So - which one voter kept Jeter from being the second player to be a unanimous vote into the HOF?
- StLBravesFan

Some idiotic fool with an agenda. Donk!

Thanks for sharing this, as I would have never known otherwise. Those guys were ornery on the ice, but they all probably respected each other. I think that most people who aren't insane, comprehend the idea that hockey is an emotional game. Fights go on in every kid's pond in Canada and the U.S. The combatants have their moment and move on.

I saw Fleming and Hull go at it at the Amphitheater. Afterwards, they were signing autographs a few feet from each other. Laughing and joking and harboring no I'll will. They were both athletes and entertainers who were "all in" in allowing the fans an enjoyable night. What I always appreciated from those men, was what they did and how they played, mirror-reflected the reality of the times in which they lived.
- gabriel

Here's another bit of useless but interesting info about Shack - after he was done in the NHL he played a few more games of organized hockey at age 40 with a team called the Whitby Warriors of the OHA Sr. league. One of his teammates that year was young Iron Mike Keenan.

Johnny Pie was about 5'6" at most.
- 6628

Man, didn't know he was that small. But that face resembling a pie-tin from Baker's Square? THAT I can remember as if it were yesterday. A demon on wheels.

Here's another bit of useless but interesting info about Shack - after he was done in the NHL he played a few more games of organized hockey at age 40 with a team called the Whitby Warriors of the OHA Sr. league. One of his teammates that year was young Iron Mike Keenan.
- RickJ

None of it is useless to me. A beloved part of a wonderful past. BTW, any word on Keenan's current status? Is he still involved in coaching at any level?

None of it is useless to me. A beloved part of a wonderful past. BTW, any word on Keenan's current status? Is he still involved in coaching at any level?
- gabriel

He now teaches meditation and yoga.

3-1 Canes over Jets after one.

Go Canes!!!

None of it is useless to me. A beloved part of a wonderful past. BTW, any word on Keenan's current status? Is he still involved in coaching at any level?
- gabriel

Recovering from a bout with prostate cancer and I've heard him on radio promoting getting tested early. I heard him say he spends most of his winters in Key West but still follows the NHL closely.

Another note on that Eddie Shack era - back then so many of those players came out of small towns in Northern Ontario where they had 2 options - try to make pro hockey a career or spend 40 years working underground in the nickel and gold mines around Sudbury, Timmins, or Kirkland Lake.

Foster Hewitt the famous hockey broadcaster used to call Kirkland Lake ' the town that made the NHL'. (Population 7000). Richardie Duff, Ralph Backstrom, Mickey Redmond, the Plager Bros.and many more.

Also, as you no doubt know in the 1960's the Hawks and Leafs would often play back to back Saturday/Sunday nights. After the Saturday night game both teams would go down to Union Station and take the overnight train back to Chicago. Supposedly they were in separate cars and never spoke to each other.

So - which one voter kept Jeter from being the second player to be a unanimous vote into the HOF?
- StLBravesFan

I am more concerned by those that felt Larry Walker is a HoF'er

It’s an insult young people make to alte-kachers like me....when we say something they don’t like.
- StLBravesFan

Are you even a boomer?

Are you even a boomer?
- Elbows15

Are you even a boomer?
- Elbows15

Kinda almost maybe - born in January, 1945 - so a little on the old side of it.

- mohel

LBR. The guy didn't need to find FDR buttons in an antique shop. He just had to open a drawer.

I am more concerned by those that felt Larry Walker is a HoF'er
- Elbows15

I'm checking to see if Pete Rose endorsed him and that swung the voters.

I am more concerned by those that felt Larry Walker is a HoF'er
- Elbows15

Multiple time batting champion, numerous gold gloves, all star games. I am good with it, plus it's good to see a guy who never really even played high school baseball find a way to reach the top.

I expect a very entertaining game tonight between 2 teams that have been playing very well and scoring a lot of goals along the way. Should be fun!

The Hawks forward depth/firepower has been EMPHATICALLY boosted by the recent play of Kubalik and Caggiula, and the forming of the new top line with those 2 flanking a red-hot and rejuvinated Toews.

