Bill Cleary

Bill Cleary
IIHF Hall of Fame , 1997
Date of birth	August 19, 1934
place of birth	Cambridge , Massachusetts , USA
size	178 cm
Weight	79 kg
position	striker
Career stations
1953-1955	Harvard University

William John "Bill" Cleary junior (born August 19, 1934 in Cambridge , Massachusetts ) is a retired American ice hockey player , coach and official. At the 1960 Winter Olympics , he won the gold medal as a member of the US national team. His brother Bobby Cleary was also an Olympic ice hockey champion in 1960.

Career

Bill Cleary began his career as a hockey player at Harvard University , which he attended from 1953 to 1955, while he also played for their ice hockey team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association . In the 1969/70 season he was assistant coach of the men's team at Harvard University, from 1972 to 1990 he was their head coach. In 1983 and 1987 he won the ECAC Hockey championship with Harvard University and the 1989 NCAA championship. From 1990 to 2001 Cleary was the Athletic Director at Harvard University.

Cleary has received numerous awards for his athletic achievements. First he was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976 . In 1993 he received the Hobey Baker Legends of College Hockey Award for his contribution to college ice hockey. In 1997 he received the Lester Patrick Trophy for his services to ice hockey in the USA and in the same year he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame . In his honor, the ECAC Hockey regular season champion receives the Cleary Cup .

International

For the United States Cleary participated in the Winter Olympics in 1956 in Cortina d'Ampezzo and 1960 in Squaw Valley part. At the 1956 Winter Games he and his team won the silver medal and the gold medal at the 1960 Winter Games.

Achievements and Awards

• 1976 inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
• 1983 ECAC Hockey Championship with Harvard University
• 1987 ECAC Hockey Championship with Harvard University
• 1989 National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship with Harvard University
• 1993 Hobey Baker Legends of College Hockey Award
• 1997 Lester Patrick Trophy
• 1997 inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame

International

• 1956 silver medal at the Olympic Winter Games
• 1960 gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games

Web links

• Bill Cleary at hockeydb.com (English)
• Bill Cleary at eliteprospects.com (English)
• Bill Cleary in the Sports-Reference database (archived from the original )
• Profile on Harvard University website