NHL Network presents: Ted Lindsay
July 27, 2011
July 26, 2011
Bang For Their Buck
The Jets had a handshake agreement with Draper. If he was unable to make the Jets in 1993 (after 3 years in the minor leagues he had only played 20 games in Winnipeg) they would move him to another team. The Jets kept their word, selling Draper to Detroit for a measly $1.
Seventeen seasons later, Draper finally retired, still a member of the Red Wings. All told Draper finished his career with 161 goals and 203 assists in 1,157 regular-season games. He found a home on Detroit's third and fourth lines (often playing along side "Grind Line" mates Kirk Maltby and Joe Kocur/Darren McCarty), crashing, banging and shutting down the other team's top lines. He was also a huge part of Detroit's elite penalty killing.
Talk about a buck well spent. Draper was an integral part of the Red Wings powerhouse teams that won four Stanley Cups. In an amazing 222 playoff games, Draper scored 24 goals and 46 points. He also played in the Olympics, the World Cup and four World Championships.
Speed and leadership were his two fortes. He may not have been named Yzerman, Fedorov or Lidstrom, but he was a pretty special piece of the Detroit Red Wings' undying success. He was a superstar role player.
July 25, 2011
July 24, 2011
July 23, 2011
Brad Tapper
Brad Tapper may have only played in 71 NHL games, but he probably appreciated each and every one more than the average player.That's because of his childhood. His mother and father helped to raise 110 foster children, many of them kids from abusive parents, drug addicts and prostitutes.
Brad, the youngest of four biological brothers, grew up in a middle class home in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough. At any given time the family had as many as five foster children while they waited for permanent homes.
The Tapper children did not go without, growing up with the great game of hockey. Brad followed his older brother Bryan to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he recorded 116 points in 106 games over three seasons.
Despite his strong career at RPI, no NHL team drafted the 6'0" 175lb swift skating forward. Upon graduation he had interest from both the Philadelphia Flyers and Atlanta Thrashers. He opted to sign with the Thrashers, believing it was his best chance to play in the NHL.
Tapper was assigned to the minor leagues, and immediately became close friends with Dan Snyder. The two won an IHL championship with the Orlando Solar Bears in 2001 and roomed together when the Chicago Wolves won an AHL title in 2002.
Of course the following year Snyder was killed in a car crash.
"It was very difficult to get through," said Tapper, who remains close to Snyder's family. "Not one day goes by that I don't think about that. I miss Dan every day."
Tapper did play parts of three seasons with the Thrashers, but Tapper jumped at an opportunity to play in Europe in 2004. The NHL was facing a long lockout and Tapper was plagued by concussion problems. He would go on to star in Germany until his retirement in 2008.
July 22, 2011
Winnipeg Jets Pay Homage To RCAF Flyers
Back in the days of World War II there was an Ottawa based team made up of personnel from the Royal Canadian Air Force called the RCAF Flyers. Still together in the years after the War, in 1948 they won the gold medal at a tournament you may have heard about - the Winter Olympics.
This is their jersey. Pay special attention to their logo.
On Friday the reincarnated Winnipeg Jets unveiled their new logo. Note the striking resemblance:
That's all well and good, even though it was an Ottawa team. Yes Winnipeg and Manitoba have great military and air force history there, but Winnipeg also had a team win the Olympics - the Falcons in 1920.
The new Jets logo is simple yet classic, a safe bet especially considering the tight time-line the franchise is working with. Ideally that would make for a strong secondary logo, but I bet it will look striking once the full uniform is unveiled.
For what it is worth, I still like the old jets logos best, especially this one:
I also found this fan-created logo which I really like, too:
This is their jersey. Pay special attention to their logo.
On Friday the reincarnated Winnipeg Jets unveiled their new logo. Note the striking resemblance:
That's all well and good, even though it was an Ottawa team. Yes Winnipeg and Manitoba have great military and air force history there, but Winnipeg also had a team win the Olympics - the Falcons in 1920.
The new Jets logo is simple yet classic, a safe bet especially considering the tight time-line the franchise is working with. Ideally that would make for a strong secondary logo, but I bet it will look striking once the full uniform is unveiled.
For what it is worth, I still like the old jets logos best, especially this one:
I also found this fan-created logo which I really like, too:
Hockey For Housewives? No!
