Dick Beddoes

[Pyrophorus]

His hat was iconic.

 

[kihei]

For my money, along with Scott Young, he was one of the greatest sportswriters in Canadian history.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Bed Clothes!!!!

He was a stitch! I use to watch him on CHCH Channel 11 out of Hamilton as a young man, Wednesday nights on HNIC I don't think he took him self overly serious, at least in the 70's, He wore a stereotypical reporters Fedora, and a plaid jacket. Had the Michael Strahan gap tooth look going. Long white sideburns.

Loved to take the piss out of people, and wind them up. I can't find a clip of him from around 1979 with Punch Imlach. He goaded Punch into referring to the Czech Hockey Federation as "damn commies." Classic Dick. Very little on him google wise.....

 

[Fourier]

Was he one of those, too, like Stan Fischler?

He's a little before my time, but in clips of Beddoes I've seen I didn't really mind him. He seemed to have a sense of humor -- tongue partly in cheek, if you will -- about what he was saying, as if he knew he was losing the uphill battle but defiantly stuck with it.

But Fishler was just a prick, as far as I'm concerned. I suspect Fischler had some deep-rooted issue with Glen Sather from his playing days, as Fischler discredited the Oilers/Gretzky for everything. In 1981, Fischler said Gretzky only scored 164 points because his teammates were so bad (i.e., he got a lot of ice-time... or something?). After 1983, he declared Trottier superior to Gretzky and said the Oilers would never win. After 1984, he declared the Oilers "team arrogant" and said they'd never win again. After 1986, of course, Fischler's dream came true (Oilers lost) and he lapped up every second of it. In 1987-88, he did an article comparing Mark Messier to Mike Gartner and concluded Gartner was the superior player.

Beddoes seems harmless, by comparison. I don't mind the old-skool guys, as long as they're not arrogant about things.

As I mentioned before, Pocklington's famous quote stating that the Oilers would win a Cup within 5 years was sparked by Beddoes comments about how bad the Oilers were. But you are correct that compared to Fishler Beddoes was almost a fan. Beddoes was a big personality who seemed to play-up the east is best angle that dominated the NHL in those days with a particular focus on the Center of the Universe. The irony was that he was from small town Alberta

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Televison was different back in then. It was regional. Now it so sanitized to reach the national audience. Beddoes knew he was in the entertainment business, certainly when he was on television. Other writers/broadcasters think their opinions or so important .
He had some of the other television guys had great fun....especially when Harold Ballard would join them. Ballard made Beddoes seem like an introvert. You had to have fun on those dark days of the Leafs, and the Chuck Norris division

 

[Killion]

Televison was different back in then. It was regional. Now it so sanitized to reach the national audience. Beddoes knew he was in the entertainment business, certainly when he was on television. Other writers/broadcasters think their opinions or so important .
He had some of the other television guys had great fun....especially when Harold Ballard would join them. Ballard made Beddoes seem like an introvert. You had to have fun on those dark days of the Leafs, and the Chuck Norris division

Ya, this & more. He was one of the first sort of "celebrity talking heads". Media Mafia. Pundit. Bon vivant. Flamboyant. Bit of a Peacock of course. Image conscious which is actually a good thing, fun. Flowery. Colorful. As others have mentioned sort of a cross between Stan Fischler & Don Cherry. If he were alive today very likely much in demand going head-head with guys like Bob McCown, Don Cherry, Bill Watters etc back in the 00's, teens... Toronto Sports Talk radio & other platforms. He obviously got a kick out of life, enjoyed the attention, in being at times controversial, pushing the envelope. So a bit of a Trailblazer for those who followed. I should think a fan of Damon Runyon. Very much patterned after.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Ya, this & more. He was one of the first sort of "celebrity talking heads". Media Mafia. Pundit. Bon vivant. Flamboyant. Bit of a Peacock of course. Image conscious which is actually a good thing, fun. Flowery. Colorful. As others have mentioned sort of a cross between Stan Fischler & Don Cherry. If he were alive today very likely much in demand going head-head with guys like Bob McCown, Don Cherry, Bill Watters etc back in the 00's, teens... Toronto Sports Talk radio & other platforms. He obviously got a kick out of life, enjoyed the attention, in being at times controversial, pushing the envelope. So a bit of a Trailblazer for those who followed. I should think a fan of Damon Runyon. Very much patterned after.

Really hate seeing those two names together.

 

[Killion]

Really hate seeing those two names together.

Beddoes just as polarizing. I found him extremely annoying at times but hey, all part of the schtick.

 

[FerrisRox]

For my money, along with Scott Young, he was one of the greatest sportswriters in Canadian history.

That's quite a claim considering his career as a sportswriter ended in scandal and shame.

 

[Killion]

That's quite a claim considering his career as a sportswriter ended in scandal and shame.

.... uh oh... now you done it... best be splainin' plz Ferris....

