonja Henie, a full generation later--but he is generally considered to havebeen the greatest college hockey player of all time. He was Princeton University, class of 1914. Observers of that time call attention not only to his speed on the ice, but, more importantly, to his grace and never-failing sportsmanship.

The Class of 1914, of course, was a war class. Mr. Baker immediately entered the Air Force and rapidly became known as a daring ace. He is said to have triumphed over the enemy and the rickety machines of that era with equal style. Sadly, however, he was killed in an airplane accident only five weeks after the Armistice was signed in 1918.

Mr. Baker was buried in a cemetery in Toul, France. There were no fresh flowers available--partly because of the devastation of the war and partly because it was mid-December--but a wreath of tin violets was placed reverently on the grave by Capt. James H. McLean, Class of 1901, and Capt. David H. McAlpin, Class of 1902. The wreath bore the single word, "Princeton."

Both McLean and McAlpin are noted names in Princetoniana. The former lends his name to McLean House, on the front campus, now used to house the offices for alumni affairs. The McAlpin legacy is more complicated since there were two branches of the family, each using the name David and the initial H. In 1902 McAlpin was, like Hobey Baker, a hockey player of considerable prowess. In fact, he was visiting the campus in 1932 to watch his son, Malcom play hockey, when he died while shaving.

There is a David H. McAlpin in the Class of 1950 (a cousin) who is a Presbyterian minister and longtime resident of the area. He is currently founding a new church in Trenton. There is also a David H. McAlpin, Class of 1961 (Malcolm's son.)

In 1923, a hockey rink was built on the campus from funds gathered by Mr. Baker's many friends, classmates, and admirers. It measures 290 feet by 126 feet (the actual ice area is 210 feet by 85 feet.) It holds 2,500 spectators. On one wall is a small plaque to the memory of Capt. David H. McAlpin, '02.

The rink is dedicated to the standards of excellence and sportsmanship of the young man for whom it was named. Think of it-- excellence plus sportsmanship. We seem to have lost that combination.

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