Gerry was a really cool guy. I remember going to a Phil Blazers game in 1972 and they were playing the Crusaders. We saw him walking in the old Civic Center in Phila. and we were asking him questions regarding NHL and WHA players. You could tell he was not brushing us off and then he was talking horse racing as well. He was one of the greatest goaltenders but more important a Regular Guy! He was one of US!
True story, I was probably 14-15 when the Crusaders came to town. I immediately honed in on Cheevers, knowing his history with the Bruins, and being a goalie myself. After a game, I went down to just outside the player's locker room. I was waiting to get an autograph from #30. He walked out, full mink, heater in, and I asked him to sign my paper. He said, "I've got to go kid!" I was devastated, and have read of other such incidences with athletes over the years. I wasn't asking for much, they had won the game, there was no one else around, and that is what I received, "I've got to go kid." My adoration then shifted to backup, Bob Whidden, #1, and he was as gracious and kind as Cheevers was not. I'll never forget this.
As a bruins fan i don't like him at all for jumping to the wha. Now i don't wanna here oh it was the smartest thing to do. Nobody back in that time wabted to grow up and play in the wha if you had the talent to play in the nhl and you opted for the humpty dumpty wha you were lame
I was a Boston Bruins fan in the 70s and i remember this news of him jumping to Cleveland was a dark day indeed...as a kid growing up in the 70s in Canada my road hockey mask had the Cheever's stitches painted on it by myself - not quite as good as Cheever's mask;s stitches mind you!
Gerry isn't wearing his other trademark. The black catching glove. Odd the WHA had a huge amount of really good players but never learned the lessons of placing teams in non-hockey towns or where the NHL was already established. I also love it, intermission...GIVE ME A CIGARETTE!
@@TedSmith-m4k ok lets got to the Super Series in 72 between the NHL and Soviet National Team. Canada won by one goal. But they were minus Bobby Hull who although not the player he was in the mid to late 60s was still a force to be reconned with. I think Tretiak (sp) was one of the all time greats but I'm not sure he could have stood up to a Hull slap shot in which the first couple were intentionally aimed at the goalies head. Soviet goalies had never faced many slap shots and never against one like Hull. Hull was also one if not the toughest player since Gordie Howe prime years. In North Van it took 6 Mountied to get him in a car. He also brought incredible tenacity to his team. If the Russians couldn't stand up to Hound Dog Bob Kelly and Ed Van Imp a couple of years leter Hull would have gone through them like a hot knife through butter. Bobby Orr although not in the WHA was off due to knee surgery right at the peak of his career. Team Canada's biggest problem, especially the games in Canada was goaltending. Politely they stank. But Bernie Parent was in the WHA just as he was rising to become the phenom he was. The WHA had lots of young hungry players in their midst and so well seasoned veterans that Team Canada could have dearly used. In the end the hero of the series was Paul Henderson who did not score a beautiful goal but the kind of goal that a blue collar player scored through hard work, never giving up and always head towards the goal when the puck is near it. That goal was fabulous but $5 will get you $10 Parent would have stopped it by not letting the rebound out like that. WHA's failure was selecting cities to play out of. Either non hockey cities or cities that already had established NHL clubs. I would have to dig out my old hockey books to give you more names that were in the WHA that would have made a difference. Don't forget at the time the NHL had their fair share of terrible teams in terrible cities. Oakland Seals ring a bell?
Things we didn’t know back then and as we found out as players were writing books, NHL players were paid shit and the teams were in bed with the NHL to keep their pay low. When the WHA came along with the big checks, many went over.
@@ronmailloux8655 Yep, I remember when Cheesy returned to Boston. The first game that he suited up he was the backup when Dave Reese gave up 6 goals and 10 points to Darryl Sittler at Maple Leaf Gardens. When Don Cherry looked over at Cheesy to possibly go in, Cheesy put a towel over his head.
@@christopheroliver2465 that definitely sounds like something Cheesy would do lol I've read his fantastic book countless times , definitely lots of humour in it .
