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Stewart Iglehart

BIRTHPLACE: Valparaiso, Chile

BORN: February 22, 1910

DIED: December 21, 1993

TEAMS/ASSOCIATIONS: Yale University, Crescent Athletic Club, New York Rovers

 

Bio

Stewart Iglehart occupies a unique position in American sports, being the only man to have represented the United States internationally in two sports: hockey on the 1933 World Championship Team and polo in the 1936 International Match. He has been one of only a handful of men in polo to earn a ten goal rating, but as he says himself: “I have played many sports, some better than others, but hockey was always number one. I felt it gave me wings, an extra dimension, and when I dream dreams of past accomplishments, let me dream in hockey.”

As a youngster, Iglehart was introduced to hockey by C.C. Pell, a former Harvard great, who taught him the rudiments of the game with an emphasis on building legs and deception in movement using the shoulders and eyes. He went on to play at the St. Paul’s School, a great breeding ground of American hockey which also produced fellow enshrines Malcolm Gordon and Hobey Baker.

The Chilean-born star then went on to play varsity hockey at Yale from 1928-32, leading his ’31 team to a championship. During his undergraduate days, he was regarded as one of the outstanding defensemen developed in the college game. Selected to both the 1932 and 1936 Olympic Teams, Iglehart was unable to play due to varying conflicting responsibilities. He did, however, perform brilliantly for the 1933 United States world champions, not only on defense, but at right wing and center.

Returning from world tournament play, Iglehart played with the Crescent Athletic Club which eventually became the New York Rovers. The team was an outstanding collection of future NHL talent with such names as Colville, Shebicky, and Patrick dotting the roster. Iglehart more than held his own in this competition, and most hockey observers of the day felt he could easily have moved up to the New York Rangers with the others. Instead he preferred to continue his business career on a full-time basis. He concluded his hockey playing days with the legendary St. Nicholas Hockey Club of New York City.