FiredUp Network
Thursday, July 25: Don Cherry's Grapevine Podcast
All right, let's go Well everybody and welcome to this week's edition of the Don Cherry grapevine podcast Being the dog days of summer, we're gonna do something a little bit different We're gonna want a Don Cherry's grapevine television show With dad interviewing the great Gordy how the grapevine shows started around 1983 or 84 and ran for about 13 years and dad interviewed all types of athletes mostly hockey players, but we also interviewed snicker players and boxers and even a Joe smoking Joe Frazier one time some football players baseball players But it was always great when dad interviewed some of the legends and Gordy's was a good one now at this time in dad's career he was just starting in television and was really a rookie and What dad had to do was he had to say this week in the grapevine is the great Gordy how and He couldn't get those lines out and we've done her in front of a live audience and when he would screw up people would laugh and dad would get a little bit more flustered and Ralph Malenby who was the executive producer of the show and was the executive producer of hockey day in Canada and Maybe one of the most important and influential producers and sports overall in the world He took that aside and there was a picture of blue and he said Don just look at blue and just pretend you're talking to blue that that was the trick dad then could turn around and say Blue this week on the grapevine. We got the great Gordy how we shot two shows a night and on this particular night we had Gordy how and the second guest that night was going to be a Sportscaster that was famous in southern Ontario dick battles in the 80s He wore crazy clothes like dad and had a bowler hat and was a pretty controversial character in the in the sports media world back then and He was he was the second guest so dad talked to him as well So without further ado, here's dad with the great Gordy. How? Well blue tonight. We have Gordy how Hall of Famer 26 seasons the National Hockey League I love the guy, but was he mean I'll tell he was one of the meanest hockey players I've ever seen mr. Elbows There's lots of heroes from the sports world - so when you want to have a good time Come on down to the grapevine Come on down to the grapevine Hi everybody welcome to dog cherries grapevine, ooh right over here Ben Fellows mr. Dick Betels Ben close they call him big clothes on bed fella my bed fella All right, what a guy we got on tonight. I love the I tell you he really did hit me there I know what other guys feel like now. Well, I'll tell you grapes. I think this is my most exciting night Gordy how you know I love the guy. He's a living legend. I'll go now. What about mark and Marty? They're not bad listen mark probably one of the best defensive in the league Marty pretty good He did well for Boston last year. They gas them. Just like me. Let me tell you a story about Let me tell you a story about mark though. You know he was with the WHO never liked the WHO I was a I was an NHL guy all the way So he had a chance to come to the Boston Bruins, right? We almost had him But he he said he was going to go to the Hartford Wailers. So reporter come up and said what do you think of Mark? How going with the Hartford Wailers? I said, you know someday? He's going to have kids. He's going to have grandchildren They're going to say daddy and grandpa. Where did you play? He could have said the Boston Bruins Instead, he's going to say I had to play for the Hartford Wailers. Can you imagine that? Yeah, now wait a minute. I'm not through yet So we have the first exhibition game against Hartford and I'm thinking oh, I got to walk across the ice I better send the Bruins out first and I could get across and Gordy won't come out because I think he's even all in Television down around there. So I'm walking halfway across the ice all of a sudden who comes out of the end? Gordy how I can't go back. I can't go forward and he comes right at me. I said I'm dead He's going to kill me this guy's going to kill me now curtains for me He come up with me elbow. He's here grapes take us old guys got us old guys got to stick together I'll help you to the bench Oh I know you're gonna hit me like you did back there Now blues I this might be our best best move this is what I heard I'm telling you blue did a job Like you couldn't believe she's got it now blue run that blue movie right now. Let's go Shy young man says the two caring for a career professional high Young Gordy how is going to Detroit, Olympia to take up his position on right wing? With the mighty red wings and before it was all over. He would become perhaps the greatest athlete of all time in 26 NHL seasons Number nine played in 1924 regular season and playoff games He won six art Ross trophies a scoring champ and led the league in total goals five more times He scored an awesome total of 2010 career NHL points on 860 goals and 1941 assists Gordy led Detroit to 11 Stanley Cup finals and he and the Red Wings won it all four times Over his 26 NHL seasons how registered in a astounding total of 21 all-star selections In 1971 after Gordy's first retirement the Red Wings retired is number nine sweater and a year later The NHL waived a customary three-year waiting period and inducted Gordy into the Hall of Fame But it was only beginning how came back to play with his boys Mark and Marty while leaving the Houston arrows And the Hartford Wailers of the WHA 1979 Gordy rode triumphantly back into the NHL when the two leagues merged in 1980 He retired again and Hartford in an unprecedented ceremony became the second NHL City to retire the sweater of number nine the incomparable Gordy how Well, let's tell you something great blue certainly did a good job on that one You think Brewer bale looked their dick in when he was going in the corner now Don't you go away? We'll be right back with a great Gordy. How don't you go away and you want to have a good time? Come on down to the great Great Cardi Hall good to have you here Gordy boy Wonder I didn't make it to the NHL one game, okay now Gretzky signs he gets a yacht shopping center and a car. What did you get? I got a jacket and It's all very proud of that jacket. It's hanging in my restaurant, which is really after 26 year professional hockey I don't think I have this much in my place. Well, you know, I'm famous. They all give it to me all the time All right now. What are you what are you doing now? Like what's you know? I know you're traveling around and everything like that But what are you doing right now? Okay, basically, I'm assistant to Howard Baldwin Who's the general partner of the heart for Whalers and which leads me a little ice time? Very little but I also go, you know, the board of governors meetings and that activity I like it compared to what Detroit had for offer me at least I'm learning. Why did you leave Detroit? Well, I had to it's a Basically it was a dream come true. I wanted to play with the youngsters Marty mark and there's another one Murray But he was a little too young and the reason I retired there gave it totally up because it was total confusion at the time and and in Detroit and then the really the idea of my hanging on for until they become of Age to play the game, which is 20 they they found a loophole in the in this the rules and they basically pick Marty mark up put him WHA and and Then built an income law and offered me my dream and I grabbed at it and then there was another factor called money We all have a You said a great story. Why you left Detroit? They give you a job something about mushroom. You were like they'd what was that? I thought that was pretty good. Well, I stole it from Young I think he's a coach of the soccer team here and he's explained that nobody ever heard his sport He said because that's like the mushroom treatment They put you in the dark and every now and then come in throw manure on you Okay, I thought you'd be a great coach. How come you know, you've never coached people get fired coaching. Don't tell me about it Tell me about it. No, I thought that you know, you'd get into it. Give it a try. Anyhow, you know I like the specialty coaching I really do I where I get an opportunity if I see something obvious is wrong and something can help the club I'll go out and personally work with the youngster you go on the ice with the heart I do that and that prepares me for some of the master's games and it helps. I know we have one thing in common that you used to work when you were young on construction, right? and I see the guys now they lift nine thousand pounds of weights and You know, then they lose that awful fast, you know that and but in construction at Bill's Juppy I know he used to lift cement bags everlasting. I can lift four bags with eighty I think eighty six point four pounds for bags so it was just a it's Percussion where we whatever I want to see it get my mind coordinated with my lips down. I'm gonna be great Listen, how about I heard that you lived at the Olympic now? That's really loving hockey when you sleep there Yeah, the first year that was during the war and there was no place really to stay and I the first Professional practice with the Detroit red wings I was late and I I was sleeping in the rack sleep about 15 feet from the rink And I was I was in a little cubby hole when you right across from where you dressed as visitors There's a little cubby hole there and that's exactly where it was and the noise on the boards woke me up And I ran down good dress. You're scared. Listen. I was at I think it was 61. I was at your trading camp. Do you remember me? I've been playing a long time. You want truth? Yeah, I couldn't remember myself back here No, I was there for a cup of coffee and I think they shipped me to Sudbury. Oh, well now everybody calls you the meanest I'm not the no wrong with Sudbury. I'm worried that if you address the same then I know I didn't have quite the taste I have no actually now you've been calling me this guy in hockey with the elbows Now everybody that played against you you give them a little shot. Is that true? If I could I do Actually now to explain. I don't know why I did something So it's I did find out very early in my career the first game I played against Toronto Maple Leaf I went in the corner of Gus Morrison He came up with an elbow and took three of my front teeth out It doesn't I decided well if that's part of the game I should be there first and lives and I I love that little footage Carl Carl went east didn't he on that one? I saw you're coming I'm gonna get him and all of a sudden he said Gordy you want the fuck take the puck, but Bond stood there. See if you knock Bond he'd always stand there I got an interesting story about Bobby Bond. Well Bond just laid down. He said go get him Yeah, go. Yeah, you want it again. Sorry Carl. Anyhow, how about when Bond went to Detroit and I don't know how it happened But I remember the story back then I was in the minor somewhere that he asked you how much money you were making and you pick up The story from well I got to thank Bobby Bond number one. He's such an honest individual and he would become very very good friends as a matter of fact competitive wise we're good friends and When do we went out for lunch one evening? He said do you mind if I say something? I said no be my guess He said you're stupid He's stupid right off the bat. Yeah, I said we all know that I said well What is the reason they said because he said I floated around this league a little bit And he said I'm making on a lot more money and you are and you're the laughing stock of the whole league and basically when I Understand folks the way I when I went up to talk Contract until I got my wife Colleen do it for me was the best movie ever made in the game of hockey But I I'd go up there and I'd say well I'd like to be if I'm supposed to be the best on the team pay me accordingly and they said don't worry about it so at that time I think there's three guys making more money and Probably one of the reason why I was mad at car breweries making almost twice as much money you're trying to get them there Yeah, but it was it was my fault I should have a little more pride and a little stick to it, but I just loved the game of hockey and whatever they paid me I thought that was an interesting award Jack Adams for that. Do you think he took advantage of it? No, Jack Adams He was a master of all hockey as we know know he He was always on your back constantly and when it came to Bonuses, I just simply mentioned to him I went upstairs one to time just before I went to Florida and they need a little extra cash and I said Jack You said if I had a good year, I'd get a fifteen hundred dollar bonus He said did I say that and I said yes, and he said call a guy up And he said I want the kid to have fifteen hundred. He's that kind of a guy yeah when it come down to the hard core Yeah, when you were saying he just yeah as a matter of fact when I asked for a jacket, he held it up two years All right. I was I remember well, I don't remember but I remember seeing pitches of Lou Fontenado I know you get this brought up all the time, but what happened? How did that get started? That's got to be the best fight ever and Louie wouldn't think so, but you pick it up from there Well Louie I was with Louie here not too long ago and he asked me if my ribs had healed since the beating I took and I said what side do you yeah your fist? Basically it is now that's a I think that's one of the common errors some people make you do not study who's on the ice at the time you're playing against them and I just happened to know that Louie is out there and I was the place started really maybe months ahead of time when I was leaning over With the idea if I can get a piece of Louie or the puck Delvickia will have a shot on that No, no, no, he saw me there and you come back and wrap me in the nose You know that blurs you up a little bit nice started swinging both got a few minutes and I got I'm dabbing here with a split lip And he seemed what's the matter with your lip gorty, you know, and that was an interpreter telling me I couldn't understand them so after that then I found myself Identically ever been walking on the street say I've been here before while I was skating down there I said I've been here before and when he came back. I went this I miss a hand caught his ear and cut it practically It was hanging to stop to cut it in half. Yeah Well, they give me a shot of thought Right, but when it he come up with a turban on and I start what's the matter with your ear Louie It was my turn So when there the fight started out between red Kelly and Eddie Shek behind the net and I'm leaning on the net enjoying this And I thought oh, he's out here and I turned around he dropped his gloves at the blue liners coming in I just pretend I didn't see him until I took the first swing Nose like this nose like this, but he's a good guy giving it all and uh, you know, he's a hard guy That is exactly why that's why when we had a tribute dinner out in uh, Vancouver British Columbia I asked personally if they didn't fight Louie out. Yeah, you know, he's a police. She could do that was his job We paid him and you know all your family sandwiches Listen, uh, uh, I'm going to ask you a couple of questions here. Who was the greatest goalie you've ever seen? Well, dig meadow is a super you Individual and he speaks right from the shoulders and he came out with a proper name when I was listening to the program when he said that Terry's subject by far and that's a man I played with and against He's a great guy too. This is lots of heart Heart he was uh, a lot of people Terry wanted to be alone Say if there's 200 people in the room you want to be alone. He just picked the wrong places and be alone Yeah, right and that was his uh, that was his makeup of a human being and we can't hold anything against him for that But he was by far the best I've ever seen He's talked to me too when I was he was one of the few guys and uh, and yourself I remember you said hello to me and when we're in the minors believe me You think I'm kidding and we were like the dregs of society and when a guy like gordie how I come up and say hello to you in the morning Boy, you're hard at