There was a great news story this week about a Calgary philanthropist named Joan Snyder who donated $2 million to women's hockey in the Calgary area. It is believed to be the single largest personal donation the sport has ever seen.
Women's hockey sure has come a long ways over the years. Check out this old Spalding ad from 1948:
Spalding highly encouraged women to participate in sports. But they should be restricted to activities such as badminton and tennis, definitely not hockey! I bet that would raise quite the racket nowadays!
Alas, not everyone back then was so chauvinistic. Here's a 1932 Patriotas Campeones Cigarettes ad from France. Clearly the woman on the right enjoys playing hockey:
Women's hockey sure has come a long ways over the years. Check out this old Spalding ad from 1948:
Spalding highly encouraged women to participate in sports. But they should be restricted to activities such as badminton and tennis, definitely not hockey! I bet that would raise quite the racket nowadays!
Alas, not everyone back then was so chauvinistic. Here's a 1932 Patriotas Campeones Cigarettes ad from France. Clearly the woman on the right enjoys playing hockey:
July 21, 2011
July 20, 2011
July 19, 2011
HHOF Worthy? Chris Osgood
When Chris Osgood announced his retirement, I asked the question is Chris Osgood going to make it to the Hockey Hall of Fame.I was laughed at quite quickly and dismissively, but I was quite serious. His career numbers suggest he has to be considered. In particular I'm referring to his 3 Stanley Cup championships and his 401 career wins, which places him in the top 10 in NHL history at the time of his retirement.
Here's a look at that top 10:
- Martin Brodeur - 625 (still active)
- Patrick Roy - 551
- Ed Belfour - 484
- Curtis Joseph - 454
- Terry Sawchuk - 447
- Jacques Plante - 437
- Tony Esposito - 423
- Glenn Hall - 407
- Grant Fuhr - 403
- Chris Osgood - 400 (still active)
Osgood is like Joseph - the question mark. The knee-jerk reaction to the question does Chris Osgood belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame is a fairly firm no. Even though he won 2 of his 3 Stanley Cups as a starter with Detroit, he does not have a reputation as an elite goalie so much as a good goalie who has been around a long time with a great team.
He may lack the reputation, but with 401 wins and three Stanley Cups, he certainly has a case to be considered for the Hockey Hall of Fame. He also ranks 8th all time with 74 playoff wins and 4th all time with 15 playoff shutouts.
I do not think it will happen. The bar for goalies is set high and justly so. Tom Barrasso and Mike Vernon have been waiting a while now, and they have stronger support (public, anyways) than Ozzie. Andy Moog, Rogie Vachon, and Mike Richter also wait. With the possible exception of Barrasso, I am fine with all of them on the outside looking in - including Chris Osgood.
July 18, 2011
July 14, 2011
Former NHL Goalie Fights To Keep Parents' Killer Behind Bars
An amazing though sad story that I previously had no knowledge of has emerged about Don Edwards, former NHL goalie most notable with Calgary and Buffalo:
The National Post has more:
This week the former Buffalo Sabres star goaltender and co-winner of the Vezina trophy appears with his family before the Parole Board of Canada. Don and Tannis Edwards and their children will deliver a plea for rejection of any form of prison release for George Harding Lovie, convicted of the March,1991 murders of Don’s parents Donna and Arnold Edwards and the attempted murder of his sister Michele.Here's the full story.
July 13, 2011
Collectible Of The Week
Check out this 1961-62 program. It is for the Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers, an EPHL farm team of the New York Rangers.
Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert both broke in to professional hockey that season with the Beavers. Other notables for play in KW that season were Len Ronson, Red Sullivan, Leon Rochefort, Ed Hoekstra, Bryan Hextall, Jim Nielson, Dave Balon and Jack McCartan.
The gentleman in the photo that the beaver is holding is of none other than Doug Harvey. The great defenseman was the coach of the New York Rangers at the time.
July 11, 2011
Jaroslav Jirik, NHL's First Czech, Dies In Plane Crash
Jaroslav Jirik died in a plane crash on Monday. The 71 year old Jirik, who was piloting his ultralight one seat plane, crashed near the city of Brno, about 125 miles southeast of Prague.
Jirik is renowned as being the first "Iron Curtain" trained player and the second European trained player in NHL history.
When he came over to North America he was already a seasoned veteran who had stared both in the Czech league as well as internationally. Jaroslav had 10 World Championship tournaments (WC All-Star in 1965) and three Olympic tournaments behind him. He represented Czechoslovakia 134 times (83 goals) and played 450 league games (300 goals).
His numbers alone speaks volume of what a dangerous goal scorer he was. Jaroslav was very unorthodox for a European player. He scored most of his goals standing in the crease area stuffing in rebounds. He didn't mind getting his nose dirty and despite not being very big he was extremely hard to move out from the slot when he parked there.
Discovered by Carl Brewer
Jaroslav's playing style was perfect for the NHL. He first caught the eye of former NHL defenseman Carl Brewer who then tipped Scotty Bowman (St. Louis coach at that time) about him. A young Cliff Fletcher went to Czechoslovakia in 1969 to sign three players, they were Jaroslav Jirik, Jan Havel and Josef Horesovský. The Czech government had given them their permission to let them play in North America. The problem was that Havel was 27-years old and Horesovský only 23, so the Czech government changed their minds about these two and only released Jaroslav Jirik because he was 30-years old, which was the age when they usually released their players.
A Cup Of St. Louis Coffee
When Jaroslav came over to North America he immediately entered the St. Louis Blues training camp in Ottawa and in New Brunswick. After one of the training games Jaroslav was voted as the best foreigner, which he admitted made him laugh out loud because he was the only foreigner on any team.
After ten pre-season games Jaroslav was sent down the Blues farm team, Kansas City Blues (CHL). He played very well with Kansas and scored 35 points including 19 goals in 53 games and was voted as the team's Rookie of the year. When it was clear that St. Louis would make the playoffs they dared to call up Jaroslav for a tryout with St. Louis.
Meets Stan Mikita
Jaroslav was thrilled over the opportunity to play alongside such legends as Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall, guys he had only heard of before. His first NHL game was against Chicago and Jaroslav admitted years later that he was in awe of players like Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita. Stan Mikita himself was born in Czechoslovakia and lived there until he was seven years old skated up alongside Jaroslav and patted him on the back saying in perfect Slovak "Ako sa mas? (How are you?)." This friendly gesture from the great Blackhawk legend was a big thing for Jaroslav. Mikita was a huge legend in Czechoslovakia at that time and not many had seen him play but they all knew who he was. Now Jaroslav was standing eye to eye with probably the most respected player in Czechoslovakia.
After the Chicago game Jaroslav only played two more games. In one of them he actually scored against Los Angeles but the goal was disallowed. Five years earlier the first European trained player, Swede Ulf Sterner also had a goal disallowed and never scored in the NHL. So Jaroslav missed out on the opportunity to become the first European trained player to score a goal in the NHL. He was held pointless in the three NHL games but played so well that St.Louis wanted him to stay for another year. They of course couldn't guarantee a spot on the team but told him that his chances were very good, especially since he had adapted very fast to the North American style of play.
Going Home
Jaroslav, who only months before had married in the USA, declined the offer and wanted to go home. He later said that he regretted that decision. "I only wish that I had been 25-years old instead of 30 when I came over," he said.
Jaroslav returned to the Czechoslovakian league and his team RH Brno, a club that he had played on from 1961 to 1975. When he retired in 1975 he became a coach in the Czechoslovakian league for many years. He also coached the Swiss national team between 1977-80.
Jaroslav was a greater player than most people knew when he came over to North America. Today he is regarded as a legendary player in the Czech Republic. Unfortunately the North American crowd only got a brief look at this top notch player who most certainly could have become a fan favorite with his fearless play in front of the goal.
Special Thanks To Patrick Houda
When he came over to North America he was already a seasoned veteran who had stared both in the Czech league as well as internationally. Jaroslav had 10 World Championship tournaments (WC All-Star in 1965) and three Olympic tournaments behind him. He represented Czechoslovakia 134 times (83 goals) and played 450 league games (300 goals).
His numbers alone speaks volume of what a dangerous goal scorer he was. Jaroslav was very unorthodox for a European player. He scored most of his goals standing in the crease area stuffing in rebounds. He didn't mind getting his nose dirty and despite not being very big he was extremely hard to move out from the slot when he parked there.
Discovered by Carl Brewer
Jaroslav's playing style was perfect for the NHL. He first caught the eye of former NHL defenseman Carl Brewer who then tipped Scotty Bowman (St. Louis coach at that time) about him. A young Cliff Fletcher went to Czechoslovakia in 1969 to sign three players, they were Jaroslav Jirik, Jan Havel and Josef Horesovský. The Czech government had given them their permission to let them play in North America. The problem was that Havel was 27-years old and Horesovský only 23, so the Czech government changed their minds about these two and only released Jaroslav Jirik because he was 30-years old, which was the age when they usually released their players.
A Cup Of St. Louis Coffee
When Jaroslav came over to North America he immediately entered the St. Louis Blues training camp in Ottawa and in New Brunswick. After one of the training games Jaroslav was voted as the best foreigner, which he admitted made him laugh out loud because he was the only foreigner on any team.
After ten pre-season games Jaroslav was sent down the Blues farm team, Kansas City Blues (CHL). He played very well with Kansas and scored 35 points including 19 goals in 53 games and was voted as the team's Rookie of the year. When it was clear that St. Louis would make the playoffs they dared to call up Jaroslav for a tryout with St. Louis.
Meets Stan Mikita
Jaroslav was thrilled over the opportunity to play alongside such legends as Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall, guys he had only heard of before. His first NHL game was against Chicago and Jaroslav admitted years later that he was in awe of players like Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita. Stan Mikita himself was born in Czechoslovakia and lived there until he was seven years old skated up alongside Jaroslav and patted him on the back saying in perfect Slovak "Ako sa mas? (How are you?)." This friendly gesture from the great Blackhawk legend was a big thing for Jaroslav. Mikita was a huge legend in Czechoslovakia at that time and not many had seen him play but they all knew who he was. Now Jaroslav was standing eye to eye with probably the most respected player in Czechoslovakia.
After the Chicago game Jaroslav only played two more games. In one of them he actually scored against Los Angeles but the goal was disallowed. Five years earlier the first European trained player, Swede Ulf Sterner also had a goal disallowed and never scored in the NHL. So Jaroslav missed out on the opportunity to become the first European trained player to score a goal in the NHL. He was held pointless in the three NHL games but played so well that St.Louis wanted him to stay for another year. They of course couldn't guarantee a spot on the team but told him that his chances were very good, especially since he had adapted very fast to the North American style of play.
Going Home
Jaroslav, who only months before had married in the USA, declined the offer and wanted to go home. He later said that he regretted that decision. "I only wish that I had been 25-years old instead of 30 when I came over," he said.
Jaroslav returned to the Czechoslovakian league and his team RH Brno, a club that he had played on from 1961 to 1975. When he retired in 1975 he became a coach in the Czechoslovakian league for many years. He also coached the Swiss national team between 1977-80.
Jaroslav was a greater player than most people knew when he came over to North America. Today he is regarded as a legendary player in the Czech Republic. Unfortunately the North American crowd only got a brief look at this top notch player who most certainly could have become a fan favorite with his fearless play in front of the goal.
Special Thanks To Patrick Houda
2012 - Armageddon Again?
When looking into the future at about this time in 2012, there is plenty of doom and gloom talk about more labour problems between the NHL owners and the Players Association.
There are several reasons for this, namely a) the rocky history of collective bargaining between the two sides, b) the introduction of hardliner Donald Fehr as the players' representative, and, most damning of all, c) the fact that the systemic improvements that assured cost certainty that the owners lost an entire season over last time are obviously not working.
Now we can naively hope that common sense on both sides will prevail and all parties involved will dare not lose another game to strike or lockout. Or that the current labour strife in the NFL and NBA sets the new landscape for hockey.
That being said the impending Armageddon does not seem nearly as scary as last time around. Teams and players alike are committing to contracts far beyond the expiration of the CBA. Previously teams would purposely ensure that most contracts were off the books by the expiration of the CBA. The NHLPA is not making the same public rhetoric about building a war chest of money to support players and their families in the event of labour action.
Both sides, especially the NHLPA, have been suspiciously quiet publicly. But you can bet your bottom dollar that both are also preparing behind closed doors for Armageddon again .You know all those exciting conference and divisional realignments Gary Bettman hints at? It is merely convenient that the Winnipeg situation would not allow for those changes to happen this coming season. Bettman can save those changes in his back pocket to entice the
Clearly there are serious concerns about the major systemic changes that Gary Bettman triumphantly delivered in 2004-05 at the expense of a lost.season. Atlanta and Phoenix have clearly failed. Several other teams, led by Florida, are in dire condition.
