Does anyone remember why Clarke lost his captaincy briefly?

[Big Phil]

I was watching the 1980 Cup final between the Islanders and Flyers again. Lots of great names of course. Then it hit me, what was Mel Bridgman doing wearing the "C". Surely something was amiss so I took notice with Bobby Clarke and saw he had nothing on shoulder at all. It got me curious, I can't remember Clarke losing the "C" at any particular time:

Flyers Captains:
1978-'79 - Clarke
1979-'80 - Bridgman
1980-'81 - Bridgman
1981-'82 - Barber
1982-'83 - Barber
1983-'84 - Clarke

Clarke of course had it from 1973 to 1979 as well. Does anyone make sense of this? Because I can't. Surely Pat Quinn didn't strip Clarke of the "C" for a while did he? The only thing I can think of was that Clarke gave it up voluntarily to share it with others. But why would he? And why Bridgman when there was Barber, Leach, MacLeish, etc?

Does anyone remember the reason, because I can't.

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[Dipsy Doodle]

He went goofy on them.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

I was watching the 1980 Cup final between the Islanders and Flyers again. Lots of great names of course. Then it hit me, what was Mel Bridgman doing wearing the "C". Surely something was amiss so I took notice with Bobby Clarke and saw he had nothing on shoulder at all. It got me curious, I can't remember Clarke losing the "C" at any particular time:

Flyers Captains:
1978-'79 - Clarke
1979-'80 - Bridgman
1980-'81 - Bridgman
1981-'82 - Barber
1982-'83 - Barber
1983-'84 - Clarke

Clarke of course had it from 1973 to 1979 as well. Does anyone make sense of this? Because I can't. Surely Pat Quinn didn't strip Clarke of the "C" for a while did he? The only thing I can think of was that Clarke gave it up voluntarily to share it with others. But why would he? And why Bridgman when there was Barber, Leach, MacLeish, etc?

Does anyone remember the reason, because I can't.

Clarke became an on ice assistant coach, and had to be stripped of a letter because of it.

 

[Big Phil]

Clarke became an on ice assistant coach, and had to be stripped of a letter because of it.

Was that it huh? And I guess by 1983-'84 he went back to normal?

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Was that it huh? And I guess by 1983-'84 he went back to normal?

yeah,

Before the '79-'80 season began Clarke was named an assistant coach (Aug 10, 1979), and due to NHL rules had to give up his captaincy, which was taken over by Mel Bridgman.

Clarke played for one more season, adding another 17 goals and 60 points to his totals and with his assistant coaching duties over, was renamed as the Flyer's captain.

http://www.flyershistory.net/cgi-bin/hofprof.cgi?002

 

[Big Phil]

Fair enough, that makes sense. There are other situations I remember, such as why have we seen Serge Savard wearing the "C" and carrying around the Stanley Cup? Well, Cournoyer was injured for the 1977 and 1979 Cup finals so someone had to wear it. But the Clarke thing I wasn't aware of, or didn't remember.

 

[Big Phil]

You'd think Barber may have been better suited for the captaincy though. Just a thought.

 

[Killion]

You'd think Barber may have been better suited for the captaincy though. Just a thought.

Ya, perhaps. Similar to the Howe situation in Detroit that I know your aware of when in 62 Gordie was made an Assistant Playing Coach, the 'C' going to Alex Delvecchio... In Philly as well, some acrimony between Darryl Sittler & Clarke, whereby apparently he was promised or told he'd be appointed Captain but wasnt.

 

[Boxscore]

In Philly as well, some acrimony between Darryl Sittler & Clarke, whereby apparently he was promised or told he'd be appointed Captain but wasnt.

That's when Clarke was a rookie GM. He promised Sittler the captaincy and then was offered a young Murray Craven from Detroit for him and dealt him a few days before Sittler had the "C" sewn onto his chest. As of 10 years ago or so, Sittler said he still hasn't forgiven Clarke for that.

 

[seventieslord]

does this make Clarke the very last example of a player being a playing coach at the NHL level?

 

[Boxscore]

does this make Clarke the very last example of a player being a playing coach at the NHL level?

Was this before or after Reg Dunlop?

 

[reckoning]

In Philly as well, some acrimony between Darryl Sittler & Clarke, whereby apparently he was promised or told he'd be appointed Captain but wasnt.

That's when Clarke was a rookie GM. He promised Sittler the captaincy and then was offered a young Murray Craven from Detroit for him and dealt him a few days before Sittler had the "C" sewn onto his chest. As of 10 years ago or so, Sittler said he still hasn't forgiven Clarke for that.

Mark Howe talks about it in his book. Keenan took Sittler aside, told him he was being named the captain, and that he should prepare a speech for the Flyers annual pre-season luncheon the next day. Sittler mentioned it to some reporters, said he was incredibly proud of the honor. Then the next day Clarke tells him he's been traded.

 

[Moose Head]

Just as an aside, isn't Sittler responsible for Clarke losing his front teeth?

 

[Big Phil]

Just as an aside, isn't Sittler responsible for Clarke losing his front teeth?

Quite possibly. Clarke had his front teeth out as early back as I can remember in the 1972 Summit Series. Sittler would have played two NHL seasons with Clarke by then. I honestly don't know how Bobby got them knocked out.

 

[Killion]

Quite possibly. Clarke had his front teeth out as early back as I can remember in the 1972 Summit Series. Sittler would have played two NHL seasons with Clarke by then. I honestly don't know how Bobby got them knocked out.

Well, remember Phil he was a diabetic & so he consumed a lot of sugar. Teeth werent good as a result of that to begin with and were easily dislodged & knocked out. He supposedly arrived in the NHL missing only one front tooth then lost another & another & so on to sticks, elbows, fists. Funniest story I ever heard, and not about Clarke per se' but his teeth, was that Tie Domi when growing up, HUGE Bobby Clarke fan.... wanted to even look just like Bobby including the missing teeth..... so he Head Butts his mouf against the handlebars of his bicycle repeatedly and unsuccessfully I might add in trying to knock them all out. Real bright kid huh? Talk about scrambled eggs. Yellow matter custard. Unreal.