Joey Beaton was born on June 18, 1908 in Stellarton, Nova Scotia. He earned his nickname “Little Joey” when he first began his hockey career. He was recognized as a promising hockey player during his early teens and had his first big break playing for the Old Stellarton Oaklands senior hockey team.
The journeyman centre played hockey for St. Francis Xavier in 1928 , the New Glasgow Tigers in 1929 (where he was league MVP and leading scorer), and the Fredericton Capitals in 1930-1932, who won the New Brunswick title both years. In 1934, he went to the Boston Bruins training camp. Beaton made the team, but decided to join the English Hockey League instead, playing for the Richmond Hawks. Beaton spent the rest of his hockey career in England and was the only player to score over 400 goals in English hockey.
Beaton was known as “the best hockey player in Canada” and “a stickhandler with unlimited skills.” The British Press said he was the best centre iceman in England, and in a national poll, sports writers named him the “hockey player of the century.”
Ten years after his retirement from hockey Beaton was selected as “Britain’s greatest hockey player over a 50-year span.” Beaton will long be remembered for his “sweeping pokecheck, which became a deadly weapon” in every league he played in. He died on October 26, 1965, in Stanmore, England.
• Played for St FX in 1928
• Played for New Glasgow Tigers in 1929
• League MVP and leading scorer, 1929
• Played for Fredricton Capitals, 2 time prov champs
• Made the 1934 Boston Bruins team but declined
• Scored over 400 goals in the English Hockey League
• Known as “stickhandler with unlimited skills”
• Best hockey player in Canada in his time
• “Hockey player of the century” in England
• Britain’s greatest player over 50 year span