Posted on 06/12/2003 8:54:41 AM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Edited on 05/07/2004 7:09:25 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
DETROIT -- Mike Ilitch, under whose ownership the Red Wings have risen from the depths of the NHL to win three Stanley Cups, was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
"It's very humbling," Ilitch, 73, said. "When I received the call, I started to tremble and my eyes watered. I choked up."
(Excerpt) Read more at detnews.com ...
By Associated Press
TORONTO -- Goaltender Grant Fuhr entered the Hockey Hall of Fame on Wednesday, capping a career in which he played for five Stanley Cup winners with Edmonton.
Fuhr, the first black in the hockey hall, was joined Wednesday by forward Pat LaFontaine, Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch and junior team coach Brian Kilrea.
Fuhr helped the Oilers to championships in 1984, '85, '87 and '88 and was a backup on the 1990 Stanley Cup winner. He helped Canada win the Canada Cup tournament in 1987 and was a first team all-star and Vezina Trophy winner in 1988.
"It's a fabulous honor," said Fuhr. "It's the topping on which was the most enjoyable of things to do for a living. This is the ice cream on the cake."
Glen Sather, who coached Fuhr in Edmonton, called him one of the best goalies of the '80s.
"He played on an offensive team and had the ability to win games when the team had to win," said Sather, now the general manager of the Rangers. "He was a low-profile guy who just wanted to be part of the team. He was a great team guy ... the last one to take credit for what he did and the first one to take blame for what he didn't do."
LaFontaine had 468 goals and 545 assists in 865 career games with the New York Islanders and Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres. He had his best season in 1992-93, totaling 53 goals and 95 assists. He was the third American with 1,000 career points.
LaFontaine was plagued by concussions during his career and played his final NHL season with the Rangers in 1998.
"To be in such an exclusive club is overwhelming," he said. "Growing up in St. Louis, I always played for the love of the game and never dreamed this could ever lead to my being a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame."
Ilitch, whose empire also includes baseball's Detroit Tigers and the Little Caesars pizza chain, purchased the Red Wings in 1982. They won Stanley Cups in 1997 and '98, then again in 2002.
Kilrea reached 1,000 wins this season behind the Ottawa 67s' bench, making him only the second hockey coach to surpass that mark, behind the NHL's Scotty Bowman. Kilrea, 68, just finished his 26th season coaching 67s.
The Canadian Hockey League's coaching award was renamed the Brian Kilrea Trophy.
Anyhow, Mike's a great guy, glad he got in.
Sorry about that.
Not meaning to boast, but my pizza was good all the time...
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