The 1970-71 Bowdoin College hockey season was magical. A 19-4-1
overall record and a 16-2-0 mark in ECAC Division II play climaxed
with a first-ever ECAC Championship in a legendary 5-4 overtime
victory against the University of Vermont. Although Bob Kullen only
scored one goal that year, it was his leadership and inner strength
that carried his team to the crown. It was that same character that
carried him later in life as he exhibited tremendous courage in the
face of daunting odds.
One of the most decorated players in the history of Bowdoin
hockey, Bob Kullen was a quiet superstar and an inspirational
leader on and off the ice. A hard-nosed defenseman and co-captain
his senior season, Kullen set new school records for most assists
in a single season (21) and most assists in a three-year varsity
career (45) by a defenseman.
Kullen captured All-American honors and the Joseph Tomasello Award
for being the "Unsung Hero of New England Hockey" his senior year.
In addition, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the ECAC
Championship game victory over Vermont and made ECAC All-East that
same year.
After graduating from Bowdoin he finished his playing career with
the Braintree Hawks of the New England Hockey League. In 1973
Kullen began his coaching tenure at Lawrence Academy and in 1977
was hired as a graduate assistant to legendary coach Charlie Holt.
When Holt retired in 1986, Kullen was tabbed as his successor. In
the spring of 1987, after one season behind the bench, Kullen was
sidelined with a rare form of heart disease. He received a heart
transplant and aspired to return to coaching, often showing up at
practices before returning for the 1988-89 season. His health
forced him to step down again after a 17-17-5 season - New
Hampshire's best mark in almost a decade.
Kullen passed away in November 1990, and his peers subsequently
recognized his generosity, commitment, and dedication to the game
of hockey by naming the Hockey East Coach of the Year Award in his
honor. In 1991, Kullen's #19 became the first uniform number to be
retired in the history of Bowdoin athletics.
A Dean's List student, the Milton, Massachusetts, native graduated
from Bowdoin with a degree in history. In December 1987 - on the
19th of the month, in recognition of his uniform number at Bowdoin
- he was wed to the former Catherine Derrick. Catherine Kullen
Leach now lives in Durham, New Hampshire.
