Bartendings Finest

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Preface and Introduction to a book of hockey – Most tragic deaths of Hockey

Prologue

It would be a collection of short stories detailing the life and tragic death of several former players from the NHL. I was a little skeptical about the project at a time, the reasoning that a wide range of tragic stories about former pro hockey players had already been collected in one book, and in any case, such an undertaking would be too extensive and comprehensive for us to complete a realistic manner. My findings of an initial wave of research point out that, in fact, several biographies of hockey and had published on the players he wanted to profile, such as Howie Morenz, Terry Sawchuk, Tim Horton, and John Kordic. There was, however, a single source, which brought together several of these stories. My research also confirmed my initial belief that the task would be daunting.

The process of establishing the parameters and scope of the book began to emerge once I started my research. It was decided early on that only former NHL players in the offing, with the exception of the great hockey principles such as Hod Stuart, Frank McGee and Hobey Baker, all those who played before the league was established. Legends of Hockey were excluded because So even the score great Valeri Kharlamov Soviet star, who died in a car accident at a young age.

It was also decided that profile would only players who died while playing professional hockey. There were exceptions to this rule. McGee and Baker left the game to go to war, recently Babe Siebert retired was ready to coach the Montreal Canadiens, Yanick Dupre was bravely fighting leukemia, and Brian Spencer was shot dead, several years after he finished his NHL career. These players all died relatively young, however, which was consistent with the central premise of the project. Some legends of hockey tragically died were excluded, among others, George Hainsworth great goalkeeper who died at the age of 55 in a car accident.

the Most of my original plan was the profile of ten hockey players, including stars like Morenz, Sawchuk and Horton. But I began to uncover several ex-NHLers who died tragically young. The life of not less than 12 players were separated in time detailed chapters. The last chapter was added, in which 16 more were profiled briefly.

My fascination with the turbulent lives of several of these professional hockey players made it somewhat easier to remain committed to writing the book, as you moved from one story to the next. I am grateful that they were excellent bibliographic sources available to complete my project: hockey books, historical documents, magazine stories, newspaper articles, Internet stories and firsthand interviews with former players.

I sincerely hope that most readers tragic deaths like to read about hockey, and on the way to find out more about the history of professional hockey and the NHL, in terms of how the league developed and the resulting drama, both on and off the ice. I also hope that readers will appreciate how the lives of these players alongside their own, in the sense that we all experience "wins" and "tragedies" in life.

Introduction

Several former NHLers portrayed in this book were the stars with special places in the history of hockey. No fewer than six of these stars are among the twelve founding members elected the National Hockey League Hall of Fame in 1945: Hobey Baker, Charlie Gardiner, Howie Morenz, Frank McGee, Hod Stuart and Georges Vezina. Hod Stuart was one of the best amateur players Canada at the turn of the century, but at 28 died tragically while swimming. One-Eyed Frank McGee was the most feared striker of his time, helping to successfully defend Ottawa Stanley Cup nine times in 1900 but died in battle during the First World War. All-American sports hero Hobey Baker survived the Great War only to be killed during a routine test flight. Baker, McGee and Stuart were all established stars of hockey, of course, before the formation of the NHL in 1917.

The other three founding members made their mark of the greatness of the newly formed league. Durable Georges Vezina, nicknamed "The Chicoutimi Cucumber, rarely missed a game since 1910 until 1924. Possibly the Premier Pro goalie, Vezina led the Montreal Canadiens to two Stanley Cups. After veteran star's death tuberculosis, the NHL announced the Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the netminder with the lowest goals against average. "Chuck" Gardiner won the award twice a year seven, the race of the stars, the last time shortly before the defense of a painful infection of the tonsils as he headed the Chicago Black Hawks to the 1934 Cup, the team first. The spread of infection throughout his body, he suffered a brain haemorrhage and died shortly thereafter.

