Maple Leaf Gardens......Final Tribute!
Jesper Christensen
Så er det ved at være sidste gang at Maple Leafs skal optræde I Maple Leafs
Garden. En ting der nok får mange hockeyfans jorden over til at trille en
tåre. Maple Leafs Garden er det ældste stadion tilbage. Et symbol på hvad
Hockey var og er, et af de steder Hockey fik sin begyndelse. Jeg har her
smalet lidt information om MLG......em historie om magien i MLG......Alt
sammen noget der måske kan få en til at føle hvordan atmosfæren og ånden i
MLG er.......
Selvfølgelig vil der altid være NHL Museum og NHL Hall Of Fame i MLG, men
ikke flere kampe. Med undtagelse af en sidste historisk kamp i forbindelse
med All Star Kampen år 2000 som jo finder sted i Toronto. Meget symbolsk
finder den kamp sted i byen hvor det hele startede, byen med nogle af de
største traditioner, drømme og minder.
Snøft.....
History
From Elvis Presley in 1967 to Pearl Jam in 1996, Maple Leaf Gardens
continues to remain one of North America’s most unique facilities. With
approximately 16,000 seats and 85 private boxes, the Gardens comfortably
sits right in the heart of downtown Toronto.
The idea of a state of the art, multi-use sports facility is not new to the
city of Toronto. Maple Leaf Gardens, an architectural marvel of its time,
was built during the depression when investment funds were scarce and
skepticism ran rampant. Incredibly, the Gardens was built in five and a half
months, less than one quarter of the time needed to build Skydome.
Construction costs were minimized as a result of agreements made with labour
unions to provide the workers with Garden’s stock in place of a portion of
their earnings. Building materials cost twenty to thirty percent less than
in the pre-depression period due to extremely low demand.
On April 1st, 1931, demolition began at the corner of Church and Carlton
Streets. Construction began May 1st. Over 1,200 labourers were employed on
the project, which used over 750,000 bricks, 77,500 bags of cement and 70
tons of sand. The 350’ by 282’ (106m by 86m) building extends thirteen
stories (40m) above street level.
Opening night, November 12, 1931, Maple Leafs lose 2-1 to the Chicago
BlackHawks. Seat prices ranged from 95 cents to $2.75. The capacity crowd of
13,233 was amazed with the new facility; Smythe had accomplished what many
had said would be impossible. The Gardens originally included a six-lane
bowling alley, a billiards room and a gymnasium. These areas were
transformed over the years into carpenter and electrician workshops and
storage areas. The center of attention for hockey games is, naturally, the
ice surface. The ice surface is 85' by 200' (26M by 61M) and it remains in
place from late August to the end of the season. For non-hockey events,
sheets of plywood cover the ice and the staging and chairs are placed on
top.
In Conclusion:
Maple Leaf Gardens has been the site of many entertaining and exciting
events. It represents sixty-five years of pride in bringing to Toronto and
Canada, a first class and world renowned product. One visit will provide a
sample of its rich history along with a glimpse of the future that can be
found at 60 Carlton Street.
The Gardens of Today
Today's Gardens is a combination of historical artifacts and modern
technology. The various rooms, lounges, corridors, seats and hidden away
alcoves represent over sixty years of development and use.
The Dressing Room
The Toronto Maple Leaf dressing room has undergone many improvements and
renovations but has not been moved from its original location. Most
recently, the room was renovated in 1990 to increase the main room's size
and comfort. The floor received plush grey carpeting with large blue Leaf
logos at the centre of the room. Originally, the dressing room was divided
in two by a wall which separated the dressing room from a meeting room which
was used for team meetings and media access to the players. The dressing
room now has 30 available player stalls (the regular season roster size is
24). Directly off the main room are separate areas for working on equipment
and sticks, a trainers' office and storage area, showers, washroom, hot and
cold whirlpools, a small sauna and a players lounge.
To provide sufficient space to house the increased demand for modern
training facilities, a tunnel was built below the East corridor to connect
the dressing room to an available room below the Hot Stove Club on the East
side of the building. The training area has various free weights and weight
machines, stationary bicycles and StairMasters for player use to keep in top
physical condition. Also included in this area are massage and treatment
tables along with various therapeutic treatment devices such as electrical
stimulation and laser traction.
