The Original Rangers who finished in first place over their debut season – 1926-27 – and won The Stanley Cup a year later also happened to be a rollickingly funny bunch; always good for a laugh. 

One of the primary jesters happened to be defenseman Clarence (Taffy) Abel, a native American from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Apart from being the first American-born player in the NHL, Abel was flag-bearer for Uncle Sam's Olympic hockey team at Chamonix, France in 1924.

"Taffy loved parties," said teammate Frank Boucher, "and unfortunately for his weight he was very fond of beer. Lester Patrick was forever getting him to step on the scales and then admonishing him to lose weight.

"Taffy just grinned and continued on his merry way. He loved to sing and to harmonize, and the song he liked most was 'When Strolling Through The Park One Day.' Then he would break into a soft-shoe dance routine, a marvellous grin creasing his round glowing face."

One day during a serious team meeting, Lester was explaining how two defensemen were to confront an onrushing enemy forward line. The two key words were SPREAD OUT.

"Get close enough at the start of their rush so that they don't drive between the two of you," said Patrick while Taffy fell asleep. "Then, at the last split second SPREAD OUT so that they don't go around you."

Looking over at Abel, Patrick awakened his defenseman with a swift kick to the ankle. Abel then produced the perfect squelch: "I wasn't asleep, Lester, I was just resting my eyes!"

"Okay, Mister Abel," Lester went on, "now tell me what you would do if you were alone on defense and a three-man rush came down on you."

Taffy, without blinking an eye, shot back: "I'd do exactly what you said I should do: SPREAD OUT!"