Wondering if anyone knows the details of this broadcast? Was it local? National? Cleveland embraced the Crusaders, and a tought vet from the east like Cheevers was just their kind of hero--and it was a part of what forced the NHL to make a deal. Unfortunately, in "typical" Cleveland fashion, that heart so true was used as a doormat toward bad deal that left the Crusaders dead the city itself out of hockey. The owner of the Crusaders brought in the "legit" NHL Barons--as bogus a franchise as has ever existed in pro sports relative to their sincerity about developing roots in the "community"-- specifically as temp deal to undercut the surprise success of the Crusaders and the WHA success so that he could stay in graces with the NHL--which otherwise did have to cut a deal thanks to "sap" cities like Cleveland, sincere franchises like the Crusaders, and bold, labor-oriented veterans like Cheevers.
@@FlintyCobblestone Not to mention he has so many facts wrong..The Crusaders became the second Minnesota Fighting Saints and eventually folded. The Barons moved from California long after the Crusaders were gone..
Gerry was a really cool guy. I remember going to a Phil Blazers game in 1972 and they were playing the Crusaders. We saw him walking in the old Civic Center in Phila. and we were asking him questions regarding NHL and WHA players. You could tell he was not brushing us off and then he was talking horse racing as well. He was one of the greatest goaltenders but more important a Regular Guy! He was one of US!
I love seeing him at home with his family. Living in a regular single family house. No mansion. Athletes were regular guys back then.
True story, I was probably 14-15 when the Crusaders came to town. I immediately honed in on Cheevers, knowing his history with the Bruins, and being a goalie myself. After a game, I went down to just outside the player's locker room. I was waiting to get an autograph from #30. He walked out, full mink, heater in, and I asked him to sign my paper. He said, "I've got to go kid!" I was devastated, and have read of other such incidences with athletes over the years. I wasn't asking for much, they had won the game, there was no one else around, and that is what I received, "I've got to go kid." My adoration then shifted to backup, Bob Whidden, #1, and he was as gracious and kind as Cheevers was not. I'll never forget this.
As a bruins fan i don't like him at all for jumping to the wha. Now i don't wanna here oh it was the smartest thing to do. Nobody back in that time wabted to grow up and play in the wha if you had the talent to play in the nhl and you opted for the humpty dumpty wha you were lame
Goalies are usually the most interesting hockey players.
I was a Boston Bruins fan in the 70s and i remember this news of him jumping to Cleveland was a dark day indeed...as a kid growing up in the 70s in Canada my road hockey mask had the Cheever's stitches painted on it by myself - not quite as good as Cheever's mask;s stitches mind you!
This reminds me of the movie Slap Shot.
I think the WHA were ahead of the NHL in adding the player name on jerseys.
This was really cool! No cell phones...different time.
Great upload!
I remember Cheever did not put up with any nonsense in front of net you could get a tomahawk chop if you got to close. To net
Interesting character but it seems they all were back then! Surprised at how many smoked.
especially during intermission. :)
Current goalies can pick up some good tips watching him play.
Very sad day when we lost Sanderson and Cheevers to the WHA. Hurt the Bruins massively. But they paid them nicely, at least at the beginning.
The Cleveland Crusaders are a close knit team. They like to spend time at the Kings Court at the York Steak House. 7:09.
Gerry isn't wearing his other trademark. The black catching glove.
Odd the WHA had a huge amount of really good players but never learned the lessons of placing teams in non-hockey towns or where the NHL was already established.
I also love it, intermission...GIVE ME A CIGARETTE!
A huge amount of hreat players. No siree bob the wha sucked
@@TedSmith-m4k ok lets got to the Super Series in 72 between the NHL and Soviet National Team. Canada won by one goal.
