Robert Marvin Hull professionally known as Bobby Hull was a retired Canadian ice hockey player who earned the nickname “The Golden Jet” through his blonde hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot.
Born in Pointe Anne, Ontario, at age 18, he played for the Chicago Black Hawks in 1957. Before Chicago Black Hawks, Hull played his minor hockey in Belleville, and then Junior B hockey for the Woodstock Warriors in the fall of 1954.
Hull had a solid debut year finishing second in the Calder Memorial Trophy. Hull originally wore numbers 16 and 7 as a Black Hawk but later switched to his famous number 9.
On March 12, 1966, he became the first NHL player to score more than 50 goals in a season, surpassing Maurice Richard’s, Bernie Geoffrion’s, and his mark of 50 goals.
After spending 15 full NHL seasons, he has been voted the First-Team All-Star left winger ten times and the Second-Team All-Star left winger twice.
His slapshot was once clocked at 118.3 mph (190.5 km/h) and he could skate 29.7 mph (47.8 km/h).
In 1980, Hull retired from the Hartford Whalers to take care of Allen, a lady he was in a relationship with who was injured in a severe automobile accident.
Hull died on Monday, January 30, 2023, at age 84.
Bobby Hull WHA: Why Did Bobby Hull Go To The WHA?
Bobby Hull was unhappy with his poor salary despite being one of hockey’s preeminent superstars, he responded to overtures from the upstart World Hockey Association’s Winnipeg Jets in 1972 by jesting that he would jump to them for a million dollars.