Near West Side in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull
Chicago Blackhawks, 1957-1972
| | "The Golden Jet" | |
Photographed by Sean Flynn, April 1, 2024
1. Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull Marker
Led team in goals for ten straight seasons (1959-69) and 12 of 13 (1959-72)
First player in NHL history to record more than 50 goals in a season (1965-66)
Ranks second in franchise history with 1,153 regular-season point
At time of retirement, ranked second in NHL history in goals, ninth in points
Franchise record 62 career postseason goals
Helped lead Blackhawks to 1961 Stanley Cup Championship
Two-time Hart Trophy winner as NHL most valuable player (1965, '66) Three-time Art Ross Trophy as NHL's leading scorer (1960, '62, '66) Lady Byng Memorial Trophy Winner as NHL's most gentlemanly player (1965)
12-time NHL All-Star (1960, '62-72)
Jersey #9 retired by Blackhawks (1983)
Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame (1983)
[South-facing panel:]
"Every professional athlete owes a debt of gratitude to the fans and pays on that debt every time he plays. He should never miss a payment."
Bobby Hull
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1961.
Location. 41° 52.873′ N, 87° 40.395′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in the Near West Side. It is on West Madison Street. The statue
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Stanislav "Stan" Mikita (here, next to this marker); Greater Union Baptist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Greater Union Baptist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wieboldt's Department Store (approx. 0.3 miles away); James Connolly (approx. 0.4 miles away); Union Park (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Mary Thompson Hospital for Women and Children (approx. 0.4 miles away); Carter H. Harrison (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.
More about this marker. The west-facing panel of the statue's pedestal includes Hull's year-by-year statistics as a member of the Blackhawks, from 1958 until 1972.
The statues to Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull were unveiled in front of the United Center on October 22, 2011, prior to the opening of the Chicago Blackhawks' 2011-2012 NHL season; both Mikita and Hull were in attendance. During Mikita's career the Blackhawks played their home games at the Chicago Stadium, which was located across Madison Street from the statue's location; the stadium closed in 1994 and was demolished the next year.
Artists
Photographed by Sean Flynn, April 1, 2024
2. Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull statue (east-facing panel)
Regarding Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull. Bobby Hull's "Golden Jet" nickname was a reference to his blond hair and the speed of his shot, which helped him become one of hockey's most dynamic scorers in the 1960s and 70s. An Ontario native, Hull joined the Blackhawks at the age of 18 in 1957, and in 1961 he led the team to its third Stanley Cup championship and first in 22 years. In 1966, Hull became the first NHL player to score 50 goals in one season, finishing with 54.
In 1972, Hull was lured away from the Blackhawks and the NHL by the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association, which offered him a significant salary increase. He won the WHA's Gordie Howe Award, named after Hull's childhood hero, as the league MVP in both 1972-73 and 1974-75. In 1974-75, he scored 77 goals, a professional hockey record, and added 65 assists. When the WHA folded in 1979, the Jets (along with the Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers and Hartford Whalers) were absorbed into the NHL, enabling Hull, now 40 years old and slowed by injuries, to play one final season in the NHL. After starting
Photographed by Sean Flynn, April 1, 2024
3. Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull statue (south-facing panel)
Hull's son Brett was a superstar hockey player in his own right, finishing his career with 741 goals (5th all-time, as of April 2024). Both Bobby and Brett were named to the NHL's list of the 100 greatest players of its first 100 years in 2017. Bobby Hull died in 2023 in Wheaton, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, at age 84.
Photographed by Sean Flynn, April 1, 2024
4. Bobby Hull statue
Photographed by Sean Flynn, April 1, 2024
5. Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull statues
Photographed by Sean Flynn, April 1, 2024
6. Mikita and Hull statues, and the United Center entrance
Madison Street runs west in this photo; the United Center's north entrance is a short walk from the statues.
Courtesy of Hastings County Archives (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons, circa 1968
7. Bobby Hull (1939-2023)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 2, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 570 times since then and 96 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 2, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 5. submitted on April 1, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 6. submitted on April 2, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 7. submitted on September 29, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A photo of the west-facing panel with his career stats • Can you help?
