My dad and I have always talked a ton about hockey. From as far back as I can remember talking, he and I have talked hockey. He has told me so many wonderful hockey stories that I have forgotten, it saddens me. If I could remember them all, I'd have a 1000 rinktale posts …
Author: Rich Crowley
40 Years On
Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the opening game of the '72 summit series. I don't remember the first game, which we lost 7-3 in Montreal, and which apparently was quite a national shock. The video clip of Game 1 highlights found at this link is really interesting to watch. The talent level was …
Old Sticks For Sale
Here's a cool site that lists gamed-used sticks from former NHL'ers. Perhaps a Ron Greshner Koho for Christmas for $50 would suit someone in your family? I remember someone giving me a Victoriaville stick when I was a kid that was from Rod Gilbert of the Rangers. A very cool gift it was but …
Coombes and Ferguson, Spokes and Pedals, Fontaines
There was no SportCheck, National Sports, etc. when I was growing up. You had the sports departments at stores like Canadian Tire and the odd hardware store would carry sticks. Then you had the small, sports-only retailers. These were mecca to young athletes in small towns. In Peterborough, there were three such stores that I …
Continue reading Coombes and Ferguson, Spokes and Pedals, Fontaines
On the 401?
While driving on the 401 earlier today, in stop and go traffic (as is usually the case when crossing the top of Toronto on a long weekend), I spotted a single shinpad laying on the outside shoulder. I quickly asked my son, who was travelling with me, to snap a picture of it with his …
Howie Meeker’isms
We've had Don Cherry on the CBC for so long now that many Canadians can't remember anything but him. Prior to him, can you remember the nights when Howie Meeker provided the colour? "Jiminy Cricket!", he'd screech when making a point, or better yet "Golly gee whillikers!" Yikes, that's a long way from …
The Wet Tennis Ball
Do you remember playing ball hockey way back in the day? I mean way back, prior to the invention of the now ubiquitous orange ball hockey ball. Back then, my memory tells me we most often used a tennis ball. Real pucks were for ice, sponge pucks were no good on any surface and …
The California Golden Seals
Remember them? Go way back Rusty, waaayyyyy back. They came into the league with the 1967 expansion. They were an NHL franchise that didn't last. The west coast wasn't ready for a team without some star power and Gretzky didn't head to LA until 20 years later. One of the great memories I …
365 Days of Hockey
It's been several years since I started this blog. I have written a total of 63 posts. Some of these are short stories and some are just a few sentences. However, there have been many days where a hockey memory or two crossed my mind that never made it to rinktales. In some cases I …
Ouch!
Our fearless leader, organizer and goaltender through many years of summer and winter hockey declared as he came off the ice this past Thursday night after shinny, "I bought 50 pucks at the beginning of the year and now I only have 15 left! I don't know where they all went." Without missing a beat, …
Rink Tales 