. Montreal was especially upset, since hockey fans believed they needed "The Rocket" to win the coveted cup. January 22, 1933 - December 31, 2017. Richard's future career was evident by the time he was four when he first laced up a pair of ice skates. The following weeks and months would be hell for Campbell as Richard supporters sent death threats and threw objects at him at every chance they had. Joseph Henri Maurice Richard was born on August 4, 1921, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Maurice Richard is the most iconic Canadian professional ice hockey player (born on August 4, 1921, and died on May 27, 2000). Nearly one million dollars in damage was accrued (adjusted to 2014 money) and more than seventy people were arrested. When officials decided to forfeit the game, pandemonium broke out. Richard left the game to receive five stitches to a head wound caused by Laycoe, and Laycoe received a five-minute penalty for high sticking. He was the oldest of eight children that were raised at the height of the Great Depression. Therefore, he was put on the right wing of one of the most famous front lines in hockey history, the so-called "Punch Line." He tied Newsy Lalonde's NHL record for goals in one playoff game (equalled by three players since), which resulted in his being named first, second and third star of the game,[29] as chosen by journalist Charles Mayer. Indeed, Richard's professional career from 1942 to 1960 paralleled the growth in Quebecois consciousness that culminated in. In this article, we will explore what kind of phenomenon player Maurice Richard was. http://www.joyofhockey.com/xRet1MauriceRichard.html (October 21, 2002). At the conclusion of the 1959-60 season, Richard announced his retirement. [64] The simmering dispute erupted after an incident in the Canadiens' March 13, 1955, game against Boston, when Hal Laycoe struck Richard in the head with his stick. Richard was finish his career with eight Stanley Cup titles, 544 goals with another 82 playoff goals and over 1000 penalty minutes. [15] The injury also aborted his hopes of joining the Canadian military: he was called to a recruitment centre in mid-1941, but was deemed unfit for combat. Contact . Intense, he was renowned for his physical and occasionally violent style of play. [4] An estimated 50,000 people waited in line to pay their respects at a public showing held in the Molson Centre hockey arena before Richard's funeral at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal. His father was a well-known sports columnist for the Washington Post, whose . Toronto Sun (June 1, 2000). However, coach Dick Irvin had faith in Richard, and kept him on the disabled list. The skills he demonstrated in the QSHL, combined with the NHL parent club's loss of players to the war and struggles to draw fans due to its poor record and a lack of francophone players, earned Richard a tryout with the Canadiens for the 194243 season. [43] One such incident occurred in the 1947 Stanley Cup Finals when Richard received a match penalty for striking Toronto's Bill Ezinicki over the head with his stick in a game two loss. http://www.canoe.ca/HockeyRocketRichard/may27_roc.html (October 17, 2002). [128] Upon his death, the province of Quebec honoured Richard with a state funeral, a first in Quebec for a non-politician. On October 19, 1957, Maurice became the first NHL player to score 500 regular-season goals. [75] The season began with the arrival of his young brother and future fellow NHL Hall of Famer Henri, a centre given the nickname the "Pocket Rocket" to the Canadiens roster. He led his team to eight Stanley Cup championships, including five consecutive victories from 1956 to 1960. [50] In the seventh and deciding game of the semi-final against Boston, Richard was checked by Leo Labine and briefly knocked unconscious after he fell and struck his head on Bill Quackenbush's knee. During the same time, Richard was called to the Canadian Military Recruitment Office for duty, but the offer was turned down because of an injury. This is an honor usually granted to a player at least five years after he has retired. It was not until 3:00 am that the crowd of about 10,000 people was finally dispersed, some six hours after the event began. He led the Canadiens with 32 goals and tallied 54 points, third-best in his team. Onesime Richard was a carpenter by profession, and after the birth of Maurice, he got a job in the Canadian Pacific Railway. [56] In his fourth try, a November 8 game against Chicago, Richard scored his 325th goal at the 10:01 mark of the second period. [129], The Richard Riot has achieved a mythical place in Canadian folklore. [73] The fans continued to jeer Geoffrion into the following season. He won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1947, played in 13 All-Star Games and was named to 14 post-season NHL All-Star teams, eight on the first team. McFarlane, Brian. Maurice Richard, 84, formerly of N. Dartmouth and New Bedford, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Sunday, December 31, 2017 after a period of declining health. 