Rod Gilbert Bio

[Davenport]

Been a fan of Rod Gilbert since 1967 - when he appeared on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" - and just today saw some information about Gilbert's back injury I never knew anything about. On March 3, 1961, participating in the OHA playoffs with the Guelph Royals, Rod stepped on something that had been tossed on to the ice, and fell heavily in to the boards. This I knew. What I didn't know was that he stayed in that game. In fact he played until March 24, when he was pulled from the playoff game against the Niagara Falls Flyers. The next day Gilbert was on a train to the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota, where he would have surgery performed on his spine.

Until today, I had always thought that Rod's fall - on March 3, 1961 - led to an injury which immediately led to his being sent to the Mayo Clinic. Never realized that he continued playing for 3 weeks with a badly damaged back. Cannot imagine the pain and impairment he endured.

That information - and much more about Rod Gilbert - is found in Jim Amodeo's article "Rod Gilbert: 1941-2021 - Mr. Ranger," at Hockey Then & Now. Below is a link to that article:

ROD GILBERT: 1941-2021 - MR. RANGER

On the morning of September 8, the Funeral Mass for former NewYork Ranger, Rod Gilbert, was held in Manhattan at St. Monica's Catholic Churc...

hockeythenandnow.blogspot.com

Click to read more...

 

[Crosby2010]

I didn't know that either. I figured the fall would have caused him to be removed from the game. I guess there is some of that "if a bone isn't showing you're playing" thinking but I think what else it might have been is that it worsened over that month to the point where he couldn't play.

In the mid-60s Rod had another bad injury and was actually pronounced dead on the operating table. The story goes that coach Emile Francis shouted (and I am paraphrasing) "Bring him back damn it, he's my best player!" This was during a spinal fusion operation, which I believe was successful, but while on the operating table he choked on some medication and that's what caused his temporary death.

 

[Davenport]

I didn't know that either. I figured the fall would have caused him to be removed from the game. I guess there is some of that "if a bone isn't showing you're playing" thinking but I think what else it might have been is that it worsened over that month to the point where he couldn't play.

In the mid-60s Rod had another bad injury and was actually pronounced dead on the operating table. The story goes that coach Emile Francis shouted (and I am paraphrasing) "Bring him back damn it, he's my best player!" This was during a spinal fusion operation, which I believe was successful, but while on the operating table he choked on some medication and that's what caused his temporary death.

If that had been Garry Peters, Francis would have said: "Bring in the priest."

Rod Gilbert earned himself induction in to the Hockey Hall of Fame with his performance as a Ranger, with a bad back, and no rings. Imagine how he'd be regarded today if one of the Habs' scouts had spotted him as a youth playing hockey in Montreal. He'd have joined the Canadiens just after Maurice Richard's retirement, and as Bernie Geoffrion was slowing down. Minus back problems, Gilbert could/should have put up better numbers as a Hab. He'd have hoisted the Cup six or seven times.

 

[Davenport]

Below is a link to an article by Rick Cole which explains how Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle - hockey players who were born and grew up in Montreal - became the property of the New York Rangers. Both Roger Picard and Yvon Prud'homme deserve the gratitude of any fan of the Blueshirts - and especially any fan old or informed enough to know Gilbert and Ratelle.

March 2

Our blog returns today after a couple of weeks off as we begin to cover the stretch run in the 1967-68 hockey season. Since our last report, the playoff picture has become clearer, at least in the …

hockey50yearsago.com