(http://www.umaine.edu/canam/images/rocketrichards.jpg)
There are certain things you should know when you travel to other countries. For instance you should know the name of their president, prime minister, king or queen. Learning these facts ensures that you don’t sound ignorant when making conversation with the locals. If you plan on travelling to Canada, there is another name you should know, Maurice Richard.
Richard played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1942 to 1960. He scored fifty goals within fifty games, and astonishing feat. For this he was nicknamed “The Rocket.” When he had the puck no one on the ice could touch it. He wore the famous number nine. (When his daughter Huguette was born she weighed nine pounds, and Richard requested that number.)
Early in his career, Richard broke his ankle, and it seemed unlikely that he would be able to play as he used to. He gave up his job at a factory, hoping to make it big in the National Leaugue. There were many people doubting him, saying that he was a waste of money and a lemon. Richard worked hard to regain strength in his ankle, and waited on the bench for his chance to return. He was given the opportunity to return to the game he loved, and he proved everyone wrong. He showed a nation that he was a force to be reckoned with.
In 1955, Richard was suspended for the rest of the season. He got into a fight with Hal Laycoe of the Boston Bruins. The whole city of Montreal was in an uproar, and the riots coughed huge amounts of damage. The president of the league wouldn’t change his ruling, so Maurice had to go and ask his fans to stop the riots.
This phenomenal man has provided inspiration for countless hockey players. His life and career have recently been made into a movie. This movie, The Rocket, has just been released in the US. I would highly recommend renting this movie, especially if you have any desire to learn the great game of hockey.
Written by Katherine