Cape Breton's Magazine

from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, knocked the teeth out of me!... I had nice teeth then. But I--to get revenge . He was put out of the league 'cause he was too old. He came back maybe 5, 6 years later. I'm older, bigger, and we're playing Seniors. And he only lasted about two games. Chased him right out of the island, eh! He's gone back to the Island again.... (When you say "chased him out"...?) Well, he wouldn't stay. Because every time he'd touch the puck, someone would go after him. And es? pecially me, I used to try to get him. I played just a little bit of aggressive style. You know, I wasn't a real finesse hockey player, but I played it rough and-- they had to watch me at all times. That was my game, yeah. If I hit somebody, someone would say I got a hat trick, rath? er than score goals. I wasn't finesse, but they knew I was on the ice, and they had more to worry about than just getting puck and scoring goals--they had to watch me. I played that type of hockey very, very aggressive. And I liked that. When I was younger, in or? der to make the teams, and I was big--and I >' figured, I used it. And it didn't matter to me, how big, how small, or whatever--I'd still play it. Even in practice, I would play the same type in practice. If I could hurt you or whatever in practice, I did. That was always--and I could never--when the hockey got over, like--(when I was) 34, 35. And they played this old-timers' hockey where there's no rough stuff, I wouldn't dare try it because I would end up hurting mys'elf or hurting somebody. So when I finished, I finished. I couldn't play the gentlemen's stuff or gentlemen's league. I just couldn't ever adjust to that. Because I just couldn't--I don't know--that was the way I played it all my life, and I could never, never play any other way. (When you were on the Miners, you were telling me that you were encouraged to play a rougher game.) By all means. In those days--in Glace Bay, especially--if you lost the game 10-nothing, but you won the fights and you crashed a couple of guys, they'd come back to see you. But that's what they liked in Glace Bay was good rough--it was tough, hard, tough miners, and they liked it tough and hard, and they'd follow you. And if you wanted to be a hero, crash a couple of guys and you were. Maybe I" wasn't the best hockey player in the world. I couldn't have made it any other place than where I was. But they loved me because of the style of hockey that I played. And it was rough-and-tumble, and I'd hit you and take you out, and it didn't mat? ter if you were in your rink or your backyard or whatever. I could get you, I'd get you. They loved that. As a result, I continued it, because they liked it. They'd come and watch it, and I played it that way. (You were saying--Gordie Grant, now...?) I've had times where I took a little money off him--he'd offer me " PGPSI.. TH • CHOICeOF ANeWG • N0?ATON. CAPE BRETONBEVERAGES TrjbsMAgef'cif We plan it all for you. 794-7251 158 QUEEN ST., NORTH SYDNEY /' f ACTA .