John A. "Jack" McDonald
Inducted 1986
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John A. "Jack" McDonald
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Inducted 1986
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International Falls, Minnesota |
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| Years Played: 1947,1948,1949,1950 | |
| 1948 NCAA Championship team | |
| John A. "Black Jack" McDonald, goalie, University of Michigan, earned four varsity letters as the Wolverine net minder (1947-50), played in portions of five seasons after returning from four years in the US Navy as an aviator. He saw action in the tail end of 1945-46 seasons, played three complete seasons, and played in the fall semester of the 1949-50 season. Jack was the goalie for Michigan's first NCAA championship team in 1948, coached by Vic Heyliger. The Wolverines were 74-14-5 during McDonald's career as a Wolverine. | |
| He was a daring net minder, noted for skating away from the net to play the puck. Jack was considered the prime reason for the Delay of Game penalty being called as he once smothered the puck in front of the Yale bench. He earned six varsity letters as a Wolverine, four in hockey and two in baseball. Jack's top "offensive thrill" as a Wolverine was earning an assist on a George Balestri goal that led Michigan to a 1-0 win over the US Olympic club in a game played on a California swing for the Wolverines in San Francisco. Jack's fond memories of Michigan hockey include beating Minnesota in Minneapolis, and the way the Michigan team was treated like royalty while at the national championship tournaments at the Broadmoor in Colorado Spring, CO. He helped former Michigan teammate, Al Renfrew, recruit Wolverine coach, Red Berenson, as a player. Jack collected his first career shutout (10-0) over Michigan Tech in only the third game of his Michigan career. He had five shutouts in his Michigan career and held opponents to one goal in 21 games. Jack earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1950. | |
| If you have additional information about this inductee, please send the information to dekersclub@umich.edu | |