Garnet Bailey

Ace Bailey
Born	Garnet Edward Bailey (1948-06-13) 13 June 1948 Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died	11 September 2001(2001-09-11) (aged 53) New York City, New York, U.S.
Other names	Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey
Occupation(s)	Ice hockey player, scout
Years active	1966–1981 (player), post-1981 (scout)
Known for	Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup winner; Los Angeles Kings director of pro scouting; victim of September 11 attacks

Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey (June 13, 1948 – September 11, 2001) was a Canadian ice hockey professional and scout, recognized for his involvement with teams that secured both the Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup. He passed away at age 53 aboard United Airlines Flight 175, which was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center during the events of September 11.

Hockey Career

Bailey distinguished himself in junior hockey playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings, capturing the Memorial Cup in 1966. Following an impressive 93-point performance in the 1966–67 season, he was selected 13th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1966 amateur draft.

He spent two seasons developing with the Bruins’ minor league teams, notably contributing to the Hershey Bears’ Calder Cup victory in 1968-69 by leading all players in assists throughout the AHL playoffs. During that same season, Bailey appeared in eight NHL contests. In the 1969-70 campaign, he participated in 58 games for the Bruins’ Stanley Cup-winning roster; however, an injury sidelined him during the playoffs, resulting in his exclusion from having his name engraved on the Cup. The following season, 1971-72, Bailey played in 73 games and scored the decisive goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against New York, with Boston ultimately winning the championship.

In the 1972–73 season, Bailey was traded to the Detroit Red Wings where he spent two years before joining the St. Louis Blues for another two seasons. Gerry Cheevers, a former teammate, commended Bailey’s skill and his strong connection with both fans and fellow players.

Bailey concluded his NHL career with four seasons on the Washington Capitals roster, achieving his personal best statistics in 1976-77 by recording 19 goals alongside 27 assists. Afterward, he spent a year competing in the WHA before transitioning into a player-assistant coaching role with Houston in the CHL during the 1979-80 season. The subsequent year saw him take on head coaching duties for Wichita while also playing his final professional game.

Following his coaching career, Bailey worked as a professional scout for the Edmonton Oilers until the end of the 1993-94 season. During this period, Edmonton captured five Stanley Cups (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990). Although he received championship rings for all five titles, his name was engraved on only one Cup (1990) due to limitations on engraving space.

At the time of his death, Bailey held the position of director of pro scouting for the Los Angeles Kings.

Death and legacy

Bailey lost his life when United Airlines Flight 175 was hijacked and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center amid the September 11 attacks. He was traveling alongside amateur scout Mark Bavis from Boston to Los Angeles after visiting Manchester, New Hampshire to see the Los Angeles Kings’ AHL affiliate team, the Monarchs.

Both Bailey and Bavis are honored in "Your Spirit's Alive," a song by Boston-based band Dropkick Murphys. The Los Angeles Kings paid tribute to Bailey by naming their mascot "Bailey" in his memory. Additionally, actor Denis Leary wore a memorial T-shirt honoring Bailey in episodes of Rescue Me.

The Ace Bailey Children's Foundation was founded by Bailey’s family to support hospitalized children and their families through fundraising efforts. At the National September 11 Memorial, both Bailey and Bavis are commemorated on Panel S-3 of the South Pool.

Following the Kings’ Stanley Cup triumph in 2012, on October 14 that year, the team brought the Cup to their memorial site. They placed it on panels bearing Bailey’s and Bavis’s names so their families could have a private moment with the trophy—a cherished tradition within hockey. Kings general manager Dean Lombardi was present at this tribute.

In 2023, Bailey earned recognition as one of the top 100 players in Boston Bruins history.

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1966–67	Edmonton Oil Kings	CMJHL		56	47	46	93	177		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Oklahoma City Blazers	CHL		34	8	13	21	67		7	0	5	5	36
1968–69	Hershey Bears	AHL		60	24	32	56	104		9	4	10	14	10
1968–69	Boston Bruins	NHL		8	3	3	6	10		1	0	0	0	2
1969–70	Boston Bruins	NHL		58	11	11	22	82		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Oklahoma City Blazers	CHL		11	3	8	11	28		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Boston Bruins	NHL		36	0	6	6	44		1	0	0	0	10
1971–72	Boston Bruins	NHL		73	9	13	22	64		13	2	4	6	16
1972–73	Boston Bruins	NHL		57	8	13	21	89		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		13	2	11	13	16   | — || — || — || — || —
1973–74	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		45	9	14	23	33		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	St. Louis Blues	NHL		22	7	3	10	20		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	St. Louis Blues	NHL		49	15	26	41	113		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Washington Capitals	NHL		22	4	13	17	8		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Washington Capitals	NHL		67	13	19	32	75		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Washington Capitals	NHL		78	19	27	46	51		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Washington Capitals	NHL		40	7	12	19	28		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Edmonton Oilers	WHA		38	5	4	9	22		2	0	0	0	4
1979–80	Houston Apollos	CHL		7	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Wichita Wind	CHL		1	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				568	107	171	278	633		15	2	4	6	28

Family

Bailey was the son of Irvine Wallace "Ace" Bailey, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and he embraced the Ace moniker throughout his professional journey. He was married to Katherine, with whom he had a son named Todd.