Dit Clapper

Aubrey Victor "Dit” Clapper (February 9, 1907 in Newmarket, Ontario – January 20, 1978 in Newmarket, Ontario) was a Canadian Hall of Fame player.
Clapper was given the nickname "Dit" at an early age when he would lisp his name "Vic." It came out "Dit." The name stuck. 
==Career==
As a member of the Boston Bruins, he became the first player to play in the National Hockey League for twenty seasons. He was a great player both as a forward and defenceman, being named to All-Star squads at both right wing and defenceman. 
A lifelong member of the Bruins, in 1947 the team retired his number 5 sweater and the Hall of Fame selection committee waived the customary three-year waiting period, and immediately inducted him into the Hockey Hall of Fame upon the night of his retirement. His used jersey from that night's game was donated to the Hall of Fame by Clapper himself during an on-ice presentation that night announcing his retirement and induction into the Hall. The jersey is currently on display in the International Hockey Hall of Fame's museum in Kingston, Ontario. Until he was named as coach, he had served as captain for longer than any NHL player until Ray Bourque and Steve Yzerman.
==Coaching==
Clapper coached the Bruins for two seasons as a player-coach and for two more seasons after his retirement. He became the first player in NHL history to play for 20 seasons, and the last active player that played during the 1920s.
==Trivia==
*Retired NHL defenceman Greg Theberge is Dit’s grandson.
*Clapper died of complications from a stroke January 20, 1978. 
*In 1998, he was ranked number 41 on List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News.
*Although Clapper is famous for wearing #5, which the Bruins retired, he wore #12 for his first two seasons in Boston.
==Awards==
*Stanley Cup Champion (1929, 1939, 1941)
*First All-Star Team: (1939, 1940, 1941) 
*Second All-Star Team: (1944) as a defenceman
*Second All-Star Team: (1931, 1935) as a right wing
==Gallery==
Dynamite_Line.jpg|1930-31 would be the last year for the "Dynamite Line" of Clapper, Cooney Weiland and Dutch Gainor.
10Mar1931-Bruins_Leafs_action.jpg|Bruins #5 Dit Clapper, #7 Cooney Weiland battle Leafs #4 Hap Day and goalie Lorne Chabot, March 10, 1931.
1934-35-Clapper_Kaminsky_Barry.jpeg|Dit Clapper, Max Kaminsky, Marty Barry 1934-35.
1936-Nov10-Bruins 1st line.jpg|Bruins first line, Dit Clapper, Hooley Smith, Red Beattie, November 10, 1936.
1936-Nov15-Clapper goal.jpg|Dit Clapper scores Boston's first goal of the season, November 15, 1936.
1937-Mar-Dumart-Clapper-Schmidt.jpg|The "Blackjack Line" of Woody Dumart, Dit Clapper and Milt Schmidt dominated in March 1937.
Howie_Morenz_Game.png|Eddie Shore, Dit Clapper and Tiny Thompson at the Howie Morenz Memorial Game, November 2, 1937.
Clapper goal-2Nov1937.gif|Dit Clapper scores, Howie Morenz Memorial Game, November 2, 1937.
1937-Nov-Kraut line cartoon.jpg|Kraut Line as successor to the "Dynamite Line", November 1937.
1938-Feb17-Clapper goal.gif|Dit Clapper's overtime winner, February 17, 1938.
1938-Nov19-Hollett-Shore-Thompson-Clapper-Portland.jpg|Eddie Shore returns to practice and is greeted by Flash Hollett, Tiny Thompson, Dit Clapper and Jack Portland, November 18, 1938.
1939-Jan24-Adams-Clapper charity.jpg|The Bruins have a long history of community work, January 24, 1939.
1939-Feb13-Shore-Clapper presentation.jpg|The Gallery Gods presentations to Eddie Shore and Dit Clapper, February 12, 1939.
1939-Brimsek_Shore_lead_way_onto_ice.jpeg|Frank Brimsek and Eddie Shore (his broken nose from the Semis still bandaged) lead the team onto the ice during the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals. Following them are #4 Harry Frost, #5 Dit Clapper, #7 Cooney Weiland and #8 Jack Portland.
16Apr1939-Bruins_Leafs.jpg|Bruins Frank Brimsek, #5 Clapper, #19 Jack Crawford and #12 Flash Hollett hold off Leafs #15 Metz, Game 5 of the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals, April 16, 1939.
39-40Bosdefence.jpg|Bruins' defence 1939-40, Clapper, Jack Crawford, Jack Portland, Jack Shewchuk.
1941-Feb-Bruins defense-alts.jpg|1940-41 Bruins defense - Dit Clapper, Frank Brimsek, Des Smith, Flash Hollett, Jack Crawford.
1941-Feb12-Clapper cartoon.jpg|Dit Clapper cartoon, February 12, 1941.
1941_Cowley_Clapper_Crawford_Cup.png|Bill Cowley, Clapper and Jack Crawford with the Cup in Boston, 1941.
==External Links==
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Category:Born in 1907
Category:Dead in 1978
Category:Boston Bruins coaches
Category:Boston Bruins players
Category:Boston Tigers (CAHL) players
Category:Canada's Sports Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Canadian ice hockey coaches
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Hockey Hall of Fame
Category:National Hockey League players with retired numbers
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Retired in 1947
Category:Players who bypassed the Hockey Hall of Fame waiting period