Posts
Gus Mortson
Jim Thomson
"The Gold Dust Twins"
January 24: On this day in 1925, Gus Mortson was born in New Liskeard, Ontario. Mortson played 6 seasons with the Leafs between 1946 and 1952 when he was teamed on defense with Jim Thomson. Toronto Maple Leafs opened the 1946-1947 season with the twin rookie Dmen and as partners, they were nicknamed the "Gold Dust Twins." Seemingly too inexperienced to keep pace -- proceeded to win three straight Cups and four in five years. They played a rock hard style that often left cuts and bruises on any enemy who dared to enter their zone. Thomson especially was positionally perfect and a thinking man's defensive rearguard. Mortson was more of a rusher of the two, while Thomson quietly went about his work. The pairing proved to be as valuable as it was impenetrable. Mortson led the league in penalty minutes, as he would a total of four times in his NHL career. Mortson won 4 Stanley Cups in his 6 seasons as a Leaf. He was traded to Chicago in September, 1952.