400. He scored the overtime-winning goal in the fifth game of the finals against Boston. Maurice Richard, 72, of Moncton, passed away on Tuesday, December 13th, 2022, at the Albert House Hospice, Moncton, NB. He also used to play baseball and boxing, but ice hockey came in his best interest. In one game against the Boston Bruins, Richard was hit so hard that he lay motionless on the ice, blood pouring from his head. Montreal emerged as the NHL champion at the end of the 1952-53 season, but the Red Wings held the edge in the first half of the 1950s, when the team won the Stanley Cup four times. The Richard family, for instance, is a cool one and its members, with the exception of Maurice and his hockeyplaying brother Henri, rarely see one another. . [74] Montreal reached and lost the 1955 Stanley Cup Finals four games to three without Richard. The decision shocked Canadiens fans for its severity; not only would it put Richard out of the race for that year's top scorer award, but it would also jeopardize the team's chances for a Stanley Cup victory. The great Nelson Mandela said, Sport has the power to change the world, and sometimes, it takes an icon like Maurice Richard to stand up for his fans. Richard's last major public appearance occurred at the closing of the old Montreal Forum on March 11, 1996, where he was given an extended standing ovation by the audience. Campbell did not back down. Richard overcame violent attacks from defenses and injuries his whole career. [20] Richard rejoined the team for the playoffs. [41][42] He finished second or third in the Hart Trophy voting a further five times in his career. Source: Red Fisher, Hockey, Heroes, and Me, McClelland & Stewart, 1994. His mark of 50 goals in 50 games also became a standard that remains one of the most celebrated achievements in NHL history, unmatched until 36 years later when Mike Bossy did it in 1981 the first of only four players to match Richard's 50-in-50, in the more than 70 years since Richard set the mark. [24] Coach Dick Irvin shifted him from left wing to right and put him on a forward line with Toe Blake and Elmer Lach. Months later, Richard lost his battle with cancer and passed away on May 27th, 2000. Encyclopedia.com. His 50 goals in 50 games during the 1944-45 season, created a record that stood for 36 years. Click Here to Read About Ku Bon Chan Bio >>. Later, he reinvested that money in a fishing-line business. Sanjib Sah is an engineer and content writer passionate about sports and athletics. (n le 4 aot 1921 Montral au Qubec mort le 27 mai 2000 Montral), surnomm le Rocket ou encore la Comte, est un joueur de hockey sur glace professionnel qubcois. Lucille died in 1994 because of cancer, two years before the couples 50th wedding anniversary. [89] Injuries again plagued Richard during the 195960 season as he missed a month due to a broken cheekbone. "He possessed Herculean strength, and I once saw him score with a defenseman on his back," continued Chadwick. Last update: 2022-02-07 15:01:37. by blog Admin. [31] The nickname described Richard's play in terms of speed, strength, and determination. Maurice Richard was born into a poor family in August of 1921. After suffering from several injuries, Maurice Richard retired in 1960 at the age of 39. Joseph Henry Maurice Richard was born on August 4, 1921 in Montreal, Quebec. However, later, he started playing for some local teams at the age of fourteen and led the team to three straight league championships. The oldest of eight children, Richard emerged from a poverty-stricken family during the Great Depression and was initially viewed as a fragile player. He finished his career with 82 playoff goals, scoring five goals in one playoff game. After clubbing Hal Laycoe of the Boston Bruins with his stick, Richard had been suspended for the last few games of the regular season and for the entire playoffs. In 1997, the city of Montreal unveiled a statue of Richard in front of the Maurice Richard Arena. Tear gas bombs were exploded and the crowd turned into an angry mob. Richard was a small player in a big man's game, standing less than six feet tall and weighing When he came flying toward you with the puck on his stick, his eyes were all lit up, flashing and gleaming like a pinball machine. With the Canadiens mired in fourth place in the then-six-team NHL at the end of the season, there was little choice but to let Richard rejoin the team for the 1943-44 season. It was the first time any player had reached that number; the record was not surpassed until 1966. In hockey, players are allowed to hit each other, but never is a player allowed to hit an official. He was prolific and bound for greatness, even though hed dropped out of school at sixteen to help his father make money for their family. He owns property in the area and is a member of the Eagle Bend . Richard suffered his first major injury in his first game with the Royals when he crashed into the boards and broke his ankle. ." In May 2007, Povich established the Flathead Beacon, a weekly print newspaper and online news outlet in Flathead County, Montana. During the 1980s, Maurice also wrote a sports column for Montreals La Presse. [62] Richard had been fined numerous times by Campbell for on-ice incidents and at one point was forced to post a $1,000 "good-behaviour bond" after he criticized Campbell in a weekly column he helped author for Samedi-Dimanche. Rocks first certified zany, Lemieux, Mario Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Soon a dazed Richard was back on the bench, half-blind from blood running into his eyes. Maurice Richard is the most iconic Canadian professional ice hockey player (born on August 4, 1921, and died on May 27, 2000). "Adieu, M. Finally restrained by linesman Cliff Thompson, Richard hit the official twice before leaving the ice. [103] Richard grew estranged from the organization as his desire to be involved in the team's operations was ignored, and the split deepened when the Canadiens forced Frank Selke to retire in 1965. Geneanet. Richard, who died from cancer on May 27, 2000, remains an icon in his native province, nearly as large in death as he was during the prime of his life. Campbell removed Richard from the team for the rest of the season, including the Stanley Cup playoffs. ESPN Classic Web site. [98] Richard led the NHL in goals five times, but never in points. He had to fight past slashes, hooks, and even players who draped themselves across his back. Books, miniseries, documentaries and a . Also, he is a person who had a significant hand in bringing hockey to an elite level and setting a high bar for every generation in Montreal. Instead, Richard developed his skills playing shinny and "hog" a game that required the puck carrier to keep the puck away from others for as long as possible. Fans thought he was dead, as the Canadiens' medical staff rushed him off the ice. He became disgruntled with a role he felt was powerless and only honorary, and resigned one year later. The Hall of Fame waived its five-year waiting period for eligibility and inducted Richard in 1961. [67], Following two days of deliberation, Campbell announced that he had suspended Richard who was leading the NHL's overall scoring race at the time for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs. When France settled Quebec in the 17th Century, they were referred to as the les habitants, the settlers of New France. Canadiens coach Dick Irvin sent Richard back onto the ice in the final minutes of the contest, despite knowing Richard had suffered a concussion. At 16, Maurice dropped out of school and worked with his father as a machinist and that was his only income other than some income in the winter with the senior Canadiens. The Montreal Canadiens, often referred to as the Habs, were named that because of their heritage. Joseph Henri Maurice Richard was born August 4, 1921, in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. He first set a new mark for points in one game when he made five goals and three assists in a 91 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on December 28, 1944; his eight points broke the previous record of seven held by three players,[32] and stood for 32 years until surpassed in 1976 by Darryl Sittler. On August 4th, 1921, Maurice Richard was born in Quebec, Canada. Who Is Keanu Yamamoto? Richard again reached lofty scoring totals in 194647, leading the league with 45 goals in a 60-game season and winning the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player for the only time of his career. [69] In French Quebec the suspension was viewed as an injustice, an unfair punishment given to a Francophone hero by the Anglophone establishment. Toronto Sun (May 31, 2000). He then led the way with twelve scores in the playoffs in route to Montreals fifth Stanley Cup. "The Rocket Lit Up Hockey." "Maurice Richard: 'The Rocket.'" Genealogy for Maurice Richard (1925 - 2005) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. He was given a State Funeral and over 115,000 people came to the viewing to pay their respect. Richard played for the only team that mattered to him, the Montreal Canadiens, for 18 years. Richard retaliated by hitting Laycoe with his own stick and, after a linesman took that away, with two other sticks that he managed to grab. In the team's first game of the Stanley Cup finals, Richard scored five goals to give the Canadiens the win. [31], Richard was still an active player when Gordie Howe overtook his career record for points. But before we begin, here are some interesting quick facts about Maurice. In 1961, he was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame just one year after retiring though this recognition is given to other players only after five years of retirement. He also would lead his team in scoring in the playoffs as the Canadiens won their 3rd straight Cup and would go on two win another two in a row with Richard