Sport Slices

We lost Howie Meeker last weekend. He was the oldest surviving Toronto Maple Leaf. He endeared himself to hockey fans for years, as a player, and as a commentator. He also served as a Member of Parliament, while playing for the Leafs in 1951.

But here is another side of Howie that is also an important part of his story. “He enlisted in the army in May, 1942. He was base in England as a machinist's apprentice in the Royal Canadian Engineers. During basic training, a stupid soldier inadvertantly todssed a line grenade between Meeker's legs, blowing him high in the air, and injuring him badly. He recovered, though, and went on to build bridges in the Rhine. When he was discharged, in 1946, he joined the Leafs.” Many thanks to Andrew Podnieks and his book Players The Ultimate A-Z Guide of Everyone who has ever played in the NHL. (Up to the date of publication, 2003).

Remarkably, Howie went to the NHL in style. He was the “Rookie of the Year” in 1947, netting 27 goals and adding 18 assists in 45 games. The runner-up in that contest was Gordie Howe! One of the most important assists in his career was when he fed the puck to Bill Barilko, in an overtime period. Barilko scored the winner to defeat the Habs in 1951, his last game in the NHL.

His career was shortened with nagging back pain, after 8 seasons with the Leafs. He did win 4 Stanley Cups in that span.

But it was as an analyst, and hockey commentator that Howie is best remembered. He was simply one of those guys who “saw” the game, and could break it down for us. He was never intimidated by situations, or by players. “You can't do that,” he would shout at the TV monitor as we watched a gaffe. “That was wrong! Tim Horton made a mistake. Look at what he's doing there!”

Interlaced with his dialogue, Howie would use several expressions that endeared him to the “Hockey Night in Canada” watchers. “Jiminy Cricket”, he would blurt out to emphasize a point. That might be followed by “Golly Gee Willikers” or “Jumpin Jehoshaphat”. While watching the tape he would say, “Stop it right there” to explain the point. My personal favourite, according to the Meeker way was, “You gotta take the man!”

Always with a broad smile, and a twinkle in his eye, Howie blurted out these expressions in a slightly whiney voice. We didn't care. He was entertaining, and informative. One of his books, published in 1973, Howie Meeker's Hockey Basics, became a hockey bible for many coaches. There are great clips on internet sites of Howie at his hockey school. Certainly a forerunner to Don Cherry.

We lost another great Canadian this past week. Alex Trebek. He was the host of Jeopardy for decades, and ran the show with a calm, caring attitude. Most of the time he reacted only slightly when a contestant submitted a bizarre question. He raised his eyebrows on one occasion when the contestants failed to buzz in on all of the questions about football. He hailed from Sudbury, and attended university in Ottawa. He always made a point to inform the listeners that he was Canadian, and an entire nation smiled in appreciation.

November 11, 2020. A time to reflect, to remember, to appreciate. Lest we forget.

James Hurst

November 11, 2020

# posted by James Hurst @ 1:45 PM