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84 years old. Leading scorer in Blackhawks history.
84 years old. Leading scorer in Blackhawks history.
Bobby Hull Passes Away
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He was the Mickey Mantle of hockey in his youthful years. Blond, fast, big slap shot, charismatic. Bobby Orr replaced him just as Hull jumped leagues.
He was the golden boy of hockey when I was a kid. His slapper was legendary.
Didn't know about the personal stuff.
Didn't know about the personal stuff.
First player I can recall whose slapshot was spoken of in terms of danger.
And easily on the list of worst hairpieces in sports history.
Hull had an argument for being the best player in the world for most of early and mid sixties. Howe had started to fade and Orr hadn’t yet arrived. He , and Stan Mikita lead the curved stick revolution then in vogue - terrorizing (mask free) goalies with the unpredictable movement of the resulting slap shots. Eventually leading to rules on stick curvature.
Of course he was the face of the WHA when he jumped leagues. Pity his legacy was destroyed by being such a horrible human.
Of course he was the face of the WHA when he jumped leagues. Pity his legacy was destroyed by being such a horrible human.
I doubt it. The WHA was way looser defensively than the NHL. No way Hull scores 77 at age 36 in the NHL for example.
And even with the WHA boost he has a total of 903 goals. Howe had 975 combined NHL and WHA goals. Gretzky BTW had 46 WHA goals for a total of 940.
And even with the WHA boost he has a total of 903 goals. Howe had 975 combined NHL and WHA goals. Gretzky BTW had 46 WHA goals for a total of 940.
His slapshot was so great that he could score with it from the blue line. I remember reading about the best shots of that era (Bobby Orr was on the list) and the word was that his brother Dennis' shot was harder but that Bobby's had more movement. He had an unbelievable bigger-than-life swag on the ice with his speed, hair and slap shot! There would never be anything like him again...oh wait, Guy LaFleur
And yet the Blackhawks kept him on as a team ambassador until last February. What a miserable organization.
When I played college hoops we were thrilled to be on a plane with the Golden Jet. He was sitting in first class chatting up this young gal. When the plane landed he was all over her as we got bags, insisting she share a ride with him. He was standing between her and her bag, he had clearly had a few. A guy on my team, a huge 6'9 guy reached over him and grabbed her bag, and as he handed it it to her said, "Hey are you Bobby Hull?" As the young woman made her escape, Bobby became the picture of charm, answering questions, signing autographs. As he left he pulled the big guy aside and told him "I wasn't always an asshole you know" and said he should hire a guy that big to keep him out of trouble. Clearly a guy who struggled with alcoholism.