News

Long-time Minneapolis hockey coach Harry Brown passed away at the age of 90 on April 10.

Brown began playing hockey and developed a passion for the game as a young man. He graduated from DeLaSalle High School in 1941 and went on to play hockey at the University of Minnesota before being drafted into the service in 1943. Brown served in the U.S. Naval Coast Guard from May 14, 1943 to April 3, 1946. He served most of his time in the Philippines.

Brown returned to Minneapolis after the service where he met and married Mary Catherine Schuster on April 12, 1947. Harry and Mary had 11 children – three boys and eight girls – and raised them all in South Minneapolis.

After graduating from the U of M in 1949, Brown began his career as a high school teacher in the Minneapolis Public Schools in 1950. He worked for 35 years and retired in 1985.

Brown coached several high school hockey teams during his tenure – Patrick Henry, Vocational and North high schools from 1955-67. His record was 70-49-8 over all the years that he coached. In the 1963-64 season, Brown coached the Patrick Henry High School team to the city championship. The team then advanced to the state tournament, taking third place.

Brown continued to be involved in hockey throughout his adult life. The highlight of his hockey career was when he served as the head scout for the Boston Bruins from 1967-75. The Boston Bruins were successful during Brown’s tenure as a scout and won the Stanley Cup in the 1969-70 and 1971-72 seasons. Brown was awarded a Stanley Cup ring for his contributions to the team’s success.

Brown had many other hockey-related accomplishments:

• Instrumental in bringing and winning a lawsuit vs. the Minnesota State High School League which allowed Minnesota high school hockey players to practice and play hockey in the off season (1970).

• Involved in creating the Junior A Hockey program in Minnesota.

• Winner of the Maroosh Award (Jan 1990). Inscription reads: Presented by Minnesota North Stars – in memory of John Mariucci – Godfather of Minnesota hockey. Award given in recognition of outstanding service or contributions to hockey by Minnesota elite within the state or elsewhere.

• Published two instructional hockey books: “Ice Hockey Skating – How to Develop Power and Agility in Skating” and “Goaltenders Guide.”

• Inducted into the Minnesota High School Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame (March 2012).

Brown was born to Harry Brown (Sr.) and Martha “Mattie” Laughlin in Cylon, Wis., on Dec. 4, 1923. He was the oldest of 3 children. He had one sister, Catherine Prachar and one brother, Charlie Brown. Of note, Charlie was the namesake for Charles Schultz’s comic character, Charlie Brown.

Harry grew up in Minneapolis where his parents owned and operated a grocery store. Brown’s Grocery was located at 3253 Girard Ave So. The entire Brown family lived in an apartment that was attached to the store. Harry, Catherine and Charlie all helped in the store and also delivered groceries through out the nearby neighborhood.

An old family story is that Harry, Catherine and Charlie delivered groceries to a home where the John Dillinger gang was hiding out. The kids were directed to just leave the groceries at the door and collect the money. Harry, Catherine and Charlie never met the gang face to face, but later learned about the gang hiding out in the residence where they had delivered the groceries.

In addition to Brown’s 11 children, he also has 16 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.