singing Terry's subject and I just loved it But I want to ask what was your I know this is going to be tough for you What's your biggest thrill in hockey and I know that all the things you've done? Well, that's not too hard because I I thought about it and dreamt about it so often and the the chance of playing professional with the two youngsters and And that was in wj and then added to that when there was a merger and I got an opportunity to play In Hartford by the way, don't you know, you're knocking that nay city for a while hard for it I'll tell you they don't even have an airport, but that's all right Yeah, I got an opportunity to play with them and there was an injustice there Jack kelly was general manager at the time sent Marty down When when my dream was read at grass and yeah, and it's the first time I ever spoke up quite verbally on And said I'll never ever forgive you if something happens to Marty myself a mark that we want to achieve this but the end of the year my My thoughts were really backed up for the fact that Marty had broke a wrist Yeah, and we didn't know if he's going to make it back. He made it back when we got back in the lineup But uh, and he played good for vos, yes, very well Blackburn did us a great justice We opened up a game in detroitney. They put us all on three as a line. Donnie blackboard. I can't understand why i left it When I was there the one thing I remember When you played I couldn't get over your short hockey stick. And why did you have such a short hockey stick? I'm telling you it was no bigger than that. Yeah. Yeah, it's up to both this high and when I changed crest, I really had a rough time But basically the reading for that I have long arms and I have no shoulders. That's why I use the elbows That's excuse I had but anything I like everything in front of me And then and then I used to change hands and it's awkward to change from that position So it's just a flip of this thing. Somebody said it's uh faster to get up in somebody's face But we won't go into that. This is jimmy lobster right here. Hi, jimmy gordy nice to meet you again Uh, I want to ask you about like in your days as compared the players today. How would you assess them or rate them and bigger richer and Not necessarily that order, but uh, I used to be one of the top five big people in the game of hockey and then uh one of the last years I played with my hobblych brothers and uh peters And I'll be honest with you the old bossing gardens where you said walk or you're dressing You have to step up on that little step through I could take a little hop through there wouldn't bother me and the other guys are stooping And there had to be 11 of them actually bow through that and they are much much bigger and Not necessarily any faster as the land of land have found it But hey, you you'd have a tough time reaching them with your elbows. No, I left my feet There's one other thing I wanted to ask you gord why do you hear is um your sons Have you ever coached them? I mean, uh as regards giving them advice and everything and saying uh Advice comes easy. We don't know that but uh, yes. I did particularly if they asked for it I was never we're never a family I shouldn't say I because caleno's a great part of it She drove him Thousands of miles over winter to become what they are but basically what we would do is uh Say a hockey school. I teach in the fundamental basics of all the things and then A market come up to me for instance They're playing golf and he says how do you lose a guy that's so close to you? And I said he's doing a bad job if he can reach him with a stick Which is not to hurt him But as soon as he anticipates a change I'd reach over and give him a little hook and then take off and he had enough speed to stay ahead of him So and then I did one Particularly I was forcefully let Marty in the garage and I locked the door and I said you're going to shoot at my way Or else you know because he had that stupid flick thing in my shot Yeah, but you could read yours You know, but he would rotate and and his passes would come flopping over to and very hard to handle That's the only time I had an opportunity to speak to uh some hockey families in Greenwich, Connecticut And I basically told them you were blessed with two eyes and one mouth keep one shut and other two open Let the kids enjoy the game Thank you very much for coming here and one a great time That's bigger they are but better they are Make us vote Danny Harris Greet some blue and a jimmy The thanking you for tuning in Special thank you stop print 40 how Well, that was a great interview, you know It was interesting to hear how bobby bond told Gordy how that he needed to make more money so everybody else could make more money as they say rising tide floats all boats And uh the leap and loop fight with gordy how and if you're interested in that You should look that up because that was a very interesting story It was all in I don't know if it was life magazine. There was a magazine that had lufontnato in it But the one thing I do remember about that again This was in kind of the mid 80s and gordy would have been probably in the 60s But he was just like an oak tree trunk He was just a thick big guy and you could imagine in his heyday How hard it would be to hit him again because he was just he was solid as an oak Anyway, that's it for this week folks Thanks a lot for listening and as dad always said to the loo [Music]