Charles Shannon

Charles Kitchener Shannon (March 22, 1916 — August 25, 1974) was a professional ice hockey player who played 4 games in the National Hockey League for the New York Americans during the 1939–40 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1933 to 1948, was spent in various minor leagues.

Biography His family moved to Niagara Falls in 1918. Shannon's hockey career spanned 28 years, beginning in 1933 through to the late 1950s.

He began playing Junior Hockey for the Niagara Falls Kiwanis from 1932 to 1933, moving to the Sudbury Wolves until 1935. From the Wolves he went to the Memorial Cup in Winnipeg and that same year, signed a three-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

His career followed with the Syracuse Stars, Springfield Indians, Pittsburgh Hornets and Buffalo Bisons, all of the American Hockey League. He also played four games for the New York Americans of the National Hockey League.

In 1946 and 1947, Shannon became a playing coach with the Owen Sound Mercuries Senior "A" club and then with the Orangeville Senior "B" Team.

From 1950 to 1952, Shannon coached the first Niagara Falls Cataracts Senior Team to ever play in the O.H.A. Semi-Finals. Shannon also coached the 1955-56 Niagara Falls Senior "A" Team and in the late 1950s, the Stamford Kerrio's Senior "B" Team.

Shannon acquired some nicknames, given by his teammates, fans, and press. "Specs Shannon", given because he was the first NHL hockey player to successfully wear glasses while playing hockey.

It took almost thirty years before the next Niagara Falls hockey player, Derek Sanderson, made it to the NHL. Shannon coached local minor hockey in Niagara Falls, Ontario, following his retirement from playing.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1931–32 Niagara Falls Cataracts OHA 6 6 2 8 6 5 1 2 3 0 1932–33 Niagara Falls Cataracts OHA 6 6 2 8 6 2 2 2 4 4 1932–33 Niagara Falls Cataracts M-Cup — — — — — 3 1 1 2 4 1933–34 Sudbury Cubs NOHA 8 9 6 15 12 2 3 1 4 0 1934–35 Sudbury Cubs NOHA 10 19 5 24 10 5 5 4 9 4 1935–36 Syracuse Stars IHL 46 10 14 24 16 3 0 0 0 0 1936–37 Syracuse Stars IHL 50 6 19 25 40 9 2 2 4 0 1937–38 Syracuse Stars IAHL 43 6 20 26 33 8 0 4 4 4 1938–39 Springfield Indians IAHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1938–39 Syracuse Stars IAHL 19 0 9 9 12 3 0 1 1 0 1939–40 New York Americans NHL 4 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1939–40 Kansas City Greyhounds AHA 24 5 7 12 8 — — — — — 1939–40 Springfield Indians IAHL 19 2 4 6 17 — — — — — 1940–41 Buffalo Bisons AHL 53 10 24 34 42 — — — — — 1941–42 Buffalo Bisons AHL 55 6 13 19 32 — — — — — 1942–43 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 50 8 12 20 36 2 0 2 2 4 1943–44 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 42 3 12 15 4 — — — — — 1943–44 Providence Reds AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1944–45 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 23 1 4 5 10 — — — — — 1944–45 Toronto Army Shamrocks TIHL 11 2 6 8 4 2 0 1 1 0 1944–45 Newmarket Army TNDHL — — — — — 5 3 5 8 12 1944–45 Toronto Army Daggers TNDHL — — — — — 1 2 0 2 4 1945–46 Toronto Staffords OHA Sr 16 4 9 13 20 10 0 2 2 8 1946–47 Owen Sound Mohawks OHA Sr 22 3 10 13 12 9 2 1 3 14 1947–48 Hamilton Patricias OHA Sr 13 1 5 6 2 2 0 1 1 2 IAHL/AHL totals 356 42 117 159 226 22 2 9 11 8 NHL totals 4 0 0 0 2 — — — — —