BadgerBruce
Registered User
- Aug 8, 2013
- 1,558
- 2,195
What if . . .
R. Alan Eagleson had won his 1967 re-election bid to the Ontario legislature (Lakeshore riding)?
Some context:
In 1963, a 30 year-old Eagle secured the Federal Progressive Conservative nomination for the York West riding. He was defeated by Liberal candidate Leonard "Red" Kelly (yes, that Red Kelly).
Just a few months later in 1963, Eagleson secured the Provincial Progressive Conservative nomination for the new Lakeshore riding.
He won that election and became a newly-minted MPP.
Fast-forward to 1967 . . . it's re-election time and in what some consider the upset of the night, New Democrat candidate Pat Lawlor defeats Eagleson. Final tally: 9,135 to 7,026.
How would hockey history from 67-onwards have played out if Eagleson had won his 1967 re-election bid?
Did just over 2,000 provincial election voters in 1967 give the community of Etobicoke the MPP they wanted (Lawlor) and hockey history 25 years of corruption and duplicity (Eagleson)?
Had Eagleson won his '67 re-election bid, would he go on to found and control the NHLPA (Executive Dictator/Director from 67-91)? Would he still have expanded his player representative activities and become the super agent he did? Would he have become the first leader of Hockey Canada in 1968 who essentially created and ran the Summit Series and 5 Canada Cups?
I'm not saying that none of the above would have occurred, but career paths are sometimes strange animals . . . a sitting member on the government side of a provincial legislature with well-known ministerial and possibly even leadership aspirations might not have become a hockey czar.
My wife grew up in Etobicoke. I frequently ask her exactly what Pat Lawlor ever did for the Lakeshore riding. Shrug of the shoulders and a look that says, "Hell if I know."
And then I tell her what R. Alan Eagleson did to the world of hockey.
R. Alan Eagleson had won his 1967 re-election bid to the Ontario legislature (Lakeshore riding)?
Some context:
In 1963, a 30 year-old Eagle secured the Federal Progressive Conservative nomination for the York West riding. He was defeated by Liberal candidate Leonard "Red" Kelly (yes, that Red Kelly).
Just a few months later in 1963, Eagleson secured the Provincial Progressive Conservative nomination for the new Lakeshore riding.
He won that election and became a newly-minted MPP.
Fast-forward to 1967 . . . it's re-election time and in what some consider the upset of the night, New Democrat candidate Pat Lawlor defeats Eagleson. Final tally: 9,135 to 7,026.
How would hockey history from 67-onwards have played out if Eagleson had won his 1967 re-election bid?
Did just over 2,000 provincial election voters in 1967 give the community of Etobicoke the MPP they wanted (Lawlor) and hockey history 25 years of corruption and duplicity (Eagleson)?
Had Eagleson won his '67 re-election bid, would he go on to found and control the NHLPA (Executive Dictator/Director from 67-91)? Would he still have expanded his player representative activities and become the super agent he did? Would he have become the first leader of Hockey Canada in 1968 who essentially created and ran the Summit Series and 5 Canada Cups?
I'm not saying that none of the above would have occurred, but career paths are sometimes strange animals . . . a sitting member on the government side of a provincial legislature with well-known ministerial and possibly even leadership aspirations might not have become a hockey czar.
My wife grew up in Etobicoke. I frequently ask her exactly what Pat Lawlor ever did for the Lakeshore riding. Shrug of the shoulders and a look that says, "Hell if I know."
And then I tell her what R. Alan Eagleson did to the world of hockey.
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