Monday, June 7, 2010
News Columnists / Joe Warmington
Holy puck! A sacred piece of rubber
By JOE WARMINGTON, Toronto Sun
Last Updated: May 29, 2010 10:28am
Who would have thought a black piece of rubber could be so coveted?
However this is not just any piece of rubber. For Canadian hockey fans this is akin to the Holy Grail.
But some 38 years after he picked it up off the ice after Game 8 in Moscow and stuck it into his glove, legendary Team Canada defenceman Pat “Whitey” Stapleton says the time is coming soon when a decision will have to be made just what to do with “The Puck.”
“We better figure something out before we all disappear,” teased 70-year-old Stapleton Friday from his Strathroy home of the disc Paul Henderson slipped by Vladislav Tretriak to win the 1972 Summit Series. “If you have any ideas about what to do with it, let me know.”
How about the Hockey Hall of Fame? He says he offered it to them in 1972.
“There was not much interest and they were talking about authenticity so I thought I’d just hang on to it for a while,” he said with a chuckle.
That has now turned into decades. “I was thinking maybe my grandkids should shoot it into a snowbank,” he says laughing.
Stapleton is just kidding. He’s always kidding. The truth is he can’t really decide what to do with it. “It’s a team puck actually,” he said. “I think maybe the team should decide.”
So he figures he will hang onto it until they all get together for the 40th anniversary in 2012.
“Maybe we will sort it out then but maybe we can hang on to the 50th,” he said once again laughing.
The puck pursuit continues.
Speaking on coveted items the Number 19, Team Canada sweater worn to score that winning goal now has a bid of $131,138 on the Classic Auctions website.
Henderson is hoping for a benefactor with loads of cash to come along and buy it and give it to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame of which he is a member.
“Paul was a Maple Leaf when he scored the historic goals for Team Canada. It would be a wonderful gesture if MLSE secured the jersey and return it to him,” suggests reader Duncan Mackenzie.
Maybe it could go to the new CSHF in Calgary for a while, then to the Hockey Hall of Fame and even one day on display at the Air Canada Centre?
Still no new bids on Teeder Kennedy’s teeth and $550 will get you his replacement 1945 Stanley Cup ring so far. Wonder what The Puck would be worth?
So many ask ‘why is Paul Henderson not in the Hockey Hall of Fame?’
“Tretiak is and he let in six goals in the biggest game of his life,” said Mackenzie.
It is amazing the guy who let in the goal is in and the guy who scored it isn’t.
Critics say Henderson should not be in for one game but the truth is he scored the winning goal in the final three games, seven in that series and had 388 professional goals and 399 assists, which certainly is in the same range as other honoured and deserving members like Clark Gillies, Bob Pulford and even Bob Gainey.
I feel he was left out because of the resentment of a few atheists on the selection committee of his strong Christian faith which means if you have faith he will one day get in there. Battling cancer Paul is a class man all the way and a role model — with or without the Hall’s honour.
Members of the Peterborough Mad Dogs have done something no member of the Toronto Maple Leafs have done in 43 years — got in a picture with the Stanley Cup.
Actually members of the Peterborough Minor Hockey Association junior tyke team, ages six and seven, had a special party at the home of co-coach Paul Johnston Friday with The Cup and six-time winner and NHL legend Mark Messier as the winners of the Team Up To Bring Home The Cup contest sponsored by Pepsi-QTG and TSN.
Pictured with Messier are co-coaches Johnston and Matt Hubble and players Ashley McLaughlin, Robyn and Scott Broersma, Damian Cheung, Liam Goodfellow, Logan Hannah, Jamie Hubble, Matthew Johnston, Noah McDonald, Emmitt Shannon, Logan Menard, Emmerson Jacobs, Patrick Tompkins and Cole Hubble.
“What a class act Mark was with the kids,” said Paul.
I am picking the Philadelphia Flyers to win the cup. The reason? I am predicting Petrolia’s own Michael Leighton to stand on his head. The goalie was in a Scrawler column April 26, 2008 for doing just that — then with the AHL Albany River Rats when he had 101 shots fired at him in almost eight periods of playoff hockey. He may have to do that again against the Hawks. I hope he does.
Congrats to the big-hearted Toronto Police Association who raised $7,000 for Ronald McDonald House at its annual golf tournament at beautiful Angus Glen this week. Everybody was there. Famous defence counsels Calvin Barry, Joe Markson, Tim Danson and coppers like Mike Abbott, Rick Perry, Dan Nealon and Hugh Ferguson and of course TPA president Mike McCormack.
I was in a foursome with CTV’s Ken Shaw, musician Marty Anderson and businessman Ian Overs and together we shot -4, just five shots off one of those big TVs. It was a blast, for a good cause and I love Shaw’s story about the time he struck a greens-keeper in the head with a ball. “I rushed down to see if he was okay,” said Ken. “I said what’s your name? The kid looked up and said ‘my name is John.’ Well John, my name is Gord Martineau and help is on the way.”
Enjoy your weekend, everybody. Scrawler out!
joe.warmington@sunmedia.ca
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/joe_warmington/2010/05/29/14183661.html
Calvin Barry is a Toronto-based criminal lawyer with over 16 years experience as a senior crown attorney at Calvin Barry Professional Corporation - Criminal Lawyers. Calvin Barry Lawyer Toronto has practiced in the area of Criminal Law and Regulatory Offenses since October of 2004, accruing over 30 years experience in criminal law.
