As communities across North America mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Lloydminster is remembering one of its most notable residents lost that day.
Lloydminster-born Garnet “Ace” Bailey was the first Canadian identified among the victims of the attacks after the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 175, which crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Bailey was 53 years old.
Bailey was well known throughout the hockey world for a career that spanned more than three decades as both a player and scout. Born on June 13, 1948, in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, he went on to play 11 seasons in professional hockey, including stints with the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals.
Gretzky connection
His greatest success as a player came with the Bruins, where he won Stanley Cups in 1970 and 1972. He later finished his playing career with the Edmonton Oilers during Wayne Gretzky’s first professional season. The two became close friends, with Gretzky later recalling that Bailey was a mentor and roommate during his early years in pro-hockey.
NHL scout
After retiring from the game, Bailey moved into scouting and became one of the NHL’s most respected talent evaluators. He spent 13 years scouting for the Oilers, helping the organization win five Stanley Cups during its dynasty era before joining the Los Angeles Kings as director of professional scouting.
Sept. 11, 2001
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Bailey boarded United Airlines Flight 175 in Boston en route to Los Angeles. The aircraft was hijacked and crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, killing everyone on board.
Following his death, tributes poured in from across the hockey world. Gretzky described Bailey as a winner both on and off the ice, while former teammates, scouts and executives remembered him for his humour, character and positive influence on those around him.
Cenotaph in Lloydminster Cemetery
Today, Bailey’s legacy lives on through his contributions to the sport and through memorials that honour his life. A cenotaph in Lloydminster Cemetery serves as a reminder of the hometown hockey figure whose life was cut short in one of the most tragic events in modern history.
His legacy lives on through the work of the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation and also, the LA Kings naming their mascot, “Bailey.”
Together with fellow Kings scout, Mark Bavis who was also on the ill-fated flight, Bailey and Bavis are memorialized at the 9/11 monument in New York at the South Pool, Panel S-3.
Nearly 3,000 people died in the Sept. 11 attacks, making it one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in history. Among those remembered is Bailey, whose journey from Lloydminster to the NHL left a lasting mark on Canadian hockey and on those fortunate enough to know him.