This productive and dangerous newly formed trio along with the return of Saad has sparked a chain reaction in depth across the lineup.

Saad can now play with Kane, giving 88 a legit winger on his opposite side to allow for a replacement-level yet gritty and effective 2C(like Carpenter or possibly Kampf, or maybe even Shaw when he returns). We've seen this team on several occasions in the past use guys like Shaw, Handzus, Bolland, Richards, etc to plug in at 2C with the overall lineup remaining effective.

The chain reaction continues then as this allows for DeBrincat, Dach, and Strome(hopefully returning to join this duo after the All Star break) to all form a "3rd" line. Even though they haven't been putting up the points quite yet, you know the ability is there and on paper this is among elite 3rd lines in the NHL.

4th line options are overwhelming. In a good way. Starting with Kampf/Carpenter(whoever isn't 2C), then add in a little speed/skill with Nylander(who has played infinitely better in this role than he has in the top 6), Zach Smith(subtly effective for us this season), and Highmore. Possibly Sikura as well.

If that top line continues to produce(which i believe it can), and that 3rd line eventually finds the back of the net and rewards themselves for their hard work then this forward depth has the potential to stack up against any of the elite teams and be extremely dangerous.

Then you must couple the improved forward firepower(and the always reliable and often elite goaltending) with several factors that have also improved the team defense:

Boqvist development.
Loss of Seabrook.
Koekkoek getting more minutes, instead of Gilbert, and finding a groove of steady improvement.
Murphy, Keith, and Maatta all finally healthy.
Maybe most importantly we've had quick and active sticks by the entire team, commitment to poke checking while being smart about it, noticeable effort in deflecting pucks and getting in passing lanes at at level that makes us look like a completely different team than last year.


I can't believe I'm saying this, especially after where we were 20 games ago....but this turnaround has given me new hope and changed my mind about our playoff chances. Lets hope this positive trend continues. Starting with tonight's showdown with Q!
- SimpleJack

Nice post MexicoJack!

LBR. The guy didn't need to find FDR buttons in an antique shop. He just had to open a drawer.
- Elbows15

Glad you referenced Franklyn, not Teddy (I was alive for his last three months).

LBR. The guy didn't need to find FDR buttons in an antique shop. He just had to open a drawer.
- Elbows15

Dude...en fuego!

Nice post MexicoJack!
- HawkintheD

Can’t be Mex - the post is busted up into paragraphs....

Can’t be Mex - the post is busted up into paragraphs....
- StLBravesFan

For sure...Jack's was a lot more coherent. Just busting his chops cause it was long and I'm lazy.

Multiple time batting champion, numerous gold gloves, all star games. I am good with it, plus it's good to see a guy who never really even played high school baseball find a way to reach the top.
- kwolf68

No doubt a vg good player. A lot of his numbers benefited from playing in Colorado.
He isn't the first to make the HoF being a vg player, tho.

I'm checking to see if Pete Rose endorsed him and that swung the voters.
- RickJ

Pete set the odds.

Multiple time batting champion, numerous gold gloves, all star games. I am good with it, plus it's good to see a guy who never really even played high school baseball find a way to reach the top.
- kwolf68

Im not a Sox fan but i feel Konerko meant more to his team than Walker did. Winning batting title in Colorado, i don't know, just doesn't have the same value

No doubt a vg good player. A lot of his numbers benefited from playing in Colorado.
He isn't the first to make the HoF being a vg player, tho.
- Elbows15

Maybe we should just fold the Colorado franchise since no one who plays there ever gets any credit because of the atmosphere. Then we can also downgrade hitters who play for Milwaukee, Cincinnati and yes my White Sox because they play in good hitters yards. Where do you draw the line? In his era Walker hit over .350 4 times, won multiple batting titles and played elite defense while being a multi time all star. He deserves it.

Nice post MexicoJack!
- HawkintheD

LOLOL

What ever happened to that guy??

Im not a Sox fan but i feel Konerko meant more to his team than Walker did. Winning batting title in Colorado, i don't know, just doesn't have the same value
- BetweenTheDots

i love Konerko but he doesn't belong in the HoF, either.