leading them. For Richard, scoring involved no master strategy: ''I never planned a play in advance. This score became the most iconic moment that defined Maurices image in the mind of hockey fans across the league. It was the first of 14 consecutive years he was named a league all-star. When he lost, they lost. Compared to other NHL teams, the Canadiens have won nearly 24 Stanley Cup titles, making them the most successful franchise in league history. [78] Along with general manager Frank Selke, Blake worked with Richard on moderating his temper and responding to the provocation of his opponents by scoring goals rather than engaging in fisticuffs. (April 27, 2023). It was also the home team for a great hockey player of the pre-World War II era, Howie Morenz. A string of injuries prevented him from joining the Canadian military during the Second World War. In 2017, Richard was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history. He has the "cognac gene" as firmly in his DNA as his inherited passion for the terroir of Charente, the art . [11] At 18, Richard joined the Verdun Juniors, though as a rookie he saw little ice time in the regular season. Thus Richard experienced lots of humiliation and doubt, so he started training hard during the off-seasons to give his best in the new season. Many French-speaking Canadians also saw Campbell's decision as a slap in the face by the English-speaking elites who then dominated the country's economic and political spheres. "[126] The story's publication, and subsequent adaptation into a National Film Board animated short helped entrench Richard's image as a pan-Canadian icon. Get behind the team in the playoffs. As fans fled the Forum, a restless crowd started to gather on the streets. It was in the tight line of his mouth, and in the snarl it formed when he was challenged. [16], Off the ice, Richard was a quiet, unassuming youth who spoke little. He held nearly 20 National Hockey League records while retiring, including the title for most goals scored. . [101], Upon his retirement as a player, Selke offered Richard a job as a team ambassador and promised to pay him his full playing salary in the first year. We were ten players all wearing the uniform of the Montreal Canadiens, all with the same burning enthusiasm. Dmitriy Balandin Bio: Swimming, Gold Medal and Wife >>. Maurice grew up on the family farm near Horace, North Dakota. Notable Sports Figures. [3] Onsime was a carpenter by trade, and took a job with the Canadian Pacific Railway shortly after Maurice was born. 1965- Richard. Often called "Mr. Hockey," Gordie Howe is acknowledged as one of the best-ever all-around players in the hi, Little Richard [12] He scored four goals in ten regular season games, and added six goals in four playoff games as Verdun won the provincial championship. In a 1955 game between the Canadiens and the Boston Bruins, Richard was certain that Hal Laycoe had fouled him, so he hit Laycoe several times with his stick. "Maurice Richard Dead at 78.#x201D; Canoe Web site. His nickname The Rocket was also named when one of the teammates joked Maurice went in like a rocket when he charged the net for a scoring opportunity. Discover the family tree of Maurice Rocket RICHARD for free, and learn about their family history and their ancestry. [65] In its 40th anniversary retrospective of the Riot, Montreal newspaper La Presse opened with the following passage: "Forty years ago began one of the most dramatic episodes in the history of Quebec, and of hockey. One of the NHL's all time greatest, known as Rocket Richard. Maurice married Lucille Richard on September 17 1942, at age 21. . . The map below shows the places where the ancestors of the famous person lived. 1928- He gave each of his 10 grandchildren a Stanley . The Canadiens retired his number, 9, in 1960, and in 1999 donated the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy to the NHL, awarded annually to the league's regular season leading goal-scorer. ." [76], Richard fulfilled his promise to Canadiens' fans, made in his post-riot radio address, by leading Montreal to a Stanley Cup championship in 195556 the start of a still unprecedented 5 consecutive Stanley Cup victories by one team. Henri changed his number from 15 to 9 in honor of his daughter Huguette, nine pounds at birth. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. For 18 seasons, he struck fear into the hearts of his opponents, terrorizing them with his hard hitting and goal scoring. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1994. In a hearing held in Montreal on March 16, 1955, the league announced that Richard would be suspended for the rest of the regular season and any playoff games as well. When teammate Ray Getliffe remarked that Richard "went in like a rocket" as he approached the opposition goal, Richard was dubbed "The Rocket" by a local sportswriter; both Baz O'Meara from the Montreal Star and Dink Carroll of the Montreal Gazette have been credited for the appellation. [115] Richard's companion late in his life was Sonia Raymond.