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Post by NostalgHab on Jan 10, 2003 18:52:10 GMT -5
I wanted to share an experience with a former Hab who's from my hometown. Perhaps some of you would like to share stories also. Last April, our small town honored the only hockey player born and raised here that made it to the NHL. And he's a former Hab who's won 5 Stanley cup with the team. His name: Claude Larose, who played also for Minnesota and St-Louis. The municipaly named our arena after Larose. The Stanley Cup was on hand for the celebrations. I was glad to prepare a highlight video of Larose's playing days. That was a good reminder for people and provided a chance for younger generations a chance to see him during his playing days. The whole weekend was great. It's funny. Larose works as a scout for the Carolina Hurricanes. I remember at a banquet, it was announced that both the Canadiens and Hurricanes had won their playoff games. A few days later, the two teams met in the playoffs. Anybody else want to share stories about their experience with former Habs players, whether they are from their hometown or not.  |
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Post by MPLABBE on Jan 10, 2003 18:59:21 GMT -5
When Roy was a Hab, he was scheduled to come to the local CIBC bank in Longueuil and sign some autographs. There were so many people there, my mon and I decided to wait for him to come out into the parking. What happened? on his way out, my mom asked him to sigh an autograph on one of his cards I owned and the bastard basically signed a bunch of waves and was a total jerk. Then I had to tell my friends Roy signed the card... ;D
He also drove an Audi if you are interested ;D
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Post by CentreHice on Mar 31, 2003 17:16:44 GMT -5
In 1992, Maurice Richard came to Kitchener, Ontario for a card/memorabilia show. He was signing autographs. I brought an old practice Habs' jersey (60's-style with the shoe-lace collar...not official...just that vintage) along with a Habs' hat my 9-year-old son got for Christmas. As we approached the signing table, I became numb and tongue-tied. He signed them both, along with an 8X10 picture.
7 years later, I was driving past Montreal on my way back to Ontario one Saturday night in February. I decided to go downtown and see if there were any tickets left. They were playing Buffalo. I got a ticket and received a #9 flag as I entered. Everyone got a #9 flag. That just happened to be the night that the Rocket was being officially honored with the Maurice Richard trophy. Of all the night I could be passing by Montreal (500 miles from home) it was on that night.
I now have the jersey, hat, flag, and picture in a glassed in cabinet in my basement. It looks like a shrine. But, hey...I gotta protect it...right?
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 1, 2003 8:53:39 GMT -5
In that cabinet, I also have the ticket stub from that Montreal-Buffalo game...Feb. 6, 1999. And when the Rocket came on the ice to be honored with the trophy in his name, he got a huge ovation again...not quite as long as at the closing of the Forum...but close. Tears came to his eyes....it was a great experience. I never saw him play (he retired when I was two years old)...but the esteem held for that man is unbelievable.
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Post by GARB08 on Apr 7, 2003 19:59:42 GMT -5
When I met The Rocket at the Sudbury Areana, it was an old timers game and i was only about 7 but he was a nice guy. Brian Savage was also a nice guy I have talked to him many times. The Rocket moment still takes the cake even though I was to young at the time to even know who he was now I realize the legand I met.
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Post by MC Habber on Jun 23, 2003 3:55:40 GMT -5
In that cabinet, I also have the ticket stub from that Montreal-Buffalo game...Feb. 6, 1999. And when the Rocket came on the ice to be honored with the trophy in his name, he got a huge ovation again...not quite as long as at the closing of the Forum...but close. Tears came to his eyes....it was a great experience. I never saw him play (he retired when I was two years old)...but the esteem held for that man is unbelievable. I was at that game too, and I didn't know they were going to be honouring the Rocket, it was just luck (I live in BC, so I was thrilled just to be going to see a Habs game). Even though Richard was well before my time, he's almost a mythic figure to me. Anyway, there was a huge ovation for him and it was really amazing to be there, I'll certainly never forget it. |
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Post by Doc Holliday on Jul 8, 2003 7:14:43 GMT -5
In my school days I was working as a shoe salesmen on St-Denis street in the summer. I've served Guy Carbonneau there, got an autograph from him (sold him a pair of shoes too...heheheh). I remember being really impressed with his hands. The guy isn't tall or large but his hands were huge and his grip was crushing. Very nice guy, classy and composed.
..oh..
...and I think he wears a 9 ... ;D
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Post by Ghost-Of-Nyrop on Oct 29, 2003 19:05:25 GMT -5
I once said a passing "Hello" to Chris Chelios on Ste. Catherine Street as he got out of his black Porsche with a statuesque blonde in a mink coat. It was only later on when I realized that I had once seen Chelly's wife on TV and that she was a brunette!  That would certainly explain the sheepish grin on Chelios' face when I said "hi". I also met Beliveau and Cournoyer at an autograph session. Big Jean was, as you would expect, simply fantastic. The Roadrunner was somewhat standoffish, which ticked me off because he was my favourite Hab when I was a kid, even bigger than Lafleur. But I try not to judge these guys on their demeanor at a card show. I'd be in a foul mood too after a couple of hours. |
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Oct 29, 2003 19:57:07 GMT -5
I introduced the Rocket to my two boys at a memorabilia signing in Long Beach California. He shook their hands and they will remember that day for the rest of their lives. Even at his advancing age, overweight, and declining health, he still had fire in his eyes.
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Post by SiR on Dec 5, 2003 16:34:27 GMT -5
I met Roy at a CIBC when I was a kid too, as mentioned previously. He was awesome. He signed a poster I brought and an additional one they were handing out. He posed for a picture with me too, which I still have.
Met Mats Naslund at a Sports Experts when he was the nuts in Montreal. He was my favourite player as a kid and he was a class act.
Met Russ Courtnall and Brent Gilchrist at an old-timers game at the old forum. They were in the stands. Courtnall was a dink but Gilchrist was very nice.
Unfortunately never met any legends unless you consider Roy a legend yet.
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Post by insomnius on Feb 15, 2004 9:39:10 GMT -5
Nothing quite so grand but I ran into Brian Bellows outside the Alexis Nihon mall across from the forum...he had a t-shirt on (nice spring day) and was carrying groceries lol...
His freakin biceps were huge...my thighs aren't that thick....and I'm 6'2, 220 lbs...not many people can make me feel physically small...Bellows did...
Said hi and have a good game (there was a game that night or the next) and that was that...
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