Cyclone Taylor

Frederick Wellington "Cyclone" Taylor (June 23, 1884 – June 9, 1979) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and civil servant. A cover-point and rover, he played professionally from 1906 to 1922 and is acknowledged as one of the first stars of the professional era of the sport. Born and raised in Southern Ontario, Taylor moved to Manitoba in 1906 to continue his hockey career before departing to Houghton, Michigan, where he spent two years in the International Hockey League, the first openly professional hockey league in the world. He returned to Canada in 1907 and joined the Ottawa Senators, spending two seasons with the team. During those years he was often spoken of in the same stature as baseball's Ty Cobb, and in 1909, when Taylor signed with the Renfrew Creamery Kings, the pair were the highest paid athletes in their respective sports. In 1912 he moved to Vancouver to play for the Vancouver Millionaires. Recognized as one of the fastest skaters and most prolific scorers of his day, Taylor won five scoring championships in the PCHA. He won the Stanley Cup twice, with Ottawa in 1909 and Vancouver in 1915. Taylor was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947.