W. Bruce Darling (1979) - Hall of Fame - Brown University Athletics

W. Bruce Darling

Induction:
1979
Class:
1966

W. Bruce Darling '66, a native of Sudbury, Ont., led the Ivy League in scoring for three successive seasons and established a three-year Ivy scoring record of 62 points, one better than the old mark set by Bob Cleary of Harvard. Darling also finished his career as Brown's fifth highest scorer with 126 points on 55 goals and 71 assists. His 71 assists were third highest in Brown history to Don Sennott '52 (93) and Leon Bryant '65 (75). As a sophomore, Darling played on a line with Terry Chapman and Bob Olsen, a powerful unit that led the team in scoring with 96 points as the Bears finished second to Dartmouth with a 7-2-1 record. In 1964-65 one of Brown's finest teams won the Ivy title, took two of three ECAC games, and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament, held that year at Meehan Auditorium. Bruce Darling and Terry Chapman tied for the team scoring lead that year, each with 49 points. He captained the Bruins the following season and earned first team All-Ivy honors. Darling broke the Ivy League scoring record by getting a goal and three assists in the final game of the season against Dartmouth at Meehan Auditorium, as the crowd roared each time he put the puck in the net or added an assist and crept closer to Bob Cleary's mark. His coach, Jim Fullerton, appreciated Darling's scoring ability but saw a different side to his star wingman. "The thing people should never forget is that Bruce Darling was the toughest man at digging the puck out of the corners in the offensive zone that I have ever coached," he said. "He was a hard-nosed, hungry player and a fine team leader." Bruce Darling represented Ontario in the first Canadian winter games in 1967. He's now chairman of the physical education department at Mayfield Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.