Howie Morenz, also known as The Stratford Streak was the superstar of the league's first true. A center for fast, Montreal talent Canadiens, Howie helped popularize hockey in the United States in the 1920s. After seasons in Chicago and New York, the veteran returned to his beloved Canadiens in 1937, only to break his leg during the return and later held dying in the hospital with a broken heart to his stellar career had ended so badly.

Although the Maple Leafs defense of Bill Barilko never reached the Hall of Fame, is still remembered for his game winner of 1951 Stanley Cup goal. That figure surpassed the Leafs its fourth Cup in five years Barilko with the club, but the fate of the young rearguard fortunes changed dramatically after that summer, when he disappeared on a trip plane for northern Ontario. Bill's body was not discovered until 1962, the following year the Leafs won the Cup

North Stars forward official Bill Masterton never had the chance to fight for the Stanley Cup, but still fulfill his dream of playing in the NHL. Rookie 29-year-old suffered a head injury a serious collision on the ice at the beginning of the 1968-69 season. Tragically, he died in hospital shortly afterwards. The league later he created the bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the player best exemplifying perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Masterton also led to death Some NHLers to start using helmet but the helmet was not compulsory until several years later.

Possibly the greatest goalie ever, Terry Sawchuk Vezina Trophies captured four Stanley Cups and seven during their glory years in Detroit and later at Toronto. A perennial All-Star during his remarkable career, NHL 21-years "Uke" Crouch revolutionized goaltending with his trademark style. It was copied by generations of netminders aspiring youth. Sawchuk was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971, a year after his death from stomach-related injuries, at the age of forty. Another veteran who enjoyed a long career and varied history, rugged and reliable rear guard Tim Horton worked for 24 years in the NHL, winning four Cups with the Leafs and later anchor the defense of youth teams in Pittsburgh and Buffalo. In early 1974, the Buffalo Driving home late at night after a game at Maple Leaf Gardens, Horton was killed when his sports car crashed on the road.

Pelle Lindbergh, the young Swedish goalie of the Philadelphia Flyers, was another hockey star who died in a horrible car accident late at night. Its bright red Porsche crashed in suburban New Jersey in November 1985, leaving him in a coma with serious head injuries. Lindbergh had recently converted in the first European goalie to win the Vezina Trophy, as the subsequent death of this star shocked the world pioneer of hockey.

Worried and tormented performer the death of John Kordic also surprised many in the professional hockey. A fighter adept NHL terrorized opponents with his fists during the decade of 1980, Kordic was popular in Montreal and Toronto, but soon wore out their welcome. After unsuccessful seasons with a number of professional teams, the boxer died besieged in 1992, probably the result of ingestion of a lethal mix of alcohol, cocaine and steroids. Her death brought much publicity to the league to finally adopt a comprehensive policy on substance abuse.

Alcohol also allegedly had a role in the death of the veteran rearguard Steve Chiasson, who played for Detroit, Calgary, Hartford and Carolina Hurricanes. Chiasson attended a team party just after the playoffs ended 1999 and died later that night, after his truck crashed on the way home.

Another defender, talented Bryan Fogarty, never became the player many thought it would be. Often On Bobby compared to a Canadian junior hockey star, Fogarty continually fought substance abuse problems throughout his professional career with problems and inconsistent as a good friend John Kordic. After short stints with Quebec, Montreal and Pittsburgh, the rearguard played for several clubs based in Europe before finally putting an end in 2000. He died of heart failure less than two years later.

last chapter of this book briefly considers the lives of 16 other former NHLers that died too young. Hod Stuart is discussed, his death at the beginning of the century was the first real hockey "tragedy." Others include Hobie Baker, Scotty Davidson, Frank McGee, Red Garrett and Joe Turner, these players were killed as soldiers, either the First or Second World War. Also mentioned is "Bad" Joe Hall, a defender Blueline robust patrolling the two clubs for the Montreal Maroons and Canadiens. Hall was the only player to die from the flu during the finals of the Stanley Cup 1919 between FAN and the Seattle Metropolitans, which finally ended without a winner declared. Like Stuart, former Canadiens star Babe Siebert also met its demise while nothing. Baby was a defensive star for the Maroons, the Rangers and Bruins to finish his career in the late 1930s with the Canadiens. He drowned while on holiday soon later.

