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Back in The Bigs: How Winnipeg Won, Lost and Regained its Place in the NHL
- GenresSports
217 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 15, 2021
OMG, this glorious glossy picture book is an historical collection filled with anecdotes for us hockey-loving Winnipeggers to cherish and shed tears on. Such deep memories of Winnipeg and her Free Press photographs as clear in my mind as newsprint.
Such glee in fables only a ‘Pegger could relate too… Ben Haskin’s signing a 19-yr old singer, Barbra Streisand for his nightclub, the Town ‘n Country… Lazer Hatskin’s horse cart late for their trip over on the Titanic… Jack Kent Cooke offering to trade Kareem Abdul Jabbar for Bobby Hull… Hull breaking Espo’s 76 goal record, and Selanne obliterating Bossy’s… the birthing of that open-ice European hockey… Hull iced out by McVie on Tuxedo Night against the Habs. And so many familiar names: Dr. Gerry Wilson worked with my Dad, a young Stu Murray slept on the floor renting a room at my parents elderly care home, school with Asper, (…and the horribly entitled Gobutys)…
In the final stanza of this journey of recollections, surprise of surprises, my hockey memory is jogged to ex-Midget Major AA GWMHA hockey rivals Assiniboine Park Rangers (and St James Canadiens) Ludlow (and Chipman), because, get this, those two brought back the Jets back to the Winnipeg and NHL hockey... Very cool surprise indeed!
This was just a wonderful, wonderful reunion with my hometown, as always exceeding expectations of her prairie sensibilities.
Such glee in fables only a ‘Pegger could relate too… Ben Haskin’s signing a 19-yr old singer, Barbra Streisand for his nightclub, the Town ‘n Country… Lazer Hatskin’s horse cart late for their trip over on the Titanic… Jack Kent Cooke offering to trade Kareem Abdul Jabbar for Bobby Hull… Hull breaking Espo’s 76 goal record, and Selanne obliterating Bossy’s… the birthing of that open-ice European hockey… Hull iced out by McVie on Tuxedo Night against the Habs. And so many familiar names: Dr. Gerry Wilson worked with my Dad, a young Stu Murray slept on the floor renting a room at my parents elderly care home, school with Asper, (…and the horribly entitled Gobutys)…
In the final stanza of this journey of recollections, surprise of surprises, my hockey memory is jogged to ex-Midget Major AA GWMHA hockey rivals Assiniboine Park Rangers (and St James Canadiens) Ludlow (and Chipman), because, get this, those two brought back the Jets back to the Winnipeg and NHL hockey... Very cool surprise indeed!
This was just a wonderful, wonderful reunion with my hometown, as always exceeding expectations of her prairie sensibilities.
August 13, 2020
An extremely thorough, historical yet emotionally-charged retelling of the history of professional hockey in Winnipeg. I learned a lot, remembered things I had long forgotten, and understood the truth behind the team's tragic (but inevitable) move to Phoenix, plus the many things that came together just right for the city to get an NHL team again in 2011.
As a Winnipegger who has been away for 20+ years, it is great to read a book about one of my favourite things about the city. The final chapter especially painted the city in such a beautiful light - humble, hard-working, unsophisticated but trying to remain relevant and on the North American map in the 21st century.
Randy Turner surely did this as a labour of love, and I appreciate all the effort that went into making this book happen. Also, I thank my lucky stars that I found it on Yahoo Auctions Japan at such a low price!
As a Winnipegger who has been away for 20+ years, it is great to read a book about one of my favourite things about the city. The final chapter especially painted the city in such a beautiful light - humble, hard-working, unsophisticated but trying to remain relevant and on the North American map in the 21st century.
Randy Turner surely did this as a labour of love, and I appreciate all the effort that went into making this book happen. Also, I thank my lucky stars that I found it on Yahoo Auctions Japan at such a low price!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews