John Sherf

John Harold Sherf (April 8, 1913 – August 19, 1991) was an American ice hockey player.

Marie, who played for the NHL champion New York Rangers in 1928 and Chicago Blackhawks in 1934.

His name is engraved on the Stanley Cup with his teammates on those teams.

Sherf was born and spent his childhood years in Calumet, Michigan in the state's Upper Peninsula.

He participated in youth ice hockey, which was popular in the cold climate of the area.

By the time he graduated from Calumet High School his hockey skills were widely recognized.

In the working class area where he was raised, he was destined to go to work in the copper mines in the area, continuing his hockey career in the local semi-professional leagues.

A local physician took an interest in Sherf and provided him with a scholarship to attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Sherf attended Michigan from 1932 until 1936, majoring in history and playing hockey on the varsity team during all four years.

John played hockey at Calumet High School and for the semi-pro Calumet Black Hawks before enrolling at Michigan.

He played center at U of M for three seasons.

No records are available for 1933–34.

Sherf first worked for Ford Motor Company as a summer employee during his college years, working at the 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair in Chicago.

He continued his employment with Ford during the off-seasons of his professional hockey career.

Following his retirement from professional hockey he returned to Ford to work full-time.

During his early years with Ford, he attended Wayne State University in Detroit where he earned a Master of Business Administration degree.

Sherf finished his career with Ford as a senior executive in the Manufacturing Division.

Sherf served as national President of the University of Michigan M Club (alumni letterwinners) and the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association.

John was the leading scorer in the 1934–35 season with 23 goals and 14 assists in 16 games.

The rest of his career, which lasted from 1935 to 1944, was mainly spent in the American Hockey League.

In 1935–36, he was the leading scorer of the Western Conference with 33 goals and 10 assists in 17 games.

That year, Michigan's opponents scored a combined total of only 30 goals.

During his senior year Sherf was elected captain of the hockey team and later selected for the prominent senior men's honorary society, Michigauma.

The honorary society was based on local American Indian traditions and each inductee was given an Indian name consistent with his college activities in the induction ceremony.

Sherf's Michigauma name was "Flashing Feet Sherf", noting his skill as a hockey player.

He played several games at the end of the 1935–36 season with the Red Wings top farm team, the Detroit Olympics.

He was also called up to play with the Red Wings during the Stanley Cup playoffs that season.

He played 19 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings between 1936 and 1943.

Sherf graduated from Michigan with a BA in History in June, 1936.

The 1936–37 season was Sherf's most memorable as a professional.

He played with the American Hockey League's Pittsburgh Hornets, after the Detroit Olympics were moved to Pittsburgh and renamed.

At the end of the 1936–37 season Sherf was called up by the Red Wings for the playoffs to help defend their Stanley Cup championship.

Sherf won the Stanley Cup in 1937 with Detroit, and is the second U.S. citizen to have his name engraved on the Cup.

The first American to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup, also from Michigan’s upper peninsula, was Clarence “Taffy” Abel of Sault Ste.

He married Mary Gaecke in Chicago, Illinois in about 1938.

They had one son, John Paul Sherf.

The University of Michigan selected Sherf as a member of their Athletic Hall of Honor in 1981, only the second Michigan hockey player so honored.

Sherf was also elected to the Upper Peninsula (Michigan) Hall of Fame.

He also served for more than two decades on the board of directors of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan.

Before he was awarded his degree at the annual commencement ceremony, he was signed to a contract by the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL).