Mention the name Bobby Burns, and seasoned cocktail drinkers may respond by saying it's their favorite combination of scotch whiskey, vermouth, benedictine and, of course, cracked ice. However, there was also a hockey player in the 1920s and 1930s by the same name. Left wing Bobby Burns turned professional in the fall of 1926, when at the age of 21, he signed a contract with the Chicago cardinals of the AHA. In 33 games, he collected six goals and nine points. The next year he suited up for the Duluth Hornets.
The combination of Burns' strong defensive skills and the ability to occasionally contribute in the offensive zone, was appealing to the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, who called him up for six games in 1928-29. Although he was held pointless, the club was impressed by his ability to forecheck and keep the opposing team's scorers at bay.
Burns played eleven more games for the Blackhawks in 1929-30, picking up a goal, the only point of his 17-game NHL career. The following year Burns was a regular with the Chicago Shamrocks. The next year was split between the St. Louis Flyers and the Shamrocks. In 1932-33, he was moved to Kansas City. That was followed by a two-year stopover in Oklahoma City before he returned to St. Louis to play the final three years of his pro career with the AHA's Flyers.
