Jean Beliveau 1931 -2014
- Thread starter Insidious Von
- Start date
From all I've ever heard he was a gentleman both on and off the ice.
Interestingly paternally he was Acadien rather than Québécois. Being paternally descended from Antoine Béliveau, who arrived in Port Royal in 1642. After le Grand Dérangement they were in Massachusetts for nearly a century before relocating to Trois Rivières, Québec - - which is not the typical story.
Interestingly paternally he was Acadien rather than Québécois. Being paternally descended from Antoine Béliveau, who arrived in Port Royal in 1642. After le Grand Dérangement they were in Massachusetts for nearly a century before relocating to Trois Rivières, Québec - - which is not the typical story.
I thought this would be appropriate, in memory of this legend. His 500th goal. He got hat-trick that night !!
Heard a radio show this morning about him. He knew what it meant to be one of the greats. He had class and displayed it.
Couldn't believe the Habs bought an entire team so they could own his rights. RIP JB.
Couldn't believe the Habs bought an entire team so they could own his rights. RIP JB.
An interview with JB and how he started his career. Many greats in this interview. What a passionate personality in this man !!!
The truth is that Beliveau signed with Quebec for less to force Montreal to pay up. Hockey owners were ALL powerful at that time, probably the worst in sports, and players were
treated like cattle. You basically had to take what they gave you.
Beliveau was a real phenom coming out of juniors, a Lemieux of his time, and Montreal was counting on getting him into their lineup.
He knew this, and knew he had some leverage, and used it. He was holding out for more money. Unheard of at the time, but he had that kind of star power.
As the legend grew, and he morphed into a real elder statesman, the version got airbrushed a bit, with his help, that he felt an obligation to
repay Quebec for how well they treated him.
I saw him play in his last few years, and the first version of the story was the one referred to at that time amongst sports journalists.
This guy was classy and elegant and refined, the consummate sportsman, but he was nobody's fool, trust me.
Actually, Les Canadiens bought the entire Quebec Senior Hockey League and turned it into a full-time professional league to ensure they got him to play for them.
I didn't know that about Derek Sanderson, always thought he was a party animal with some skill. If he did try to fight him he'd have to answer to John Ferguson and Claude Provost. Which I have to assume he wasn't looking forward to. The dirtiest hockey player I've ever seen is Mark Messier, did he ever drop the gloves?
49 times in his career... I remember quite a few good tilts. Joel Otto. Marty McSorley.
http://www.hockeyfights.com/players/387
The Oilers were a nasty team - Messier, Lowe, Anderson, Fogolin, Semenko, Hunter, Jackson, Linseman, McClelland... Even Coffey had over 100 PIM. Team toughness, bordering on dirty.
The term "tough as nails" was coined specifically for guys like John Ferguson.
One of the toughest guys ever to play, and very productive given the lower scoring back then and the PIM he took.
My dad abhorred fighting in the game, but even he respected John Ferguson.
