Hockey looses a great one!

[trappincoyotes39]

jean Beliveau dies at 83 a 10 time Stanley cup winner as a player and a great center men .

[musher]

Canada is in mourning. Quebec, especially, has suffered a great loss. My wife cried and I got shook up when we heard the news. It's tough to explain but he was such a gentleman. He was also very non-political even though the senate and the position of Governor General of Canada were offered to him. He quietly said "Thanks, but no thanks." He could have run for office and won by a landslide but he didn't.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, has a story of meeting #4. I think I'm the only one that didn't but my brother got his autograph! My buddy's father met and conversed with him a few times. Several NHL players used to come to the fishing/hunting camps around here. He stayed and watched 15 minutes of a game my pals eldest son was goaling in just because GrandDad had mentioned it.

The stories aren't about his playing hockey. The stories are of him taking the time to visit youth teams, or visiting a child in the hospital, or of him posing for a photo with someone somewhere. If Mr. Beliveau was in a hotel, and if a hockey team was there, he made the time. It was all impromptu. The youngest son of the same bud was at a hockey tournament swimming in the hotel pool. He saw Mr. Beliveau, jumped out of the pool and out to meet him. The youngest son of my partner shook hands with him and he said that le gros Bill's hands were bigger than his grandfathers - who had a good pair of mitts. The great #4 then found out that a hockey team was there and he asked that they all join him for photos etc..

Everyone has a story like that ....

Classy guy.

Something I noticed is that in the news it is always MR. Beliveau or "le gros Bill." (Big Bill). There is no "Jean". He is referred to with a respect I've never seen given to anyone else.

Guy Lafleur's expression of grief on television was quite moving. The funeral is tomorrow and Quebec will stop to participate. Mrs. Beliveau has touched and spoken to every single person that has visited her husbands remains. Quite an impressive family.

They don't make them like that anymore.

[trappincoyotes39]

I agree from what I know of him reminds me of this guy one of the greatest baseball players ever and more people will talk about him as just a darn nice guy away from the game and always willing to autograph for the fans and all he has done for the community.

he was the baseball icon of the Midwest and many mourned the day of his death as well.

[trappincoyotes39]

Thanks for sharing the stories about him musher!