Herb Drury

Herb Drury was Canadian by birth but moved south to Pittsburgh in 1916 and later enlisted in the US Army, where he served with the Motor Transport Corps during World War I. He was granted US citizenship upon his honorable discharge from the army in 1919. Drury played club hockey for the Pittsburgh AA team. Drury was a right wing and in the 1924 Olympics he led all U.S. hockey players by scoring 22 goals in the five games the Americans played. Drury then played for six years in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Quakers. Described by the press as a “flashy and temperamental” player he came close to losing his place in the 1920 Games following an incident in a warm-up game. He was called for roughing by his teammate Terry McGovern, who was officiating. Drury refused to leave the ice, insulted McGovern, and the referee hit him. Drury was ordered to the dressing room but returned to play in the third period and was injured. The forgiving McGovern helped to carry him off the ice.

Herb’s brother, Morley Drury, was a well-known quarterback for the University of Southern California in the 1920s. In 1954, he was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame.