Like so many National Hockey League players in the 1940’s and 1950’s, Harry Lumley was already a well established star before his rookie card came out. Lumley saw his first NHL action in 1943-44 in the form of one game with the New York Rangers but, of course, there were no mainstream hockey card sets until Parkhurst came along in 1951-52.
Pro Career
Hockey Card Collection
NHL Trades
Rookie Card
Career Stats
Harry Lumley – Goalie
Lumley was a pro goaltender from 1943-44 to 1960-61 in the AHL, NHL, EPHL and WHL. He played in the NHL from 1943-44 to 1959-60 with the Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins.
Not quite Glenn Hall, Harry did have five complete seasons in the NHL. He played every regular season game in net for the Red Wings in 1945-46, 1947-48 and 1948-49. Lumley also played every game for the Chicago Blackhawks in 1951-52 and all games for the Maple Leafs in 1952-53.
Before he was a member of the Maple Leafs, Toronto ruined Lumley’s first three bids at a Stanley Cup championship. In 1944-45, the Red Wings fell to the Leafs in the finals with the series going the full seven games. A defensive and goaltending battle to the end, each team scored just nine goals over the seven games. The first three games were shutouts in favour of Toronto. Lumley shut out the Leafs in games five and six.
In 1947-48, it was once again Detroit and Toronto in the finals. This time, the series wasn’t so close with the Maple Leafs sweeping the Wings in four. The following year, 1948-49, the exact scenario played out with Toronto again sweeping Detroit in the finals.
1949-50 brought Lumley his first and only Stanley Cup championship. Detroit reached the finals against the New York Rangers and were down 3-2 in the series before coming back to win games six and seven. Three of the seven games went to overtime.
Harry Lumley Collection
With the Maple Leafs, Harry won the Vezina Trophy in 1953-54. Playing 69 of the team’s 70 regular season games, Lumley set a National Hockey League record with 13 shutouts while also recording a 1.86 goals against average. The shutout record stood until 1969-70 when Tony Esposito had 15 shutouts with Chicago. In a twist of fate that year, Toronto fell to Harry’s old team Detroit in the opening round.
In his final year of pro hockey, Lumley played in the WHL with the Winnipeg Warriors. He appeared in 61 of the team’s 70 regular season games as the Warriors finished last in the league and out of post season contention. As Harry’s back-up, playing the other nine games, was a young Ernie Wakely.
The two time First Team All-Star goaltender was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980. At his side was one of his top competitors, Gump Worsley. Lynn Patrick was the third inductee that year. Harry Lumley passed away in 1998. His hometown Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League play home games at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.
Harry Lumley – Trades
Lumley was a hot commodity as one of the top goalies in the NHL. Twice, he was part of a major blockbuster in the days long before having to calculate the cap hit.
On July 13, 1949, Harry was traded from the Red Wings to Chicago. With him going to the Black Hawks were Pete Babando, Al Dewsbury, Jack Stewart and Don Morrison. Going to the Red Wings were Bob Goldham, Jim Henry, Metro Prystai and Gaye Stewart.
On September 11, 1952, Lumley was the ground zero of Toronto’s goaltending desires. The Maple Leafs obtained Harry from Chicago in exchange for Cal Gardner, Gus Mortson, Al Rollins and Ray Hannigan.
Harry Lumley – Rookie Card
The Harry Lumley rookie card is part of the set that gave birth to the modern world of hockey cards. Harry’s mug is on the front of card number 47 of the 1951-52 Parkhurst set as a member of the Chicago Black Hawks. Lumley’s card is valued at 2.5x that of a common card in the set that is best known for the rookie cards of Gordie Howe of the Red Wings and Maurice Richard of the Canadiens.
Because he was a goalie and early Parkhurst sets followed an orderly logical plan, twice Lumley was the number 1 card in a set. The sets were sorted by team with the goaltender first. In 1953-54 and 1955-56, Harry was at the top of the list.
Harry Lumley Career Stats
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | A | PIM | SO | GAA |
| 1943-44 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 52 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.84 |
| 1943-44 | New York Rangers | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1943-44 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.50 |
| 1944-45 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 21 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2.19 |
| 1944-45 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 37 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.22 |
| 1945-46 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 50 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 3.18 |
| 1946-47 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 52 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 3.06 |
| 1947-48 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 60 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 2.46 |
| 1948-49 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 60 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 2.42 |
| 1949-50 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 63 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 2.35 |
| 1950-51 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 64 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 3.90 |
| 1951-52 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 70 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3.46 |
| 1952-53 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 70 | 0 | 18 | 10 | 2.39 |
| 1953-54 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 69 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 1.86 |
| 1954-55 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 69 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 1.93 |
| 1955-56 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 59 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2.70 |
| 1956-57 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 63 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 4.19 |
| 1957-58 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.71 |
| 1957-58 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 24 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2.84 |
| 1958-59 | Providence Reds | AHL | 58 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 3.59 |
| 1958-59 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.45 |
| 1959-60 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 42 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 3.48 |
| 1960-61 | Kingston Frontenacs | EPHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.50 |
| 1960-61 | Winnipeg Warriors | WHL | 61 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 3.49 |