Undoubtedly Bettman and the owners, lacking any vision whatsoever, will fight tooth and nail to take it out of the players' cut, yet again. But in many ways the next labour dispute may be more owners vs. owners than owners vs. players.
The NHL have a couple of routes they could go, but they most certainly will not.
- Complete revenue sharing. Every dime is pooled together in one big bank account. At the end of the season expenses are paid out of this pool and the profit is split equally among the 30 teams. There is no way in hell the rich teams will go for this.
- Contraction. Clearly a 30 team NHL is not a healthy organization. It should be reduced to 24 or 26 teams that are healthy. There are all sorts of legal costs involved in this, and Bettman hates to admit he was wrong.
Ultimately the any lost games will be fought over salary cap changes. Several teams can't afford to operate at the current salary floor. Does that mean reduction or even elimination of the floor? Or does that create an unwanted situation of haves vs. have nots? Teams may have to tweak their revenue sharing formula, but you can bet the rich teams are not happy propping up poor teams in markets that clearly can not make the cut. Perhaps contraction is a viable option after all, even if it means short term pain for long term gain?
No matter what happens, one thing always seems to remain constant - Gary Bettman's presence. How he continues to pull the wool over the eyes of some of the wealthiest and smartest businessmen in North America is beyond many of us. How he can go to war, again, to fix the economic failures he brought in at great expense, is simply amazing.
Two things will be for sure: Donald Fehr will be doing Gary Bettman no favours, and hockey fans will be the big losers.
Two things will be for sure: Donald Fehr will be doing Gary Bettman no favours, and hockey fans will be the big losers.
July 08, 2011
Summer Time with Bobby Hull
Here's a 1965 advertisement for Jantzen denim - the denim that stretches! It features a very jovial-looking (and muscular!) Bobby Hull flanked by fellow sporting legends Dave Marr (golf/broadcasting) and Frank Gifford (football/Kathie Lee's husband)
July 06, 2011
The Hartford Whalers and Smokey The Bear
A summer public service announcement from the Hartford Whalers . . .
July 05, 2011
The Silver Fox
My girlfriend advised me that my hair is getting grayer by the day.
I told her it's because of her kids. She fired back that it's more likely because of my Canucks.
She may be right. Don't tell her that.
When I think of grey hair in hockey I always think of "The Silver Fox," Lester Patrick. Patrick is arguably the most influential man in the history of hockey.
Lester Patrick, along with his brother Frank, made countless contributions to the game of hockey throughout his lifetime as a player, coach, manager, owner and National Hockey League governor.
Sure he was a great player, and a good coach (best known for his "taking matters into his own hands" approach in the 1928 playoffs). But together with Frank, through their own league - the Pacific Coast Hockey Association - Lester Patrick pioneered hockey as big business.
Their key innovations include:
I told her it's because of her kids. She fired back that it's more likely because of my Canucks.
She may be right. Don't tell her that.
Lester Patrick, along with his brother Frank, made countless contributions to the game of hockey throughout his lifetime as a player, coach, manager, owner and National Hockey League governor.
Sure he was a great player, and a good coach (best known for his "taking matters into his own hands" approach in the 1928 playoffs). But together with Frank, through their own league - the Pacific Coast Hockey Association - Lester Patrick pioneered hockey as big business.
Their key innovations include:
- Numbered Jerseys
- Artificial Ice
- Blue Lines
- Penalty Shots
- Allowing of goalies to leave their feet to make a save
- Allowing of players to kick the puck
- Rewarded assists on goals
- "On the fly" line changes
- Encourage rushing defensemen
- Inaugurated a farm team system
- Devised a profitable playoff system which is now used universally.
Be sure to read the full Lester Patrick biography here.
July 04, 2011
Love Baseball, But It's Not Hockey
Check out this photo of Wayne Gretzky getting chummy with none other than Cheryl Tiegs:
Tiegs of course was once the hottest sex symbol on the planet. She looks great even in a New York Yankees T-Shirt, doesn't she?!
I am starting to miss hockey already. I like watching Wimbledon. I enjoy baseball. But it's just not the same.
Maybe it's because hockey players are true warriors. Baseball players, by comparison, are pansies.
Brian Clapp has a fun read comparing hockey players and baseball players. Here is a snippet:
Mario Lemieux: While on pace to break Wayne Gretzky’s single season scoring record, the Penguins superstar announced that he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and would have to undergo radiation treatment for at least two months. Lemieux’s life and career were both threatened.
On the last day of his radiation treatment, Lemieux left a Pittsburgh hospital headed for the airport and flew directly to Philadelphia for a game THAT NIGHT. In his first game back he scored a goal and an assist and even got a standing ovation from the Philadelphia fans; fans who are best known for their accuracy throwing batteries at the opposition, not giving applause.
Meanwhile In Baseball - In 2004 Sammy Sosa spent 15 days on the disabled list with back spasms caused by sneezing too hard.
Here is Clapp's full article. Some of the baseball injuries are just hilarious.
Tiegs of course was once the hottest sex symbol on the planet. She looks great even in a New York Yankees T-Shirt, doesn't she?!
I am starting to miss hockey already. I like watching Wimbledon. I enjoy baseball. But it's just not the same.
Maybe it's because hockey players are true warriors. Baseball players, by comparison, are pansies.
Brian Clapp has a fun read comparing hockey players and baseball players. Here is a snippet:
Mario Lemieux: While on pace to break Wayne Gretzky’s single season scoring record, the Penguins superstar announced that he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and would have to undergo radiation treatment for at least two months. Lemieux’s life and career were both threatened.
On the last day of his radiation treatment, Lemieux left a Pittsburgh hospital headed for the airport and flew directly to Philadelphia for a game THAT NIGHT. In his first game back he scored a goal and an assist and even got a standing ovation from the Philadelphia fans; fans who are best known for their accuracy throwing batteries at the opposition, not giving applause.
Meanwhile In Baseball - In 2004 Sammy Sosa spent 15 days on the disabled list with back spasms caused by sneezing too hard.
Here is Clapp's full article. Some of the baseball injuries are just hilarious.
July 03, 2011
Back To Basics
The absolute heart of this website is undoubtedly the large archive of profiles on former NHL and international hockey stars.
For some reason, my enthusiasm for researching and writing these profiles wanes in the playoffs. I guess there is only so much time in the day for hockey, and watching the games are first and foremost. As you probably already know this website does not hurt for content during the playoffs. But the build up of player profiles does slow.
I have gotten back into the swing of things, adding a few profiles of note this past week:
For some reason, my enthusiasm for researching and writing these profiles wanes in the playoffs. I guess there is only so much time in the day for hockey, and watching the games are first and foremost. As you probably already know this website does not hurt for content during the playoffs. But the build up of player profiles does slow.
I have gotten back into the swing of things, adding a few profiles of note this past week:
- Recently retired Todd Marchant and Paul Kariya
- Original Ottawa Senators Bill Touhey and "Hurricane" Hec Kilrea
- Former Minnesota North Stars forward Ulf Dahlen
- Long time Blues and Coyotes forward Dallas Drake
I definitely want to continue the build up of the archive, and I want to add a player on a daily basis this summer. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @HockeyLegends as that is where I will announce each and every new player profile.
Tennis, Anyone? Hockey's Connection To Wimbledon
Tennis is a great game. For me Tennis will always be about Boris Becker back in 1985, Snoopy, Mmm...Maria Sharapova and streakers.
This weekend is the finals of one of the world's greatest sporting spectacles - Wimbledon. The best tennis players in the world have taken to the grass at center court at the All England Lawn Tennis And Croquet Club, where they play tennis since 1800s but not croquet in over 100 years. This is 'The Championships' 134th year!
Now, you might think it would be pretty hard to tie Wimbledon together with hockey history. But actually, it is very easy. One of the greatest hockey players of all time also happens to be a regular Wimbledon competitor and your 1954 Men's champion!
I want you to meet one of the most interesting hockey players/tennis players you'll ever get know.
Jaroslav Drobny
Center Jaroslav Drobny was born on October 12, 1921 in Prague, Czech Republic. He was a very industrious center with a good touch for the net. He was strong and very creative. Good skater. He began playing for CLTK (Cesky Lawn Tennis Klub) Prague as a youngster and went on to play 11 seasons in the Czechoslovakian league between 1938-49.He represented Czechoslovakia 31 times, scoring 36 goals. He played in the 1939 World Championships, scoring 6 goals in 9 games, as well as 1947, winning a gold medal while he scoring 15 goals in 7 games. He also participated in the 1948 Olympics, scoring 9 goals in 8 games and capturing a silver medal.
He was described as "an excellent skater with great technique." He was a bit of a soloist, but was said to be be good at setting up plays after showing off his puck skills a little bit. Some hailed him as Josef Malecek's successor as the greatest Czech hockey star. Though he had many opportunities to join better club teams, he would never leave the small CLTK Prague team because his father was a caretaker at the arena.
Bruins Wanted Him In '49
So good was Drobny that he could have become the first European to play in the National Hockey League. In 1949 the Boston Bruins put him on their reserve list and offered Drobny $20,000 to cross the Atlantic. Drobny refused, preferring amateur hockey over the pro game, and unwilling to give up his chance to travel the world and play international tennis.
He Was Better At Tennis
Drobný was also a world class tennis player at this time and combined his hockey with the tennis. In the winter it was hockey, and in the summer it was tennis. He even began competing at Wimbledon prior to World War II.
Life Changed In Moments
But Drobny would soon make a desperate choice that would see his hockey career end.It was during one of the tennis tournaments in 1949 that his life changed drastically as he decided to emigrate from Czechoslovakia. Drobný himself remembered that moment and the circumstances very well.
"On July 11, 1949 I travelled to Gstaad in Switzerland together with my friend Vladimir Cernik (whom he played in the Davis Cup together with) to participate in a tennis tournament there. Together with Cernik I figured that we would stay there for about a week. So I put 50 dollars into my pocket and really looked forward to the tournament because some of the worlds best tennis players were going to be there.
After two days when the tournament had already started we received a message from Prague that told us to withdraw from the tournament and get back home. We refused. We were in a very uncomfortable situation. The hosts of the tournament had invited us to play and we couldn't just let them down. We were one of the main attractions in the tournament and our absence could have meant financial losses for the organizer.
Later on two gentlemen representing the Czechoslovakian foreign ministry showed up in Gstaad. Again they told us to go back home, and they did it in a very arrogant way. When they went back home, Cernik told me that he would not return back to Czechoslovakia. I still hadn't made up my mind. I had never thought about defecting from my country. But my human instinct and fear struck me as I was thinking about it further. If I would return back home, would they ever let me play again ? Would I be able to travel everywhere that I wanted ? At that time I had a tennis tournament ahead of me in USA and I was afraid that they wouldn't let me go there.
Freedom At Any Price
I was afraid that I would never play abroad again. That they would not let me travel freely. And I didn't agree with the way politics and sports was mixed. So I finally told the organizer of the Gstaad tournament, a Mr. Scherz, that I wouldn't return back to Czechoslovakia. I decided to stay in Switzerland.
I worked two years in Switzerland as a hockey trainer but I wanted to go to USA where my girlfriend was. (Rita Anderson Jarvis whom he married later on). The problem was that I was traveling on Swiss documents since my Czechoslovakian passport was revoked. If I had come directly from Czechoslovakia then I could have stayed in USA. But in my situation I would have to wait five years for a permanent stay.
I of course was really missing my home. To be able and visit my local favourite pub or to eat moms donuts. I was all alone, My real friends were back home, my mom and dad. But that was the price I had to pay for freedom."
Off To Egypt, And Wimbledon
A couple of years later the left handed Drobný was invited by the Egyptian King Faruk and became an Egyptian citizen. He represented Egypt when he played tennis. He lost the Wimbledon final in 1949 in five sets, but in 1954 he won the Wimbledon title by beating Ken Rosewall. Drobný also won the French Open twice and the Italian Open three times. In total Drobny participated in 17 Wimbledon tournaments, always sporting his trademark tinted sunglasses as an old hockey injury affect his eye sight. He also participated in 43 Davis Cup matches, winning 37 of them.
Jaroslav Drobny was a world class hockey and tennis player who unfortunately was robbed of his best hockey years. Drobný was a truly legendary hockey player and an even bigger tennis star who chose freedom ahead of everything else.
Drobny died in 2001 at the age of 79.
(Special thanks to Patrick Houda)
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