Some modern NHLers are outlined towards the end of the last chapter, including Michel Brière, a talented rookie star with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The best team player in the postseason 1969 Stanley Cup, Briere suffered a major head injury in a car accident out of season. Remained in a coma for nearly a year before finally dying. San Luis defender Gassof Bob was also a victim of serious head injuries, his being received in a motorcycle accident. A tough defense, reliable for the Blues in the mid-1970s, Gassof was another player who died in an off-season setback.

Brian Spencer was one talented hockey player, but never reached its true potential as an officer of Toronto, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and New York Islanders. "Spinner" was more than a rookie in 1970, when his father was killed tragically in death by the RCMP. Brian's career never took off after that, and the troubled former NHLer moved to Florida shortly after his retirement, and finally acquitted of first-degree murder in a highly publicized trial, Spencer was mysteriously killed shortly after death.

The tragedy also returned to the Philadelphia Flyers in the late 1990s. Yanick Dupre briefly played left end for the Flyers, between 1991 and 1996, but then became ill with leukemia. He died less than a year after his final NHL season. A promising rookie defender of Russia Dmitri Tertyshny earned a roster spot with Philadelphia in 1998-99, but was killed in a boating accident that summer.

How have lived and died NHLers often reflects the amount of these players were the product of his time. Vezina, Gardiner, Hall and Morenz died of disease or early disease in the 20th century, it is quite possible that their lives have been saved if they had access to care that modern medicine and science routinely provide to patients. Baker, Davidson, McGee, Garrett and Turner all died in the fighting dictated by the political struggles of his time. I also Barilko, these great principles of hockey were also victims of the dangers of modern aviation.

Modern NHLers have also met targets that accurately reflect the dangers of our time. Briere, Horton, Gassof, Lindbergh, Chiasson, Tertyshny and Snyder all died because of mishaps such as traffic accidents. Most of these accidents involved alcohol use, largely during or after an event involving at least some of his teammates of the player, either a game, the role of the computer or game. Alcohol also was a key factor in the death of Sawchuk, Spencer, Kordic and Fogarty, illegal and dangerous drugs, probably play a significant role in the latter three cases. The recent suicide of Roman Lyashenko, the only known suicide in the NHL, is another telltale sign of the relentless pressure facing modern professional hockey players.

An important lesson here is several pro hockey players have historically been victims of the same problems of substance abuse, poor decisions, and personal demons. Not surprisingly, then, that many NHLers have died as a result of misfortune, often during the offseason. late spring and summer are the months when the hockey players are opportunity to let their guards and enjoy life more. Are known to have some beers, play a few rounds of golf, and spend more time with family and friends. Some players take their leisure in the heart, living life in the fast lane, taking part in reckless endangering even life-activities. That these players can engage in irresponsible behavior to escape from the pressures of being professional athletes does not make his actions acceptable, but more comprehensible. There is no doubt that the players Modern hockey regularly face more stressful situations that players of the past, and this seems reflected in the increasing number of deaths recently. Since 1997, twenty-seven players profiled in this book have died – Stéphane Morin, Dupre, Fogarty, Chiasson, Tertyshny, Lyashenko, and Snyder. Interestingly, the latter three died from misadventure during the offseason.

About the Author

Brad Lombardo received his B.Ed. from the University of Toronto and his M.A. from McGill University. He has worked as a business manager, marketing consultant, account executive, admissions counselor, high school teacher and sportswriter. He has written a still to be published hockey book, and is currently penning a movie script based on his experiences as a Canadian teenager living in Spain.

Day 3.3: SURGERY DREAM – my beer league ice hockey game

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