The Complete World Hockey Association
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Tom Simpson
Thomas Phillip Simpson "Shotgun"
Height: 5-9
Weight: 190
Shoot: R
Born: 15 Aug 1952, Bowmanville ON
 
Regular Season & Playoff Scoring Record (key)
 
Excerpts from Pro Hockey, WHA 1975-76 (by Dan Proudfoot)
The high-volume radio announcer whom the Toronto Toros employ to announce goals, assists, penalties and so on never says anything quietly. When Tom Simpson scores, however, the decibel levels reach new highs.
The frequency with which the man with the steel lungs has to announce Simpson goals may have something to do with it. Since turning professional three years ago, Simpson has improved his scoring totals constantly, so his powerful shot paid off with 52 goals in 1974-75. Simpson in fact, confesses to nightmares in which he injures goaltenders with his shot.
All Dave Wright, the radio man, knows is that nobody allows him to show off his golden voice as much as Simpson. Twice at Maple Leaf Gardens Simpson achieved four-goal nights, meaning Wright was able to shout TOM — SHOTGUN — KID DYNAMITE — SIMPSON so it could be heard blocks away.
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Excerpts from Zander Hollander Complete Hockey Handbook, 1975-76 (by Reyn Davis)
Led the league with eleven game-winning goals, matching Andre Lacroix's league record established in 1972-73 ... Such shot is considered near the equal of Bobby Hull's ... Nickname is "Shotgun" ... Excellent lacrosse player ... Must watch weight closely ... Almost got cut two seasons ago when he reported at 212 ... Figured third among WHA right wingers in goals with 52, two fewer than San Diego's Wayne Rivers and one less than Winnipeg's Anders Hedberg ... Has a league record of three four-goal nights, two of them at Quebec's expense.
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Excerpts from Pro Hockey, WHA 1976-77 (by Dan Proudfoot)
They call him Shotgun, but something was interfering with Tom Simpson's firing in 1975-76, when he sunk to 20 goals after shooting 52 the year before.
Gilles Leger, the Bulls' manager-coach, can explain. "Tom was on the hobble quite a few times," Leger says, "with an injured ankle, then a knee, and he's the heavy set type of fellow who takes longer than average to get his condition back after a layoff. He needs a heavy workload to be most effective, and he'll be getting it in 1976-77. We're counting on him for a lot of goals again."
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