A tragic fishing trip into the
history books
A TRIBUTE TO BILL "FIFTY-MISSION CAP" BARILKO
By Jeff Morrison
Perhaps the most tragic fishing-related tales of them all is the story of Bill Barilko. William “Bashin’
Bill” Barilko was a hockey player born in Timmins, Ont. in 1927. He spent much of his pro career with
the Toronto Maple Leafs and was one of the team’s top players. In the span of five seasons (1945 and
1947-48-49) the Leafs won four Stanley Cups, and after scoring the winning Cup goal for
the Leafs in 1951, Barilko was a household name.
Alongside his hockey career, Barilko was an avid fisherman and in
the summer of 1951, he joined his friend Henry Hudson on a flight
to Sioux River, Que. in Hudson’s Fairchild 24.
After several days in the fresh northern Quebec air, on the flight
home their single-engine plane disappeared and Barilko and Hudson
went missing. It was not until 11 years later, on June 7, 1962,
that the wreckage was discovered north of Cochrane, Ont.
The crash was blamed on poor weather, overloaded
cargo and possibly pilot inexperience. Coincidentally,
during the 11 years that Barilko was missing, the
Leafs never won another Stanley Cup until 1962
when Barilko’s body was discovered.
The Tragically Hip paid tribute to this
sad ending to a fishing trip in “FiftyMission Cap,” a song which tells the tale.
The Barilko story remains one of the most
gripping events in fishing history and Toronto
Maple Leafs lore.
• HIGH-DEF TVs
and PROJECTOR
SCREEN for sports!
• HOT DISHES &
COLD BEER!
• GREAT SPORTS &
LIVE MUSIC
BOOK OUR PARTY ROOMS.
ONE GREAT
LOCATION!
FIFTY MISSION CAP
(song by The Tragically Hip)
Bill Barilko disappeared that summer
He was on a fishing trip
The last goal he ever scored
Won the Leafs the cup
They didn't win another till 1962
The year he was discovered
I stole this from a hockey card
I keeped tucked up under
My fifty-mission cap
I worked it in
I worked it in to look like that
It's my fifty-mission cap
It's his fifty-mission cap
And I worked it in
I worked it in
And I worked it in to look like that
And I worked it in to look like that
Bill Barilko disappeared that summer 1951
He was on a fishing trip (in a plane)
The last goal he ever scored (in over time)
Won the Leafs the cup
They didn't win another till nineteen sixty
two
The year he was discovered
In my fifty-mission cap
I worked it in
I worked it in to look like that
It's my fifty-mission cap
It's his fifty-mission cap
And I worked it in
I worked it in
And I worked it in to look like that
And I worked it in to look like that
It's my fifty-mission cap
It's my fifty-mission cap
It's my fifty-mission cap
It's my fifty-mission cap
• THREE PUBS IN
ONE! Distinct rooms
provide something for
everyone. Call to book!
• MINGLE with friends
• LIVE MUSIC Fridays
& Saturdays
TEAM SPONSORSHIPS.
3320 McCarthy Rd.
Ottawa, ON 613.680.4411
www.moosemcguires.com
• Moose McGuire’s is a popular
family-owned neighbourhood
pub in Ottawa South.
• Serving the freshest and tastiest
pub fare in the city. An alwaysdelicious and reasonably-priced
5-star experience.
18 | FISH, HUNT RIDE
www.fishhuntandride.ca