National team United States Positions Winger Education Dartmouth College | Name Ralph Warburton Playing career | |
Born February 7, 1924 (age 100)
Cranston, RI, USA ( 1924-02-07 ) Played for Worcester Warriors, Milwaukee Clarks, Boston Olympics | ||
Ralph A. Warburton (born February 7, 1924) is a retired American ice hockey right wing, and was a member of the United States national team at the 1948 Winter Olympics. He was born in Cranston, Rhode Island.
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College career
Warburton played right wing for Dartmouth College, he became part of a powerhouse line for Dartmouth with eventual Olympic teammates, Bruce Mather at center and Bruce Cunliffe on left wing. This line not only led Dartmouth in scoring for two seasons, but helped Dartmouth achieve a remarkable 46 game unbeaten streak (45-0-1) from 1941–42 to 1944–45. Warburton set a career high for points in a single game on January 20, 1945, as he registered 7 points against Cornell University, with five goals and two assists. For the 1946–47 season Warburton was named be co-captain of the team. During this season he added two more four-goal performances against Army and Boston College. The two high scoring games came in close succession, with the first occurring on February 8, 1946 and the second coming just three days later on February 11, 1946. Dartmouth ended the 1946–47 season as the number one ranked team in the nation. The number one ranking was more significant at the time, since it was prior to the advent of NCAA hockey championships.
1948 Olympics
In 1948 Warburton headed to St. Moritz, Switzerland to take part in the Olympic Games with his fellow line mates. Unfortunately due to a conflict over what truly constituted an amateur athlete, two United States teams were sent. It was a situation that nearly caused the cancellation of the entire ice hockey tournament at the 1948 Olympics. Eventually a compromise was made and Warburton's squad was allowed to compete, but were ineligible for medal contention.
Later career
Warburton continued to play hockey after the Olympics first with the Milwaukee Clarks and later was reunited with Bruce Mather on the Boston Olympics. Warburton's best post-college year came during the 1950–51 season while playing for the Olympics in the Eastern Hockey League. In that year Warburton finished in the top ten in all three major offensive statistical categories. He ranked second in goals (33), tenth in assists (30), and sixth in points (63).