(DURHAM, February 25, 2004) — Talented and charismatic, he was the embodiment of excellence, sportsmanship, fair play and honor. He was Hobey Baker, golden amateur athlete, hockey and football Hall of Famer, and war hero. Golden – The Hobey Baker Story, premiering on New Hampshire Public Television Wednesday, March 17 at7:30 p.m., reveals the admirable life of this American sports icon. “Hobey was an athlete who believed that sport should be played hand-in-hand with skill and integrity,” says producer Paul Lally. He spent six months researching Baker’s life and times. “His standard of achievement, both on and off the ice, was exceptional and rare. Hobey was sought after by professional hockey clubs, yet he chose to play for the sheer enjoyment of the sport. “Here’s a man who was so impressive a person and athlete that, each year in his honor, America’s top collegiate hockey player receives the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Hobey’s life is a fascinating story not just for sports fans but for everyone,” observes Lally. Born in 1892 near Philadelphia, Hobart (Hobey) Amory Hare Baker honed his athletic skills during his years at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH. In 1910 he entered Princeton, where his performance earned him a reputation as the greatest college hockey player of all time. His speed on the ice, his grace and never-failing sportsmanship were often noted. Baker also captained the Princeton football team, setting school records in kicking and punt returns. After college, Hobey worked in New York and played amateur hockey with the St. Nick’s team for two years.F. Scott Fitzgerald immortalized Baker’s fine qualities in his novel, This Side of Paradise, as the character Allenby. During World War I, Hobey entered the American Expeditionary Force and became a daring fighter pilot. Sadly, he was killed in an airplane accident in 1918, not long after the Armistice. Golden – The Hobey Baker Story is a stirring account of Baker’s life, told with film clips, photographs, and interviews with Hobey's nephew, distinguished sports figures, and historians. On-camera interviews include Olympic ice hockey Gold Medallist Bill Cleary, WWI aviation expert and author Charles Woolley, and UNH professor and sports historian Stephen Hardy. They all describe Hobey Baker as an all-American hero who met a tragic and untimely death. Credits: Golden – The Hobey Baker Story is a production of New Hampshire Public Television.Producer/Writer: Paul Lally. Associate producer: Ron Goodwin. Senior producer: Linda Howe. Beyond its award-winning local and national television programs, NHPTV is a leader in education and community outreach. NHPTV provides instructional services for 220,000 students from kindergarten through high school; offers Ready To Learn programs and services for children preschool to age 8, parents, and early education professionals; and provides professional development programs and advanced technology training for educators in New Hampshire and neighboring states. For more information about NHPTV programs that entertain, educate and enrich, visit www.nhptv.org.
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