McCool tried to use ulcers as bargaining chip with Maple Leafs in 1945

Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as "The Hockey Maven," shares his humor and insight with readers each Wednesday.

This week, Fischer dives into the valley of the incredible and comes up with a tale about how a promising goalie's career fell apart after he used his personal case of stomach ulcers as a bargaining chip in contract negotiations.

In September 1945, $500 could buy you both an electric cooker range and an automatic washing machine.

That same month, Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frank McCool figured that his troublesome ulcers also were worth $500 -- and he didn't mean "maybe" either.

What's more, he told that to his boss, Conn Smythe, during contract negotiations.

After leading the underdog Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup championship in 1945, McCool was hailed as Canada's conquering hero. And a very courageous one as well.

"Frank played every single game (50) during the (1944-45) regular season but every game was a life and death struggle for him," former Maple Leafs press agent Ed Fitkin said. "McCool's ulcers were what got him discharged from the army. Playing goal in the NHL was a case of tension piled on top of tension.

"He sipped milk in the dressing room between periods to calm his fluttering stomach and there were times when he was almost too sick to go on during a game, but the thing about him was that he'd never quit."

During the 1945 Stanley Cup Playoffs, McCool, a rookie, led the Maple Leafs to an upset series win against the defending champion Montreal Canadiens and their Hall-of-Fame goalie Bill Durnan. Toronto won the best-of-7 series in six games to reach the Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings.

McCool opened the best-of-7 Final with three straight shutouts, an NHL record.

After losing the next three in a row, McCool tamed his volcanic stomach and the rampaging Red Wings 2-1 in Game 7 to help the Maple Leafs win the Cup.

"If I were to single any one for individual praise, I'd have to say that of all the team, McCool has come farthest since training camp in Owen Sound," Maple Leafs coach Hap Day said. "Back then we weren't even sure he had the background to make the roster."

Never having played pro hockey before Toronto's camp in 1944, McCool was delighted to sign a $3,000 rookie contract, embellished with a $1,000 signing bonus. After winning the Stanley Cup and Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year, he collected another $3,200.

"McCool was the best story of Toronto's 1944-45 season," Maple Leafs historian Eric Zweig wrote.

Tickled with his golden boy image -- but not recurring ulcers -- McCool returned to his native Calgary for the summer. He got a job selling used car parts and finished the vacation at his brother-in-law's ranch.

"He put on weight and was unworried," former Toronto Star sports editor Andy Lytle said. "The ulcers lay dormant. In fact, he forgot about them."

McCool didn't forget that Smythe had gifted him with a new contract, a $1,500 raise, lifting his salary to $4,500. So far, so good. Everything was looking up for the 27-year-old star.

Then it happened. On the long train ride from Calgary to Toronto, McCool began thinking of his ulcers and how goaltending over a 50-game season could tear his stomach apart. When he got to Smythe's office, he was ready to quit.

"Hello, Champ," greeted Smythe, his cold blue eyes gleaming warmly. "All ready to turn them aside for us?"

McCool explained that he had planned to quit but his wife urged him to give it another shot and he felt he owed something to the club that gave him such a glorious chance.

"If you quit on yourself, you'll be the first fighting Irishman I ever knew to act like that," Smythe said. "And you'll probably hate yourself for the balance of your entire life."

McCool agreed.

"All right," he said. "I'll go to camp and I'll do my best. I'll stop worrying."

At least he was partially true to his word. He went to camp and he did his best. McCool emerged the best goalie by far with aspiring Aldege "Baz" Bastien a distant runner-up and tiny Gordie Bell playing backup to the backup.

Feeling unusually confident, McCool decided to take a gamble and challenge Smythe. As it happened, this would be the biggest mistake of his young NHL career and dim his ascending star, just when it was flying into orbit.

He returned to Smythe's office and unabashedly demanded a raise, self-appraising his ulcers at $500. In other words, the half-a-grand bonus wasn't for him but for his stomach pains. Smythe didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The Globe and Mail sports editor Vern DeGeer headlined his story this way: $500 ULCERS PUT FRANK MCCOOL OUT OF HOCKEY."

"I think I'm worth an additional $500 because of my ulcers," Frank told Smythe.

The veteran manager looked him up and down before shooting back, "We don't do business that way. You're through!"

McCool was shown the door. Bastien was invited in.

Smythe was not fooling around. He advised Day that Bastien, 26, would start in goal on opening night, Oct. 27, 1945, against the Boston Bruins at Maple Leaf Gardens.

So far, so good -- for Smythe. The game finished in a 1-1 tie and McCool was -- at least momentarily -- a forgotten goalie. That, however, was not the case after Games 2, 3, 4, and 5, each a Toronto loss.

Bastien's 0-4-1 record and 4.00 goals-against average didn't cut it with Smythe.

"That was about all Smythe could take," Fitkin said. "Baz got the hook and Bell got the job."

Day was more patient with Bell who, if nothing else, was better than Bastien. But not much better. He was 3-5-0 with a 3.87 GAA and left Smythe frustrated but still hopeful.

At about the same time, McCool rubbed his stomach a few times and then felt his wallet. While the ulcers weren't hurting much, his bank account was.

"'Mac' phoned the boss and arranged an appointment," Fitkin said. "He knew he had blown it and 'The Major' knew he needed Mac's goaltending. But only if Frank would concede defeat."

If nothing else, "The Grand Ulcerated Armistice" meeting produced a very penitent Toronto goalie and triumphant employer.

"I realized I made a mistake," McCool conceded to Smythe. "Now I understand that had I stayed in Toronto rather than taken the train back to Calgary we could have worked out the difficulties. I'll take the ulcers out of my demands."

The goalie and the general manager shook hands and agreed that the originally agreed-upon $4,500 contract was sufficient.

Alas, McCool became a rusty, forlorn hero in his return. He suffered more from an injury-riddled, aging Maple Leafs squad than from his stomach issues. He returned to the NHL on Dec. 1, 1945, but was a shadow of his former Cup-winning self.

All things considered, his arithmetic wasn't too bad. McCool played 22 games and was 9-10-3 with a 3.68 GAA. He played his last NHL game on Feb. 3, 1946.

Three nights later future Hall of Famer Turk Broda -- having been released from the Canadian Army -- resumed his pre-war position as Toronto's goalie. Broda retained that role through the early 1950's, winning a Stanley Cup championship in 1947 and three more through 1951.

Reflecting on his confounding conflict with McCool, Smythe observed, "I can't understand the boy. But they tell me that ulcers do those things."

McCool died at the age of 54 on May 20, 1973. According to one communique, "It was confirmed that ulcers played a part in his death."