But they were minus Bobby Hull who although not the player he was in the mid to late 60s was still a force to be reconned with. I think Tretiak (sp) was one of the all time greats but I'm not sure he could have stood up to a Hull slap shot in which the first couple were intentionally aimed at the goalies head. Soviet goalies had never faced many slap shots and never against one like Hull. Hull was also one if not the toughest player since Gordie Howe prime years. In North Van it took 6 Mountied to get him in a car. He also brought incredible tenacity to his team.
If the Russians couldn't stand up to Hound Dog Bob Kelly and Ed Van Imp a couple of years leter Hull would have gone through them like a hot knife through butter.
Bobby Orr although not in the WHA was off due to knee surgery right at the peak of his career.
Team Canada's biggest problem, especially the games in Canada was goaltending. Politely they stank.
But Bernie Parent was in the WHA just as he was rising to become the phenom he was.
The WHA had lots of young hungry players in their midst and so well seasoned veterans that Team Canada could have dearly used.
In the end the hero of the series was Paul Henderson who did not score a beautiful goal but the kind of goal that a blue collar player scored through hard work, never giving up and always head towards the goal when the puck is near it.
That goal was fabulous but $5 will get you $10 Parent would have stopped it by not letting the rebound out like that.
WHA's failure was selecting cities to play out of. Either non hockey cities or cities that already had established NHL clubs.
I would have to dig out my old hockey books to give you more names that were in the WHA that would have made a difference.
Don't forget at the time the NHL had their fair share of terrible teams in terrible cities. Oakland Seals ring a bell?
That’s cool!
Things we didn’t know back then and as we found out as players were writing books, NHL players were paid shit and the teams were in bed with the NHL to keep their pay low. When the WHA came along with the big checks, many went over.
Cheesy's business manager has some mad 'burns!
yeah the styles back then eh.....plus Cheevers didnt stay that long back to the Bruins by early 1976,
@@ronmailloux8655 Yep, I remember when Cheesy returned to Boston. The first game that he suited up he was the backup when Dave Reese gave up 6 goals and 10 points to Darryl Sittler at Maple Leaf Gardens.
When Don Cherry looked over at Cheesy to possibly go in, Cheesy put a towel over his head.
@@christopheroliver2465 that definitely sounds like something Cheesy would do lol
I've read his fantastic book countless times , definitely lots of humour in it .
Cheesy had some cheese with his lasagna.
Betty died in January of 2019 at the age of 76
RIP.
Wondering if anyone knows the details of this broadcast? Was it local? National?
Cleveland embraced the Crusaders, and a tought vet from the east like Cheevers was just their kind of hero--and it was a part of what forced the NHL to make a deal. Unfortunately, in "typical" Cleveland fashion, that heart so true was used as a doormat toward bad deal that left the Crusaders dead the city itself out of hockey. The owner of the Crusaders brought in the "legit" NHL Barons--as bogus a franchise as has ever existed in pro sports relative to their sincerity about developing roots in the "community"-- specifically as temp deal to undercut the surprise success of the Crusaders and the WHA success so that he could stay in graces with the NHL--which otherwise did have to cut a deal thanks to "sap" cities like Cleveland, sincere franchises like the Crusaders, and bold, labor-oriented veterans like Cheevers.
Don't hold back your feelings on this, Mark. :-)
@@FlintyCobblestone Not to mention he has so many facts wrong..The Crusaders became the second Minnesota Fighting Saints and eventually folded. The Barons moved from California long after the Crusaders were gone..
The smoking blew me away.
everyone looked 10-15 years older than they were back then
Yes, they did, and they dressed and behaved 10-15 years older than they were.
@@joedimaggio3687 except the broad street bullies 🤣
Their road uniforms were purple?
The road Inis were purple-and itt was one of the best unis and logos of any in hockey!
Did he have a 70s version of a gopro camera ?
Back when pro athletes smoked. LOL.
I love don cherry but his decision to go with cheevers over gilles gilbert until the7th game of the 1979 series against mtl cost them the cup
I miss the 1970s...but I don't miss those awful men's hairstyles.