Wednesday, April 26, 2017

The Greats Of A Game

Back on the 18th and 19th of March, there was a weekend event at Lansdowne Park for hockey fans. I paid a visit on the afternoon of the 19th. The National Hockey League was part of the whole affair, with the Stanley Cup set up for people to have their photos done in its presence. There was a long line up for that when I passed through the Aberdeen Pavilion, which was hosting part of the occasion. This was actually my second time in two days that I'd been close to the Cup- check this post from earlier in April if you missed it. Lots of Canadians love the game; if this year's final features an all-Canadian match-up, it would both please many fans while blowing the last gasket in what passes for a brain of that bloody prat NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman. That's a win-win either way. Well, not so much for Bettman, but we've already established he's a bloody prat.


There was a floor hockey game going on inside too.


A large video screen was set up, showing hockey action. Legends of the game were portrayed to either side of the screen.


There was a mobile museum as part of the weekend, showing items from past and present players of the game, such as these old fashioned skates.


The evolution of hockey goalie masks over the decades caught my eye.


As did these jerseys. One of them is an all star jersey from times past, while another would have been worn by a ref. But the rest of them are for teams that have come and gone through the history of professional hockey- the Colorado Rockies, the California Golden Seals, the Cleveland Barons, Montreal Maroons, New York Americans, St. Louis Eagles, and Philadelphia Quakers.


I have more from this event tomorrow, but I'll leave off with this interior view of the Pavilion and the activities that were going on.

32 comments:

  1. I'm not sure why hockey isn't more popular in the U.S. It certainly seems more interesting to me.

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  2. Love the old skates, they seem well used.

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  3. Go, Caps! It's a shame we always seem to end the season with Montreal. :-)

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  4. Sounds like a great event for hockey fans.

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  5. I don't think we have ice hockey in the UK - not enough ice. But it's always looked a fabulous game whenever I've caught it on the box. Don't hold back on your views of Gary Bettman, William; console yourself with the fact that most people have never heard of him, especially in China.

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  6. Love seeing the masks and the old skates. Such a fast paced sport.

    Janis
    GDP

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  7. ...the sport has come a long way!

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  8. now we are talking ... i so wanna see a hockey game ... way cool. never been around that before ... only on tv. ( ;

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  9. Skates and masks look cool. Pretty shots of the exhibition. I prefer colourful masks, because the white ones remind of Hannibal Lecter...

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  10. Looks like some sort of hockey heaven for hockey fans.

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  11. It's an exciting game for sure. I have a faint recollection of a Canadian team coming to Perth for a demonstration match!

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  12. @Kay: there are parts of the US where it is well established and popular, and then there are places with teams that have no business having a team. Bettman thinks expanding into Vegas is brilliant.

    @Francisco: thank you!

    @Marianne: they must have been.

    @Revrunner: go Sens!

    @Marleen: it was popular.

    @Mike: Bettman is a loathsome dwarf troll who shows with his every action that he despises Canada. If he was trapped in a burning car, many of us would let him cook.

    @Janis: quite a difference between the old and new masks.

    @Tom: it has!

    @Beth: I have seen some games live.

    @Klara: I can see that.

    @Lowell: quite fitting!

    @Grace: that's a long way to travel!

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  13. Looks like a big event, William !
    I like the old fashioned skates.

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  14. Great photos of this event, William!

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  15. Not a sport I know much about. You had lots to photograph here.

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  16. I find NHL history fascinating but I'm not a fan anymore. I haven't watch a minute of NHL for 15 years. Don Cherry is one reason. the game has changed from excitement and offense to defense...dull and boring.

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  17. I don't know much about this game but I would love to visit the museum.

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  18. @Karl: a lot of people came out for it.

    @Linda: thanks!

    @Sharon: it was good for photo ops.

    @Red: I would say I'm enough of a fan to be able to follow a game and get what's going on, but I don't religiously obsess over it. That said, Don Cherry's a pretty good reason to dislike what the game's become these days. The day that bigot finally bites the dust will be a good one.

    @Nancy: it was a rather unusual museum!

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  19. A great exhibit, thanks William. Very interesting!

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  20. Great seeing the old jerseys and skates. Grew up watching the great Bruins teams of the 1970s, they always had a battle on their hands when playing Montreal.

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  21. Those old skates and masks were wonderful to see. Things change so much.

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  22. Love the old equipment. It's amazing that goalies didn't get killed.
    Speaking of hockey. Go Ducks!

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  23. Interesting! I have a friend who is an avid hockey fan, but I've never even watched a game.

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  24. @Denise: you're welcome.

    @Bill: the Montreal-Boston rivalry is still strong.

    @Mari: quite a change from the current day.

    @Pat: go Sens!

    @Lois: I can enjoy the game.

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  25. I've never seen a game but Tim tells me that I would enjoy it.

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  26. Looks a great event for hockey fans!

    All the best Jan

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  27. If our Blues don't wun the Cup, I hope it's your Sens!

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