George McNamara

George McNamara (August 26 1886 – March 10 1952) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman.

When George was a youngster, his family moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and it was in the Soo that he first learned the game of hockey. McNamara made his professional hockey debut playing with the The Sault Ste. Marie Marlboros of the International Hockey League during the 1906–1907 season.

George and his brother, Howard, also briefly a member of the Soo Marlboros, were known as the "Dynamite Twins" because of their bone-crunching body checks.

The International Hockey League folded in 1907 when a purely amateur game in Canada finally gave way to professional leagues and the top Canadian players were lured back to Canada to play. McNamara, a big, rugged defenceman was in high demand among Canadian professional clubs playing with four different clubs in four different leagues from 1908 to 1913.

Although he wasn't considered a major offensive threat he did score 15 goals in 16 games with the Waterloo Colts of the Ontario Professional Hockey League in 1910–11.

McNamara was one best open ice checkers of his day. He would help the Toronto Blueshirts win the 1914 Stanley Cup. His professional hockey career was interrupted when he joined the Canadian Army in World War I. He was a member of the 228th Battalion team that played in the National Hockey Association before being ordered overseas on February 10, 1917.

After returning from the service, McNamara became the coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and lead the team to the Allan Cup championship in 1924.

McNamara was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.

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