[116]. [51] Following the game, a bloodied and still disoriented Richard was photographed shaking the hand of Boston goaltender Jim Henry, who was also showing symptoms of injuries from the series and who appeared to be bowing to Richard following the Montreal player's "unconscious goal". The Rocket topped the goal-scoring four more times in his career. Born on Thursday, August 4, 1921 Montreal Canadiens is a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. Suffering from abdominal cancer and Parkinson's disease, Maurice Richard died on May 27, 2000. The outraged fans of the Canadiens threw eggs at Campbell when he was trying to take his seat at the Montreal Forum for the next game of the regular season between the Canadiens and the Red Wings the following St. Patricks day. Family Tree . [19][21] He signed a contract worth $3,500 for the year and, wearing sweater number 15, made his NHL debut with the team. Richard went to the Montreal Technical School to become a machinist at the age of sixteen. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Notable Sports Figures. [120] The Canadiens retired his sweater number 9 in 1960,[42] while the Hockey Hall of Fame waived its five-year waiting period after retirement and inducted him in 1961. Canadian hockey player Many note that the Richard riot was the beginning to the Quiet Revolution in Quebec as French-Canadians began voicing their displeasure and looking for ways to keep the heritage and culture in tact. He will forever remain a Hockey God and rest-assured, his legacy in Montreal lives on. Toronto: Stoddart Publishing, 1996. His goals scored were the most in NHL history until Gordie Howe scored his 545th in the early 1960s. In one particular incident, an enraged fan throw a gas-bomb at him in the arena which caused the game to be forfeited in the opponents favor. Onsime, his father, was a carpenter. For the 1943-44 season, Richard began wearing the number-nine jersey in honor of his first child, daughter Huguette, who had been born to his wife, Lucille, weighing in at nine pounds. Gunshots rang out, stores were looted, and a full scale riot was underway. [66] Boston police attempted to arrest Richard for assault following the incident, but Montreal coaching staff and teammates refused police entry in protest. Povich grew up with his sister Lynn and brother David. The main premise of the non-profit org was to raise funds to send poor . It may come Sunday against New York club", "Rocket goes wild at Boston, clouts Laycoe, linesman", "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted", "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit", "Canadiens defeat Red Wings, 31, win Stanley Cup", "Rocket gets 500th goal, Canadiens defeat Hawks 31", "Gave fans more thrills than any star in history", "Gord Howe ties Rocket Richard but Wings lose", "Maurice Richard resigning as Canadiens' vice-president", "Filion follows Richard as Nordiques' coach", "Richard: 50 goals, 50 years of marriage", "Canada honors its own after long hesitation", "Representing "The Rocket": The Filmic Use of Maurice Richard in Canadian History", "Maurice Richard fonds description at Library and Archives Canada", "Rocket" Richard: The Legend The Legacy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maurice_Richard&oldid=1149630141, Burials at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery, Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada, National Hockey League players with retired numbers, Articles with dead external links from October 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 13 April 2023, at 12:37. [41] Richard's season also ended early as he missed the final games of the season due to a knee injury. During the 1952 semifinals against Boston, Maurice was knocked unconscious by a check courtesy of Leo Labine. Windows and doors were smashed at the Forum and surrounding businesses. His 50 goals in 50 games during the 1944-45 season, created a record that stood for 36 years. Although he was often criticized himself for his rough tactics on the ice, Richard's rivalry with Detroit Red Wings star Gordie Howe delighted fans of both teams. [9], At 16, Richard dropped out of school to work with his father as a machinist. Richard, Elmer Lach and Toe Blake formed the "Punch line", a high-scoring forward line of the 1940s. Although the Canadiens did not make it to the finals the following season, Richard topped the NHL for goals scored in the 1944-45 season, with fifty goals in fifty games. After he began playing in organized leagues, Richard joined several teams and used pseudonyms such as "Maurice Rochon" to circumvent rules that restricted players to one team. Along his scoring journey, he eclipsed Nelson Stewarts goal record of 324. Mel Hall: Bio, Early Life, Stats, Career, and Crime >>. Encyclopedia.com. Richard was blessed with his first daughter at the onset of the 1943-44 season, which prompted him to change his number to nine.