 

[Big Phil]

Beddoes and Fischler are two guys who I just think wasted their talents. Nowadays we are used to the guys like Skip Bayless or Stephen A. Smith or Bob McCown who basically say things for shock value for the sake of it. If anything networks prefer these guys over the substance of a person like Bob McKenzie. I'm a big Don Cherry fan, but when Cherry says something he backs it up, and he also has plenty of stories from the old days. Beddoes, just like Fischler said things and didn't even care if anyone believed them. Which is too bad because they could have been taken a lot more seriously had they stuck to the basics. Fischler if I remember correctly was at the Richard Riot game in 1955. There are a lot of stories he could have told instead of saying silly things like "The Oilers weren't a dynasty because they never won three in a row" or that the Red Wings don't have a chance to win the Cup again if they don't have Doug Brown.

Beddoes was on the anti-Gretzky train long after it left the station. People in the media didn't like him the first couple of seasons but even the harshest critics relented once he had his big 3rd year with 92 goals. Yes they were called "Weak kneed wimps" after they lost to the Kings in 1982 but everyone knew Gretzky was the best player in the game still............except Beddoes. Saying Sergei Shepelev is better than Gretzky in 1982 (or 1983?) was just nonsense and a means for attention.

The problem I have is that Beddoes didn't need to do this, but still did.

 

[FerrisRox]

.... uh oh... now you done it... best be splainin' plz Ferris....

Sorry, I thought it was common knowledge, but Beddoes career as a sportswriter ended when he was fired by the Globe & Mail for plagiarism in 1980. Beddoes, of course, claimed that he "resigned" but only after admitting he plagiarized large parts of a New York Times column by Russell Baker.

It has long been rumoured that the Baker column was "the final straw" and that a Globe editor had, on multiple occasions talked to Beddoes about "similarities" in his work and other published materials from American newspapers. In the case of the Russell Baker column, there was no reasonable doubt, Beddoes had lifted full portions of the column, something that was definitely going to be noticed by the readership because there was definitely overlap between New York Times and Globe & Mail readers in several Canadian markets.

 

[Killion]

Sorry, I thought it was common knowledge, but Beddoes career as a sportswriter ended when he was fired by the Globe & Mail for plagiarism in 1980. Beddoes, of course, claimed that he "resigned" but only after admitting he plagiarized large parts of a New York Times column by Russell Baker.

It has long been rumoured that the Baker column was "the final straw" and that a Globe editor had, on multiple occasions talked to Beddoes about "similarities" in his work and other published materials from American newspapers. In the case of the Russell Baker column, there was no reasonable doubt, Beddoes has lifted full portions of the column, something that was definitely going to be noticed by the readership because there was definitely overlap between New York Times and Globe & Mail readers in several Canadian markets.

.... indeed. ... and no, I dont think thats common knowledge outside of Toronto & hockey, sports writing circles quite so much Ferris. Just why he would have done that & risked exposure, something he clearly must have been doing for quite some time speaks to a lack of depth & originality, of knowledge. Of superficiality which many did pick up on & particularly noticeable during his television & radio appearances be it as a host or guest... which really was a turnoff as it was so apparent. All hat & no cattle.

And... he was far from alone, singular when it came to, comes to any number of Toronto's writers, talking heads elsewhere be it Vancouver, LA, St Louis or wherever. Beddoes caught up in the explosion of the 500 channel universe & rise of sports talk radio, the "celebrity pundit & sportswriter" meme. Unfortunately its all been amp'd up over the past 38 years, particularly so over the past 15-20yrs with the internet, demise of mainstream media's revenues & lack of resources to hire proper "journalists" & "reporters" who have the ability to go deep, triple check sources & so on. So they "borrow". Swipe. Plagiarize. Dont bother to check sources. Run their mouths with dubious single sources. Biased. Pretty sad state of affairs.

 

[c9777666]

Beddoes was on the anti-Gretzky train long after it left the station. People in the media didn't like him the first couple of seasons but even the harshest critics relented once he had his big 3rd year with 92 goals. Yes they were called "Weak kneed wimps" after they lost to the Kings in 1982 but everyone knew Gretzky was the best player in the game still............except Beddoes. Saying Sergei Shepelev is better than Gretzky in 1982 (or 1983?) was just nonsense and a means for attention.

That weak kneed wimps Line was not from Beddoes/Fischer BTW. That was Edmonton Journal columnist Terry Jones (who is still writing locally in EDM)

 

[Big Phil]

That weak kneed wimps Line was not from Beddoes/Fischer BTW. That was Edmonton Journal columnist Terry Jones (who is still writing locally in EDM)

Oh I know. I am just saying the Oilers did get criticism for not winning, but even the harshest critic of the Oilers still knew Gretzky was the best player in the NHL. Beddoes didn't. Or chose not to out of spite.