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The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes
After thirty years as an official in the National Hockey League, legendary referee Kerry Fraser has decided to hang up his skates and enjoy the game from the other side of the boards. Never shy about offering his opinion or afraid to step in and separate an on-ice fight, Fraser is arguably the most respected referee in the history of the game. Over the course of the 2,165 NHL contests he oversaw, Fraser has shown himself to be an unbiased, courageous, and sometimes controversial judge.
In The Final Call, Fraser provides a highly entertaining, honest, and sometimes hard-hitting look at the game and its many faces and changes over his record-breaking career. Go to ice level and experience first-hand the interactions of your favourite players and coaches from the man you love to hate!
In The Final Call, Fraser provides a highly entertaining, honest, and sometimes hard-hitting look at the game and its many faces and changes over his record-breaking career. Go to ice level and experience first-hand the interactions of your favourite players and coaches from the man you love to hate!
286 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2010
45 people are currently reading
508 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
June 19, 2023
Kerry Fraser was considered by many to be one of the better NHL referees during his 30 year career in the league. When one considers how much travel he did, how many players and coaches he encountered and all of the events he saw during that time, one must imagine that he has plenty of stories to tell. That is evident when reading his memoir, written in 2011, soon after his retirement.
Despite the title, the book isn’t completely stories from the rink or his personal life. There are passages that describe the training, fitness requirements and other parts of a hockey official’s life. It was clear from this that one of the things that Kerry didn’t like about the job was writing the reports after each game, especially if it was a game in which there were many penalties or other occurrences. This would include incidents such as verbal altercations that may not have resulted in penalties but still warranted extra attention from the league offices.
What makes the book very entertaining, though, IS the variety of stories Fraser shares. These are mainly divided by location, with chapters covering several NHL cities. All of the Original Six cities are covered as well as others such as Philadelphia (where Fraser officiated his last game on the last day of the regular season in 2010) and Vancouver. Players from Gordie Howe to Wayne Gretzky to Sidney Crosby are given time in the book. Those are the greatest names mentioned (along with Mario Lemieux) but there is plenty of material on players that aren’t as famous well.
Some fans may remember certain games in which Fraser was part of the story, most notably the famous illegal stick call in game 2 of the 1993 Stanley Cup Final between Montreal and Los Angeles.18 years after the call, he still felt he made the right call – just as any proud official would do. These stories about his officiating, as well as stories about outings and work with fellow officials are just as good as those about the players and coaches.
What really stood out in this book for me, however, is how gracious he was in paying tribute to everyone who made his career memorable. Of course, like any good family man, there is plenty of praise for his wife Kathy and their children. Hockey fans of any age will enjoy reading this memoir of a Hall of Fame referee.
Despite the title, the book isn’t completely stories from the rink or his personal life. There are passages that describe the training, fitness requirements and other parts of a hockey official’s life. It was clear from this that one of the things that Kerry didn’t like about the job was writing the reports after each game, especially if it was a game in which there were many penalties or other occurrences. This would include incidents such as verbal altercations that may not have resulted in penalties but still warranted extra attention from the league offices.
What makes the book very entertaining, though, IS the variety of stories Fraser shares. These are mainly divided by location, with chapters covering several NHL cities. All of the Original Six cities are covered as well as others such as Philadelphia (where Fraser officiated his last game on the last day of the regular season in 2010) and Vancouver. Players from Gordie Howe to Wayne Gretzky to Sidney Crosby are given time in the book. Those are the greatest names mentioned (along with Mario Lemieux) but there is plenty of material on players that aren’t as famous well.
Some fans may remember certain games in which Fraser was part of the story, most notably the famous illegal stick call in game 2 of the 1993 Stanley Cup Final between Montreal and Los Angeles.18 years after the call, he still felt he made the right call – just as any proud official would do. These stories about his officiating, as well as stories about outings and work with fellow officials are just as good as those about the players and coaches.
What really stood out in this book for me, however, is how gracious he was in paying tribute to everyone who made his career memorable. Of course, like any good family man, there is plenty of praise for his wife Kathy and their children. Hockey fans of any age will enjoy reading this memoir of a Hall of Fame referee.
November 13, 2024
Great book for any hockey fan. I laughed out loud throughout this book. Great storytelling!
June 12, 2012
In the interest of full disclosure, I have been a hockey official for the past 22 years. So this book is totally in my wheel house. Kerry did a great job telling some awesome stories from his 30+ years in the NHL. This book isn't just for refs. This book is perfect for any hockey fan.
July 9, 2015
Kerry Fraser has an impressive memory of the details of his career, especially regarding anyone who ever praised him for his years of service. I would have preferred to read less about every person who would miss him after 2,165 games and more about how he got there. Dividing his memories by team left the narrative disjointed, and it felt like he focused on the history of each franchise more than his own history. That might seem humble if he wasn't constantly reminding us everyone thinks he's the greatest. Or maybe I'm just bitter no chapter covered the North Stars.
I would have liked to hear more about the way linesman and referees work together. I would have been especially interested in the transition to the two referee system, but he only mentions that it happened.
But still, there's no shame that he's a better referee than writer, and it was fun to read his stories.
I think this book is best suited to an amateur hockey referee because Fraser describes a lot of specific situations, but doesn't tell much about refereeing. He does extensively cover the personality managing side of refereeing, which my baseball umpire instructors always told us separates the pros from the amateurs.
One other aspect of this book I got a kick out of is how much he reminds me of Dad. The way he talks and the ease i which he establishes personal connections with everyone he meets especially made me think of Dad. I don't know how much of this is.because they are both from Sarnia or if I imagined parallels because that shared hometown was on my mind. Anyway, it made the book that much more fun for me!
I would have liked to hear more about the way linesman and referees work together. I would have been especially interested in the transition to the two referee system, but he only mentions that it happened.
But still, there's no shame that he's a better referee than writer, and it was fun to read his stories.
I think this book is best suited to an amateur hockey referee because Fraser describes a lot of specific situations, but doesn't tell much about refereeing. He does extensively cover the personality managing side of refereeing, which my baseball umpire instructors always told us separates the pros from the amateurs.
One other aspect of this book I got a kick out of is how much he reminds me of Dad. The way he talks and the ease i which he establishes personal connections with everyone he meets especially made me think of Dad. I don't know how much of this is.because they are both from Sarnia or if I imagined parallels because that shared hometown was on my mind. Anyway, it made the book that much more fun for me!
November 6, 2018
I was leaning towards 4.5 stars, but that not being an option, I gave it 5. I had never read a book by a referee before so this provided a very different perspective on professional hockey than anything I had ever read.
Fraser uses his final season as a referee as the template to look back over his career. For example, talking about his final game at the Bell Centre leads into memories of previous experiences refereeing Habs games. Some reviewers found this disjointed but I found it an interesting approach.
One interesting insight about Fraser is that he is a committed Catholic. Also throughout the book he uses interactions with players and coaches to emphasize the importance of communication, and to demonstrate instances where interpersonal relationships and building of character transcended the game. There is also emphasis and insight into the family life of a referee who is travelling extensively for most of the year.
There is no indication that Fraser had a professional writing partner. It seems like he authored this himself. For a first time author, he has put together a very interesting look at life in the NHL spanning 30 years.
Fraser uses his final season as a referee as the template to look back over his career. For example, talking about his final game at the Bell Centre leads into memories of previous experiences refereeing Habs games. Some reviewers found this disjointed but I found it an interesting approach.
One interesting insight about Fraser is that he is a committed Catholic. Also throughout the book he uses interactions with players and coaches to emphasize the importance of communication, and to demonstrate instances where interpersonal relationships and building of character transcended the game. There is also emphasis and insight into the family life of a referee who is travelling extensively for most of the year.
There is no indication that Fraser had a professional writing partner. It seems like he authored this himself. For a first time author, he has put together a very interesting look at life in the NHL spanning 30 years.
July 14, 2011
Kerry Frasier desperately needed an editor for this book. While I really enjoy the hockey antidotes he's gather over three decades in the NHL, his writing has the uncanny ability to suck the drama out of nearly every situation and story. While this ability probably served him well as a referees, it's not great as an author. The writing isn't very good, and his parenthetical additions quickly become both obnoxious and burdensome (he'll even add things that are completely pointless, like I just did with this example).
If you love hockey, you'll still probably like the book. In reality, it's a quick read and decent enough, but had potential to be so much more.
If you love hockey, you'll still probably like the book. In reality, it's a quick read and decent enough, but had potential to be so much more.
December 6, 2021
I would have given it 3.5 if possible. The best line is early in the book when he said “God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth so we should listen twice as much as we talk”. That’s a great quote to remember! I like the chapter on the Winter Classic in Boston and his recollections of the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The book was a little too much of goodbyes from the best NHL players but it was a fun read. I always admired his guts to call penalties when warranted late in games when that wasn’t the way things were done for many years in the past. Used to be whistles were put away in 3rd periods and OT but not anymore. I think Fraser had a lot to do with that.
July 5, 2025
3.5. I like hockey, but I've just never been able to get quite into it as I am with football, baseball, soccer, and basketball. This is a memoir from one of the best referees the NHL has ever had. To be honest I'm not really sure how I even found out about this book, or why I picked it to be the first book about hockey I've ever read. But all in all it was a pretty solid read. It is basically just interesting anecdotes from Fraser's time spent in the NHL. I even knew who most of the players he referred to were. One thing I didn't like was how holier than thou Fraser sounded at times, especially when referencing trash talking. Solid read though
February 29, 2024
Go down to ice level and see the game of ice hockey through a fresh perspective courtesy of the most prolific NHL referee who ever lived, Kerry Fraser, in "The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes." Mixing in a solid balance of ego, humbleness and stories alongside some of the greatest players, coaches and arenas, Fraser puts forth an underrepresented viewpoint in the world of autobiographies. Though there are not enough published works by officials employed in professional sports, I wish that this one had been a bit longer and included more game-day memories.
November 26, 2021
Kerry Fraser gives a true insiders look at Hickey from a referee’s point of view. A must for every hockey fan especially those that think that every ref’s patron saint should be St. Lucy.
Fraser tells Of his successes and failures and his relationships with great payers and enforcers. He also tells about himself the man, how he matured and mentored. Great read. A good argument for having a referee be a commentator on networks broadcasting games
Fraser tells Of his successes and failures and his relationships with great payers and enforcers. He also tells about himself the man, how he matured and mentored. Great read. A good argument for having a referee be a commentator on networks broadcasting games
February 9, 2023
A worthwhile read for a hockey fan. There's more than a little ego here but that's not a surprise to anyone who saw Fraser ref. To be fair a lot of the self back-pats are deserved, and there are a lot of entertaining stories in this book.
June 26, 2017
Decent idea to read a sports memoir from someone other than a player. I did appreciate some candid facts and stories but the book had an odd/uneven flow that took away from the clarity.
September 9, 2021
This was an excellent read for any hockey fan out there. This book gave a different perspective on the game of hockey that is only found through the eyes of an on ice official.
January 31, 2022
With all those years in the league and being in some of the biggest games, I was expecting more stories not NHL history.
August 2, 2024
Came across as a little full of himself making some stories a little tough to believe.
February 20, 2025
Having seen KF ref games in the 80s after reading this I wish I'd paid more attention to the refs and how they did their job.
August 4, 2011
outstanding book. from start to finish it is a really crisp, different view of the game of hockey. while being a player may be tough, its likely equally tough to go in there and officiate. kerry frasier may have been one of the best referees to ever grace the game. there are quite a few stories in there that are simply outstanding. how many other people can say they officiated games with greats like gretsky, lindros, lemieux, forsberg, etc etc. and yet it isnt just a story of his respect for those players, but it is also the stories of how he built a repoire with the players and gained their respect from being both stern but understanding. at points i was literally laughing out loud, and other points where i couldnt help but cringe at the situations that were placed in front of him. well written, very fluid read, and overall a great book for any hockey fan.
decided-not-to-read
January 19, 2011My boyfriend bought this because he enjoys reading hockey memoirs. So do I, come to that, but I don't think I would have bought this one. He was less than thrilled with this one because it had a lot of moralizing, particularly religious. I'm getting the same impression, but it does still have some funny and interesting stories. Between the Lines may be a better book, if you just want a look at hockey from an official's perspective.
Okay, page 96 and the style (and content) are starting to annoy me too much.
Okay, page 96 and the style (and content) are starting to annoy me too much.
December 29, 2022
Okay. Some interesting stories, but not as much depth as expected. Did make for good bedtime reading - enjoyed it while reading, but wasn't hard to put down.
June 20, 2011
I very much enjoyed this book, being an NHL hockey fan and a Kerry Fraser fan. There are some great stories about some of the best players in the league, and a lot of insight into what officials have to deal with. He does sounds a bit preachy and gives himself a huge amount of credit but it is an autobiography so it wasn't really unexpected. I think it would be an enjoyable read for someone who wants a behind the scenes look at Kerry Fraser's life as an official.
December 29, 2011
Overall a very good book. Fraser shares his unique perspective of a game that most of us see from our chouches (or if we're really lucky, from the ice). The anecdotes and history and personal stories shared by one of the best at his profession were very interesting. At times it felt a bit melodramatic but I give a pass to a guy who isn't a writer by trade.
December 4, 2012
This is one of the best hockey books I've read in a while. It gave some insight about what actually goes on on the ice between players and officials. Kerry Fraser talks about his most memorable NHL arenas and his most moments in each of them. He references some games that I remember watching on TV, as well as ones that I attended. I recommend this to any hockey fan.
February 15, 2013
I've always liked Kerry Fraser. He was a good referee; (almost) always fair, and one that let the players decide the game. On a trip up to Canada I saw this book in Chapters and immediately snatched it up. While the stories are interesting, and there is a lot of detail in some of them, the writing style made it difficult for me to really get into.
March 7, 2014
It was interesting to see the game from a referee's perspective, but the way he wove the thread of his last game through the entire book--and I mean the entire book--got a little tedious. I'd be interested to see what other people think of it. It was par for the course for memoirs of hockey careers. I sure think he'd be a neat guy to meet.
January 31, 2016
Apparently Kerry Fraser was a legendary NHL referee who recently retired. (Is there such a thing?) After he retired, he wrote a book about his last season and his greatest experiences in the NHL. If you're crazy about hockey, this is a about a 2-star read. For the rest of us 1-star is about it.
February 20, 2011
Kerry Fraser chronicles his 33 years as an NHL official. Fraser was always my favorite NHL referee. I loved reading stories about all the players I knew while growing up watching hockey. A must read for anyone who loves hockey.
April 1, 2013
As a young hockey referee, I enjoyed reading this book. I often find autobiographies hard to read, but Kerry is a really great author and I would often laugh out loud as I read the stories that he shared about his time as a referee in the NHL.
January 11, 2011
I loved reading about Kerry Fraser!
February 2, 2012
This book is very interesting to me. I liked it a lot. J.M.
February 3, 2012
Loved the book. Different point of veiw of teh hockey world.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews