1974 Canada/Soviet Summit

[cam042686]

Really? Can't see the Bruins letting him go play for the WHA. Interesting fact, I did not know.

There isn't a lot known about that. The WHA asked Orr, Bobby Clarke, Phil Esposito and I believe Dave Keon. Orr though was the ultimate goal. From what I researched for my book he was willing but the NHL and Bruins "nixed that" pretty quick.

Think about it though. Orr was so good and the 74 series was so close - does he allow Team Canada to maybe grab a tie in the series? Not saying they win - the Soviets were so good. But does Bobby Orr maybe give Team Canada an extra 2 wins? Just a thought.

Craig Wallace

 

[Back in Black]

Considering the series was closer than many think it was. Imagine if that (last second) goal at the buzzer by Bobby Hull counted? Was it game 6, I forget, but that could have changed the series.

Great Hockey either way.

I was able to get one of those '74 Summit Series Pucks in my travels. That's a keeper!

https://capsports2000.com/img/shop_produits/ITEM/TEMPO/5874.jpg

 

[cam042686]

Considering the series was closer than many think it was. Imagine if that (last second) goal at the buzzer by Bobby Hull counted? Was it game 6, I forget, but that could have changed the series.

Great Hockey either way.

I was able to get one of those '74 Summit Series Pucks in my travels. That's a keeper!

https://capsports2000.com/img/shop_produits/ITEM/TEMPO/5874.jpg

It was actually Game 7 - and the replays showed the green light (end of game) flashing on a fraction of a second before the red light. But they also show the puck in the net before the green light came on. So the goal should have counted. And if it did count than Game 8 is a very meaningful game. Little known fact - the disallowed goal scored by Bobby Hull was set up by Paul Henderson!

Craig Wallace

 

[Back in Black]

Ya and considering it was a Canadian Referee, its not like they could have cried fowl.

Good Hockey.

Funny thing about this 2014 Olympics that just passed, is it won't be remembered like the Summit Series. But 2010 will, since it won at home!

Gotta love Team Canada hockey Craig!

 

[cam042686]

Ya and considering it was a Canadian Referee, its not like they could have cried fowl.

Good Hockey.

Gotta love Team Canada hockey Craig!

I do, lol!

The referee was Tom Brown and he enraged the Soviets in Game 2 by disallowing an apparent goal by Vladimir Petrov. Brown was a Major Junior ref and I believe he was way over his head at this level. I have always wondered why the WHA didn't insist on at least one professional referee for the series. After all the Soviets agreed on an amateur Canadian ref. Why not a pro?

Craig Wallace

 

[1Gold Standard]

I do, lol!

The referee was Tom Brown and he enraged the Soviets in Game 2 by disallowing an apparent goal by Vladimir Petrov. Brown was a Major Junior ref and I believe he was way over his head at this level. I have always wondered why the WHA didn't insist on at least one professional referee for the series. After all the Soviets agreed on an amateur Canadian ref. Why not a pro?

Craig Wallace

My guess would be an amateur ref would have less familiarity with the pro players having never officiated a pro game, thus while not as qualified, there would be less of a chance of a particular bias coming through in favor of the pro players. Incompetence would have been acceptable to the Soviets b/c at least it would have been incompetence for both sides = fair. Just a thought.

 

[cam042686]

My guess would be an amateur ref would have less familiarity with the pro players having never officiated a pro game, thus while not as qualified, there would be less of a chance of a particular bias coming through in favor of the pro players. Incompetence would have been acceptable to the Soviets b/c at least it would have been incompetence for both sides = fair. Just a thought.

You may have a point!

Here is another question. After Josef Kompalla's dreadful officiating in 1972 how on earth did the WHA agree to allow him to work in 1974? Including Game 8 which before the series you would have thought may be all important! And like 1972 he was a disaster. Who will ever forget Vladimir Shadrin slicing open Pat Stapleton's face in Game 8 and Kompalla ignoring Stapleton's bloody face? Stapleton then rushes over, covers his own hand in his blood and wipes his blood on Kompalla's own face! I though Kompalla would have a stroke! He gave Pat a misconduct then. But he still refused to call a penalty until Bobby Hull and Ralph Backstrom cornered him and forced him to review the rule book. Then and only then did he call a major on Shadrin.

Craig Wallace

 

[cam042686]

Just a thought here on Team Canada's goal-tending. Did Billy Harris and Bill Hunter put the team at risk by having Don McLeod and Gilles Gratton as the backups? Good lord, what if Gerry Cheevers had gotten hurt or what if he left the team after his father in law died after Game 5?

McLeod despite a stellar 1973-74 season was a minor league goalie who had looked awful in training camp, the juniors had scored on him in the exhibition games and he gave up 8 goals in Game 3. Gratton was very talented but was a total head case. This series in my mind could have gotten ugly really fast (from a Canadian point of view.)

Got to wonder why Ernie Wakely or Al Smith were not on the team.

Craig Wallace

 

[Killion]

Gratton was very talented but was a total head case. This series in my mind could have gotten ugly really fast (from a Canadian point of view.)

Elementary. Why, had Gilles been called upon, he had dozens of past life experiences that he himself couldve' called upon to stone the opposition. He couldve channeled his former life as "The Count" for example. Or the "Knight of Yore" during the Spanish Inquisition. Remembered them all apparently & loved to share tales of his adventures with anyone that would listen. Photographic memory. Thats a lot of depth there cam. A lot of experience. Provided the Moon was in Sagittarius Gilles Gratton wouldve been good to go I reckon. Wound up playing goalie in this life facing pucks at 90mph as punishment for transgressions committed previously. Makes sense to me.

 

[bucyk09]

Team Canada 1974 puck

my name is Stephane Harvey, from La Baie, Qc. I am a member of SIHR.

I am very passionate by the 1974 Summit series

I love your book about that series.

Last year i met at Renfrew, Ontario, Richard Bendell, who contribute to your book. ( i love his book on 1972 too!) very great person.

I given to him on a cd all my research about the 1974 summit.

I have a good question about the series, maybe you can help me.

I have two pucks about the series, and i want to know wich one is the game used puck for the game.

I think the first one, all red is the game used puck for the game played in Canada.

The second one with blue and red, i think, this is the souvenir puck who, by exemple, was given to the dignitary during the ceromony before the game. But i am not sure.

( See below for the puck image )

Can you help me????

Thanks,

Stephane Harvey

 

[bucyk09]

Team Canada 1974 on facebook

Just want to add than i created on facebook, a page called Team Canada 1974, to honor the memory of of the canadiens players who represented their country 40 years ago. Over 150 photos about the series on the page!!!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Team-Canada-1974/331460563668392?fref=ts

 

[Canadiens1958]

Souvenir vs Game

my name is Stephane Harvey, from La Baie, Qc. I am a member of SIHR.

I am very passionate by the 1974 Summit series

I love your book about that series.

Last year i met at Renfrew, Ontario, Richard Bendell, who contribute to your book. ( i love his book on 1972 too!) very great person.

I given to him on a cd all my research about the 1974 summit.

I have a good question about the series, maybe you can help me.

I have two pucks about the series, and i want to know wich one is the game used puck for the game.

I think the first one, all red is the game used puck for the game played in Canada.

The second one with blue and red, i think, this is the souvenir puck who, by exemple, was given to the dignitary during the ceromony before the game. But i am not sure.

( See below for the puck image )

Can you help me????

Thanks,

Stephane Harvey

Souvenir pucks for the various International Series tended to be of lesser quality than game pucks and were individual team oriented. The pucks you show seem to be silk screened versions. Game pucks form the 1970s were not silk screened as the image would rub off after a few trips up and down the ice. Silk screened game pucks were the norm after In Glas Co perfected the process in the 1980s.

The following link gives an overview of the history of International game pucks and souvenir pucks. If the link is too commercial please feel free to remove it:

http://officialgamepuck.com/International Hockey/Pro Tournament Home.htm

 

[bucyk09]

The puck all in red color is silk screened but not the puck with blue and red color.

Maybe the best way to know the answer is asking a player who played in the series...if he can remember!!!

Thanks

 

[bucyk09]

Team Canada 1974 puck

I take a picture of the back of each puck, maybe it's will help to find which one is the game puck used during played in Canada.

This photo is the Puck in red color.

Official CAHA write on the back ( see photo )

 

[bucyk09]

Team Canada 1974 puck

The second puck, with red and blue logo.

Approved CAHA write on the back.


Someone can help me, wich one was the game used puck for games in Canada????

Maybe the two were used during games???

 

[cam042686]

Just want to add than i created on facebook, a page called Team Canada 1974, to honor the memory of of the canadiens players who represented their country 40 years ago. Over 150 photos about the series on the page!!!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Team-Canada-1974/331460563668392?fref=ts

Stephane,

Great stuff! I have seen most of these photos but they are great. I am so glad you enjoyed my book! And it really is too bad this series has almost been forgotten. The quality of hockey played in it was superb.

I wish I could help you with the pucks but I can't.

Craig Wallace

 

[cam042686]

Elementary. Why, had Gilles been called upon, he had dozens of past life experiences that he himself couldve' called upon to stone the opposition. He couldve channeled his former life as "The Count" for example. Or the "Knight of Yore" during the Spanish Inquisition. Remembered them all apparently & loved to share tales of his adventures with anyone that would listen. Photographic memory. Thats a lot of depth there cam. A lot of experience. Provided the Moon was in Sagittarius Gilles Gratton wouldve been good to go I reckon. Wound up playing goalie in this life facing pucks at 90mph as punishment for transgressions committed previously. Makes sense to me.

I will say Gilles Gratton actually played very well in the half games he played in Helsinki and Prague when Team Canada 74 played there before and after the Moscow part of the series. And that is impressive considering Billy Harris gave him no action at all in the exhibition games versus the juniors or in the first 4 games in Canada.

Craig Wallace

 

[Brooklanders*]

I've become a fan of Mr. Wallace.
Great to see we have some "A" list celebrities on this board.

 

[bucyk09]

The forgotten summit by Craig Wallace

I love so much the book of Craig Wallace about the 1974 summit, i bought it three times!!! One the pdf version, paperback version and Epub version!!!!! Now l can read it on my cell phone!!
I probably read it 15 times!!!! And i still enjoy it!!! And still enjoy the 1974 summit series!!!


Stephane

 

[cam042686]

I love so much the book of Craig Wallace about the 1974 summit, i bought it three times!!! One the pdf version, paperback version and Epub version!!!!! Now l can read it on my cell phone!!
I probably read it 15 times!!!! And i still enjoy it!!! And still enjoy the 1974 summit series!!!


Stephane

Stephane,

Thank you so much for your support and for buying my book. As an author it is so gratifying to hear from your readers who enjoy your work.

Stephane - in your opinion as a student of the series, what were your thoughts on the officiating in it? Was it biased, or simply just very poor?

Craig Wallace

 

[bucyk09]

Referee

I think the referees used in the series was not enough good to officiate a top level hockey liked the 1974 summit. They were part-time referee, as said so well Billy Harris.

They had a special training camp before the series with Vern Buffey, the referee in chief of the WHA, but it was not enought.


I think this is one of the reason why we didn't see another summit series like that.

 

[cam042686]

I was just thinking. Forty years ago, right now both Team Canada and the Soviet Union for in training camp preparing for Summit 74!

When the series started fans across the world were treated to some truly great hockey.

Craig Wallace

 

[Killion]

I was just thinking. Forty years ago, right now both Team Canada and the Soviet Union for in training camp preparing for Summit 74!

Indeed.... and I recall reading an article, interview with Gordie Howe about that.... how one of the Russians had slashed Mark in the butt cutting him open.... so Howe on a play dumps the puck into the corner, the guilty party going for it, Gordie there decking the guy and breaking his arm.... goes on to tell how after the game the player had to shake hands with his wrong arm... no remorse nor regrets, quite bemused by it in fact.... at 46yrs of age..... at anyrate, had a great deal of respect for the Soviet players after that Series.

 

[cam042686]

Indeed.... and I recall reading an article, interview with Gordie Howe about that.... how one of the Russians had slashed Mark in the butt cutting him open.... so Howe on a play dumps the puck into the corner, the guilty party going for it, Gordie there decking the guy and breaking his arm.... goes on to tell how after the game the player had to shake hands with his wrong arm... no remorse nor regrets, quite bemused by it in fact.... at 46yrs of age..... at anyrate, had a great deal of respect for the Soviet players after that Series.

Rick Smith told me that story when I was interviewing him for my book on the 74 Summit!

It was truly amazing how well Gordie played in that series at age 46. He played well in the games in Canada and then in Moscow along with Ralph Backstrom and Mark Howe formed Team Canada's most effective forward line.

Craig Wallace

 

[Killion]

Rick Smith told me that story when I was interviewing him for my book on the 74 Summit!

Indeed. Most fascinating story and I must get your book. I unfortunately didnt watch that series, otherwise occupied & out of the country at the time so no memories of it really. But yes, must have been highly entertaining, the WHA in its most formative of years vs the USSR.... Cheevers, backed up by Smoky McLeod & the eccentric Gilles Gratton; Rick Ley, Brad Selwood (who I remember as a Leaf), J.C. Tremblay & Pat Stapleton (amongst others) on Defence. Mike Walton, Rejean Houle, Hull & Mahovlich of course, even Johnny "Pie" McKenzie up~front who I trust refrained from any overt Shenanigans, like his Statute of Liberty Choke Dance or whatever huh? Doubt the Russians wouldve understood & if they did, not impressed. Maybe falling into a Stalin pose, like the Great Thinker or whatever right there at Center Ice, Luzhniki Ice Palace in Moscow.... I could see him doing that actually. Not at all hard to imagine.