The players exhaust a surprising amount of supplies during a hockey season.
During an average season, a player will go through 240 sticks, will have his
skates sharpened 125 times and will wear through five pairs of gloves. Over
a season, the team will polish off almost 2,000 litres of Gatorade, unravel
7,500 rolls of tape, dissolve 2,000 bars of soap and gnaw through 30,000
sticks of gum.
The visitors dressing room was remodeled in 1991 to better cater to the
comfort of Team Canada's training camp in their preparation for the 1991
Canada Cup. It is equipped with air conditioning, training area and for each
game, Gardens staff supply the room with tape, towels, tools, toiletries,
Gatorade, coffee, laundry facilities and gum. Two TV studios and a coaches'
room were also added to facilitate visiting media and coaches.
Ice Surface
The centre of attention for hockey games is, naturally, the ice surface. The
ice surface is 85' by 200" (26m by 61m) and it remains in place from late
August to the end of the season.
The installation of the ice involves flooding the concrete surface (the
surface was redone in 1983) with just a few millimetres of deionized water.
This is frozen by pumping brine, which is a calcium chloride solution,
through the 23 km of pipe that is set within the concrete floor. The
temperature of the brine is typically -25 degrees Celsius. The entire ice
surface is then painted white (allowing for a strong contrast between the
puck and the ice). More water is added, then the hockey lines are painted.
The ice is then flooded with additional layers until the final thickness is
two to four centimetres. The thickness and temperature of the ice is varied
depending on the temperature and humidity of the building interior. For
non-hockey events, sheets of plywood cover the ice and the staging and
chairs are place on top.
The Gardens uses two ice resurfacing machines, one produced by Zamboni and
the other by Olympia. The Zamboni uses a 2.3 litre engine powered by propane
fuel. Each machine lasts about five seasons providing over 2,000 floods per
year with each flood using approximately 275 litres of hot water.
Zambonis were first used in the Gardens in 1962. Prior to that, the ice was
cleared by hand and barrels full of hot water were pushed around the rink.
This technique allowed the Gardens to become the first N.H.L. arena to
provide fresh floods between periods.
The boards lining the ice surface have become revenue generators through the
introduction of board signage in 1989. The space on the boards is sold on a
season by season basis and range in price (in 1993) from $150,000 to
$260,000 for the year depending on location.
Penalty Box
The sin bin has held its share of rule breakers. As a Maple Leaf, Dave
"Tiger" Williams spent thirteen hours worth of playing time in the box. It
originally was located between the two player benches but was moved to the
opposite side in the mid-1940's for obvious safety reasons. The time keeper
and penalty time keeper locate themselves in the middle of the penalty
bench. Other off-ice officials required are two goal judges (located behind
each goal), a statistician, the official scorer, the shot clock scorer
(located in the press box) and the video goal judge (located in the video
replay booth).
Video Replay Booth
Located in the north-east corner beside the organ loft since 1991, the
replay booth is called upon to clear up any uncertainties the referee may
have regarding a goal or to establish the correct time on the official game
clock . In the booth, the video technician manipulates five VCR's and three
monitors for the video replay judge who has direct contact to the penalty
box area via telephone. Also in attendance is a supervisor of officials
taking advantage of the excellent view of the playing surface.
Organ Loft
Located in the northeast corner since 1982, it contains a variety of musical
equipment to entertain the hockey fans between periods and during breaks in
the play. The current system was installed in 1990 and is constantly being
updated. It presently has three keyboards, two digital/ audio players,
cassette decks and a compact disk player. A computer is also used to file
banks of sequences that are played back on game night along with over eighty
sound effects. All of these items are set up and used in an area of less
than 5 square metres.
Originally, the loft was located on the south side of the building and used
a Wurlitzer organ and pipes built in the late 1920's. The organ was
originally used in a movie theatre on the site of Toronto's City Hall and
was installed in the Gardens in 1958. It is now located in Casa Loma, a
historical site in Toronto. Prior to its present location, the organ loft
was also stationed on the west side of the Gardens.
Press Box
The press box stretches the length of the building along the east side,
eight stories above the ice surface. It was built in 1965 to accommodate the
increasing number of media representatives that wished to cover the games.
The ninety seats are used by reporters, radio broadcasters, statisticians,
N.H.L. off-ice officials, visiting team management, injured players and Leaf
representatives. This broad mixture of hockey authorities produces a busy
working environment where cheering is not allowed and professionalism is
expected.
Thirteen televisions are spread through the press box to allow viewing of
instant replays and close-ups. Located at the prominent centre ice
positions, are the broadcast booths for the home and away teams' radio
stations and the local daily newspaper writers. Twenty phones are provided
to writers to contact their office and are used by broadcasters to call in
game updates for their listeners. On a busy night during the 1993 playoffs,
25 newspapers, 5 magazines, 10 radio stations and 15 television stations
were represented in the press box area.
The press box was originally located in the south east corner of the
building and could accommodate a maximum of 20 press representatives.
Score Clock
The Gardens has used three different score clocks over the years with each
being a marvel of its time. The first clock weighed three and a half tons
(3500 kg) and was included in the original construction of the building. It
hung above centre ice and showed the time remaining, the period and the
score. It was not replaced until 1967 where a new clock, which was designed
by Gardens employees, was built and installed. It weighed twice as much as
the original and was the only clock of its kind at the time. It incorporated
solid state electronics to control the lights used to display the time,
period, score and penalty information as well. The present clock was added
in 1983, and has the capability of showing moving graphics on the 18 square
metre screen that is on each of the four sides of the clock. The clock uses
over 40,000 bulbs of four colours, white, blue, green and red. The control
room for the clock is located in the north west corner of the building
amongst the private boxes. The graphics and advertising messages are
controlled from this location. The game related information including the
score, time and penalty times are controlled by the time keeper in the
penalty box.
Private Boxes
The 67 original private boxes that circle the building were completed in
1981. These boxes range in capacity from 6 to 12 spectators. These boxes
include air conditioning, television, wet bar, refrigerator and private
catering. Private box visitors can have everything from pop to champagne,
chicken wings to caviar delivered directly to them. An additional 16
"SuperBoxes" were added in 1991 due to the consistent success of the
original boxes. These boxes have expanded capacity (14 to 28 visitors), a
full time hostess, customized decor and seats which extend out of the box
and into the noise and excitement of the game.
The majority of the boxes are rented out on a yearly basis and the rental
fee allows for access to the box for the majority of non-hockey events as
well. The yearly fee for a box in 1993 ranged from $40,000 to $175,000.
TV Studio
Television came to the Gardens in 1952. It began modestly with two cameras
and a small studio. Today, the games are covered by eight or more cameras
including net cams which give the fans a whole new perspective of the game.
The program is produced from mobile trucks parked on Wood Street behind the
Gardens. From the exterior, the trucks look like regular transports but
inside are million dollar studios that are run by the show's producer and
director. The original studio inside the Gardens, located directly across
the hall from the Leaf dressing room, is still used and has been the site of
over 2,000 player interviews over the years. It is also used for the popular
`Coach's Corner' segment starring Don Cherry and Ron McLean.
Medical Room
Located on the West side of the building behind penalty and scorekeeper's
boxes is the medical room. It is staffed by six to eight representatives of
Parkview Emergency Services on all game nights and there is an ambulance on
site to ensure quick delivery of an injured player to the hospital if
necessary. The attendants' main responsibility is to provide proper
immobilization of an injured player to allow the on-site doctors to do their
work. They also provide care for spectators if injured due to errant pucks.
The doctors in attendance at all games are a plastic surgeon (for the 250
odd stitches that are sewn each year to allow players to quickly return to
the action), a dentist (handling about 25 dental accidents each season), an
orthopaedic surgeon (for joint injuries), and a sports medicine specialist.
Conclusion
Maple Leaf Gardens has been the site of many entertaining, enriching and
inspirational events. It represents sixty-eight years of effort on behalf of
the Maple Leaf Gardens employees, including the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey
Club, to bring to Toronto and to Canada, a first class entertainment
product.
On February 13th 1999 the venerable Gardens will host its last NHL game when
the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Chicago Blackhawks (the two teams that
played the first ever game at Maple Leaf Gardens). Although NHL hockey will
no longer be a part of the Gardens, the building will still continue to host
major events. Fans will still be able to enjoy events such as concerts and
St. Michael's Majors Hockey (Ontario Hockey League). In addition, the Maple
Leafs will still practice at Church and Carlton when the Air Canada Centre
is hosting other attractions. One special event that will take place at the
Gardens in the year 2000 is the Heroes of Hockey game which is part of the
NHL All-Star weekend.
En lille Historie :
Passing into history
A day in the life of the Gardens
By BILL LANKHOF -- Toronto Sun
Noon
Goodwin plays doorman for the practice-weary Maple Leafs.
A small group, wearing badges that read "Practice Pass," waits
in the main concourse beyond those yellow curtains, under the
floating banners of yesterday's legends they wait for today's
heroes.
Two teenage girls in Leafs jerseys pose for a picture with centre
Steve Sullivan, and when he walks away they giggle, one nudging
the other in the ribs.
Some things, after all, don't change -- not even in 70 years.
1 P.M.
It is quiet before Hockey Night In Canada moves in for another
night, Fournier sits in his office amid the jumble and keepsakes of
46 years.
Getting there is half the battle. The hallway to his office meanders
under the north end of the Gardens seats. There are trolleys, piles
of plywood to cover the ice, extra nets and dollies. The north
end, for TV viewers, is where the Zamboni disappears. There is
a tangled mass of wires and TV cords hanging from the walls.
And what the cameras don't show are the fissured concrete walls
and windowless panes.
"I feel terrible," Fournier says of the Maple Leafs' move to the
Air Canada Centre. "There's no other way to describe it when
you've been around here as long as I have."
He has been chauffeur for every owner from Conn Smythe to
Harold Ballard and Steve Stavro. "To the young employees it's
great to go to a new building ... to the rest it's a sad feeling. The
Gardens is my life."
The desk is covered with books, newspapers and keepsakes.
The walls are crammed with newspaper clippings of Gardens
happenings. It is an archive of love, and all of it is dominated by a
huge photo of the irascible Ballard.
"Mr. B. was like a father to me," Fournier says. "From the day
he bought this place to the day he died, it was a real show. He
was great for business.
"People thought he was a tiger, but he really was more like the
big dog in the corner. He'd bark and let you know he was there,
but he wouldn't bite you."
When the Maple Leafs officially move next week, Fournier will
stay behind. "I'll stay here as long as this building is here, or as
long as they'll let me stay," he says.
But he knows it can never be the same.
"Sometimes it's hard to believe the changes around here. The
Smythes, the Bassetts, Mr. Ballard, King Clancy ... they're all
gone. Sinatra, Elvis Presley ... all gone. And now there's an end
for the Gardens.
"There was a time when you knew all the players. They'd stop
and talk. Now ... well, times change."
2 P.M.
A cold sun squints down Carlton St. as the Olde Towne trolley
bus rolls by, and curious faces peer through the windows.
Maple Leaf Gardens already is a museum, a living relic.
Moments later, a modern Red Rocket whizzes past, the
uninterested staring, oblivious to what has been the cradle of love
for three hockey generations.
It is perhaps an illustration of the uncertain future of the Gardens,
and what it will mean to future generations. "I don't know,"
Fournier says, "to me, this place is filled with special memories,
but what it will mean to younger people is hard to say. They
probably don't have the same feelings for it."
In the bleak sunlight, George Treppa, his wife Marion and
daughter Mary have come from St. Clair Shores, Mich., for this
night's game against the Washington Capitals. They have come
early to snap some pictures.
"We're rink rats. We've been to all the old buildings, but there's
something special about Maple Leaf Gardens. It's hard to
explain, but we had to come one last time," George says. "We're
American, but there's nothing quite the same as Hockey Night In
Canada from the Gardens ... Maybe it's because we grew up
watching it on TV.
"I mean, I've even renovated my whole basement into my very
own Coach's Corner."
Don Cherry would be proud, even if George isn't one of our
good Canadian boys.
5 P.M.
As the shadows grow long, and the marquee lights "Chicago
Blackhawks Feb. 13" reflect off the LeafSport shop sign, there is
an almost imperceptible quickening of movement around the
Gardens.
"Hey, anybody wanna buy a $200 T-shirt?" quips a fan, as he
scurries with his buddies to the bars which are slowly filling up
nearby.
There are people standing across the street snapping photos,
and the lonely scalper has been joined by other ticket brokers.
They want $400 for a pair of Greens. "Hey, ya gotta talk to me,"
says one, as a potential customer turns quickly away.
But it is still early. Desperation has not yet filled the hearts of
Maple Leafs fans without tickets.
Around the corner, at Wood and Church, the action is picking
up -- the serious autograph hounds dashing between traffic to
ambush their targets at the players' entrance.
Stu Powell has brought his young son from their home in Sarnia.
"I hope he remembers this," Stu says, as young Nicholas
clutches his program. "We've got a few guys, but I think all the
big names sneak in the back."
Autograph hunting is a serious business, as Stu has discovered to
some dismay. "You see dealers, and kids get pushed out of the
way just because some 50-year-old guy wants to make another
buck. It's too bad."
A minor nuisance. Nicholas and his father have two seats in the
Greys, and taking his son to his first NHL game at the Gardens is
a duty of love. "This was his Christmas present, to see the
Gardens before it closed. I really wanted to bring him. Hockey
on a Saturday night at Maple Leaf Gardens is Canada. It's what
blue-collar guys do -- sit around and talk about hockey. I hope
he remembers."
Nicholas' eyes are wide in wonder at the chaos surrounding him.
He will remember.
6 P.M.
Like the vanguard of an army that cannot be stopped, elbow to
elbow, they surge from the subway at Yonge and Carlton amid
the cacophony of excited voices set to the music of shuffling feet
and crunching snow.
There are the frantic calls of scalpers everywhere. A guy in a
Red Wings jersey scurries through the cold, humming the theme
song from Hockey Night In Canada.
Inside, the TV lights have not yet been turned on, but there is
now the hurly-burly of concessionaires setting up, much as they
have for nearly 70 years.
In the seats, ushers sit in small groups going over instructions, or
just sharing a story or a joke.
"I love this place," says Ben Palka, who is 29 and has been an
usher for just two years. "Ever since I was a kid, and my dad put
me in front of the TV with him to watch the games, I've dreamt
about working here."
And now, the dream is almost over.
"We've had orientation at the Air Canada Centre and I'll see
what it's like, but to be honest, I didn't get this job for the money
... I got it because I wanted to be at the Gardens. It won't be the
same. The new arena is an entertainment centre. This is a hockey
rink."
Game time approaches and the doors have swung open. "There
they are, Kyle ... the front doors," says a father, holding the hand
of the next generation. It is said as though the two are
approaching a royal palace. There is a curious reverence.
Escaping from the exhaust fumes of the street, the aroma of hot
dogs caresses the nostrils.
There is a buoyancy in the building, perhaps because after all
these years, the Maple Leafs are finally a team again worthy of
some hero-worship.
Spectators walk down the corridor. A sea of heads turn left,
then right -- some reverently, others curious, or even amused as
Ace Bailey stares from another era. Dads hold kids' hands. Old
men stare, savouring one final swig of memory.
"You notice it a lot more this year -- people coming early,
looking at the building, the pictures, standing around talking,"
Palka says.
From every direction comes the flash of cameras.
7 P.M., GAME TIME
The grey underbelly of the Gardens, looking much like the inside
of a decorated sardine can, takes on new life under the full blaze
of the TV lights.
"For the first time in a long time, there seems to be more of a
sense of excitement," Fournier says. "It was electric in the
six-team league. The rivalry ... Imagine if there were only six girls
in the whole world. Imagine the rivalry ... That's what it was like."
Some of that old-time feeling is still there.
From the press box, which sways slightly underfoot, the ice is a
glistening panorama flanked on all sides by a splashed canvas that
attacks the senses with colour and noise.
Then, suddenly, there is darkness. Strobes flash. The building
fills with the sound of a thousand cheers and screams. Rock
music blasts. TV cameras blink into action, and across Canada
and the United States, families snuggle up in den couches.
The puck drops. Welcome to Hockey Night In Canada.
"We flew up from Pittsburgh," says Gary Kreps, wandering
through the hallway with his friend Rob Hofmann and their sons,
Justin and Adam. "We wanted to catch a piece of nostalgia. This
is a great arena for the ordinary hockey fan. We'd trade you for
the Civic Arena right now the way it is."
They think they know what makes hockey at the Gardens
different, too. "There's history," Rob says, "but what really
impressed me was the attention that the fans here pay to the
game."
To which his son adds, "Yeah, nobody yells dumb things like,
'Kill the ref!' here."
It is, however, possible to kill oneself trying to climb the stairs
from the Golds to the upper Greys and private boxes. The
Gardens does not have elevators, not even for the rich. There are
hallways so small up there, that even if he had wanted to, Harold
Ballard could not have got his stomach through them.
If it were a house, the real-estate agent would describe it as a
handyman special, or a house with character. Lots of potential,
etc., etc.
But mostly it is a happy place. Fans munch hot dogs, Mats
Sundin scores into an empty net, and Adam is going home to
Pittsburgh with tales of wonder, a couple of "neat" fights and a
5-3 Toronto victory.
The perfect night.
And then, all too soon, it ends.
10 P.M.
Fans push toward the exits. But downstairs near the home
team's dressing room, fans crowd around the drawn,
mustard-yellow curtains once more to catch a glimpse of a real
Maple Leafs player.
Somewhere behind that curtain, there is also Don Cherry. And,
in the media room, coach Pat Quinn mutters something about his
team not playing smart. But he'll take the win.
To the sound of happy babbling, fans shoulder their way toward
the openings and the street beyond. Teeder Kennedy stares from
the wall, and if you have a good imagination, it may seem that he
is smiling just a bit more these days.
Outside, a couple of hosers wave Leafs pennants from a car
caught in the bumper-to-bumper sea of honking cars. Elbow to
elbow, the sea of humanity drops from sight, back into the
subway like a family of gorged, happy rats.
MIDNIGHT
A couple of reporters still tap at keyboards. Otherwise, the
Gardens is dark and quiet.
Soon, this place will be home to corporate shinny and there will
be only memories instead of dreams. Nobody knows with
certainty what will happen, and the stillness feels ominous, like
entering a mausoleum.
That actually might not be such a miserable fate, because a lot of
people wouldn't mind spending eternity at Maple Leaf Gardens.
They wouldn't even have to change the name.
On the street, meanwhile, a solitary figure has returned. He
stoops for an empty soda can before pushing his cart into the
night. In the distance, there are the sounds of sirens.
But it is too late. It is midnight. Maple Leaf Gardens has passed
into history.
Maple Leaf Gardens Historic Key Dates
Sep. 4, 1972: Team Canada beats the USSR 4-1 in one of the greatest games at
the Gardens. Canada would go on to win the Summit Series 4-3-1.
Sep. 19, 1964: The first NHL Pre-Season game between NHL opponents at the
Gardens.
Oct. 13, 1947: Leafs play NHL All Stars in the first game between Stanley
Cup Champions and NHL All Stars (4-3 All Stars). Considered the first ever
NHL All Star game.
Oct. 13, 1951: At 3 pm the Chicago Blackhawks played an abbreviated game
with the Leafs solely for the benefit of royal visitors, Her Royal Highness,
Princess Elizabeth, and His Royal Highness, Prince Phillip. At 8:30 pm the
two pro teams took to the ice again for the season opener. Chicago won the
game 3-1.
Oct. 15, 1983: The Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs combined to
score five goals in 1 minute, 24 seconds at Maple Leaf Gardens. A National
Hockey League record that still stands today.
Oct. 25, 1967: The NHL had expanded to twelve teams during the summer. On
this date the Leafs played the Los Angeles Kings, the first expansion team
to play in the building.
Oct. 30, 1943: Gus Bodnar, playing his first NHL game, sets an NHL record
that still stands today for fastest goal by a rookie (15 seconds). The Leafs
defeated the New York Rangers 5-2 at MLG.
Nov. 1, 1946: The first professional indoor basketball game in the NBA is
played at the Gardens. The New York Knickerbockers defeated the Toronto
Huskies 68-66.
Nov. 10, 1934: The first NHL penalty shot at the Gardens, Leafs against
Canadiens, Mondou of Montreal took the shot against Hainsworth of Toronto,
but missed. Toronto won the game 2-1.
Nov. 12, 1931: Maple Leaf Gardens opens as the Leafs play against the
Blackhawks (2-1 Chicago). Harold "Mush" March of Chicago scores the first
goal in Gardens history. Charlie Conacher scores the first goal ever at MLG
for the Leafs.
Nov. 28, 1931: Leafs beat Boston 4-3, the first victory for the Leafs at
Maple Leaf Gardens.
Dec. 6, 1931: Leafs beat the Montreal Maroons 4-0, the first Leaf shut-out
in the Gardens. Lorne Chabot was in goal for Toronto.
Jan. 8, 1944: Babe Pratt sets an NHL record for a defenceman (since tied)
with six assists in one game as the Leafs defeated the Boston Bruins 12-3.
Jan. 8, 1947: Howie Meeker scored five goals against Chicago, an NHL record
for most goals by a rookie in one game (later tied by Don Murdoch in 1976).
Feb. 2, 1977: Ian Turnbull sets an NHL record for a defenceman with five
goals in one game as Toronto defeats Detroit 9-1 at Maple Leaf Gardens.
Feb. 7, 1976: Darryl Sittler sets the NHL standard for most points in one
game (10) with six goals, four assists versus Boston.
Feb. 13, 1999: The Maple Leafs play their final game at Maple Leaf Gardens
as they face the Chicago Blackhawks-the first team they played at Maple Leaf
Gardens on November 12, 1931.
Feb. 14, 1934: "Ace Bailey Benefit Game" is played at MLG. A packed house
watches the Leafs defeat the NHL All Stars 7-3. From this beginning, the All
Star game became an annual event in 1947.
Mar. 16, 1957: Leafs set a team record by scoring 14 goals against the
Rangers at MLG (14-1).
Mar. 21, 1951: First ever "televised" hockey game, seen by CBC employees
only (a programming experiment). Leafs defeat Montreal 1-0.
Apr. 1, 1931: Old houses and stores at the corner of Church and Carlton were
demolished in preparation for the construction of the building.
Apr. 3, 1933: Ken Doraty scores a goal at 104:46 (1:48 AM) of OT as the
Leafs defeat Boston 1-0 in a Stanley Cup semifinal game. It is the second
longest overtime game in league history.
Apr. 9, 1932: The Toronto Maple Leafs win the third game of a best-of-five
series to capture the Stanley Cup, the first on Maple Leaf Gardens ice, with
a 6-4 win over the Rangers.
Apr. 16, 1949: The Leafs beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 to win the Stanley
Cup for the third straight year (second straight at Maple Leaf Gardens). The
first modern era team to win the Cup three years in a row.
Apr. 18, 1942: Leafs are the only team to lose the first three games of the
Finals and then win the Stanley Cup, defeating Detroit on this day 3-1 in
the seventh and deciding game at MLG.
Apr. 18, 1963: The Maple Leafs defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 at MLG and
win the Stanley Cup in five games (4-1)
Apr. 19, 1947: The Leafs beat Montreal 2-1 to win the Stanley Cup for the
third time on Gardens ice.
Apr. 21, 1951: Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in the
fifth game of the finals at MLG to win the Stanley Cup.
Apr. 25, 1964: The Leafs beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-0 at MLG to win the
Stanley cup, four games to three.
May 2, 1967: Leafs win the Stanley Cup, beating Montreal four games to two.
It was the first time the Leafs had played in May, and the last time they
won the Stanley Cup.
Jun. 1, 1931: Ground was broken June 1, 1931 and just 165 days later Maple
Leaf Gardens hosted its first NHL game.
Maple Leaf Gardens Did You Know's...
TORONTO (February 8, 1999) - The Gardens was built in just five and a half
months at a cost of approximately 1.5 million dollars.
Construction costs were minimized by providing the workers with Gardens
stock in place of 20% of their regular earnings.
The first professional basketball game in the NBA was played at the Gardens
on November 1st, 1946. The New York Knickerbockers defeated the Toronto
Huskies 68-66.
The press box was originally located in the south east corner of the
building and could accommodate a maximum of 20 press representatives.
In the building of MLG over 1200 labourers used 13,500 cubic yards of
concrete, 600 tons of reinforcing steel, 760 tons of structural steel, and
1.5 million bricks and tiles.
When the Gardens opened, it included a bowling alley, billiards room and
full gymnasium.
Conn Smythe used to keep cats in the building to ensure rodents stayed out,
and he employed two full-time painters who used to touch up virtually every
small crack or chip on a daily basis to maintain the building's pristine
character.
The site on which MLG was built has historical significance. A decisive
battle was fought on the spot during the rebellion of 1837; Sheriff Jarvis
fired on William Lyon Mackenzie's insurgents and halted them there.
Conn Smythe's first choice for the site of MLG was a location on the Lake
Ontario waterfront close to Yonge and Fleet streets. However, the land was
not available for outright purchase. Church and Carlton was actually his
third choice.
In 1978 there were 290 attractions in 365 days including hockey, rock shows
and ice performances.
Charlie Conacher scored the first goal ever for the Leafs at Maple Leaf
Gardens.
From 1931 to 1998 only three games have ever been postponed; the death of
King George V, the death of King George VI, and the death of Stafford
Smythe.
MLG was the first arena to paint the ice surface so that fans could see the
puck more clearly.
The cornerstone of MLG is located at the south end of the building (just
east of Leafsport).
MLG has hosted numerous other activities ranging from a wedding to a water
polo match.
The Blue section was added in 1966/67.
Zambonis were first used in the Gardens in 1962. Prior to that, the ice was
cleared by hand and barrels full of hot water were pushed around the rink.
The Gardens became the first NHL arena to provide fresh floods between
periods.
The penalty box was located between the two player benches but was moved to
the opposite side in the mid 1940s for obvious safety reasons. As a Maple
Leaf, Tiger Williams spent over thirteen hours worth of playing time in the
box.
The score clock (installed in 1983) uses 40,000 bulbs of four colors; white,
blue, green and red.
The first televised game at the Gardens occurred in 1952. It began modestly
with two cameras and a small studio. Today games are covered by eight or
more cameras and mobile trucks that are parked on Wood street behind the
Gardens.
During the early 1980s, Toronto tourism officials reported they got more
requests for directions to Maple Leaf Gardens than to any other building or
tourist site in the area.
In May 1989, Maple Leaf Gardens was designated a Heritage building, an
official historic site under the Ontario Heritage Act.
The Gardens was the first arena to use plexiglass above the boards in 1947.
Harold "Mush" March of the Chicago Blackhawks scored the first goal ever at
Maple Leaf Gardens on November 12, 1931.
The Leafs have hoisted the Stanley Cup 8 times on home ice. They have
watched the visiting team hoist it 4 times.
Historic Statistics Relating to
the Final Game at Maple Leaf Gardens
MOST GOALS AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS
235 Darryl Sittler
226 Dave Keon
186 Ron Ellis
180 Frank Mahovlich
174 Rick Vaive
173 George Armstrong
151 Wendel Clark
148 Bob Pulford
138 Ted Kennedy
123 Ron Stewart
MOST POINTS AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS
524 Darryl Sittler
521 Dave Keon
412 George Armstrong
398 Borje Salming
376 Frank Mahovlich
360 Ron Ellis
342 Bob Pulford
336 Norm Ullman
323 Ted Kennedy
307 Rick Vaive
272 Doug Gilmour
MOST GOALS AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS AS VISITING PLAYER
93 Gordie Howe
62 Alex Delvecchio
57 Johnny Bucyk
53 Henri Richard
51 Jean Beliveau
49 Bobby Hull
47 Ted Lindsay
46 Maurice Richard
45 Dean Prentice
44 Dickie Moore
MOST POINTS AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS AS VISITING PLAYER
126 Gordie Howe
87 Johnny Bucyk
80 Alex Delvecchio
80 Bobby Hull
77 Wayne Gretzky
75 Jean Beliveau
74 Maurice Richard
73 Henri Richard
73 Steve Yzerman
66 Denis Savard
http://www.torontomapleleafs.com/history/modern.htm
http://www.mapleleafgardens.com
--
Med Venlig Hilsen/Best Regards
Jesper "BigJay" Christensen
Copenhagen, Denmark
E-mail : big...@image.dk
Jesper Nielsen
Glæd dig!!
Ps.
Jeg har et eller andet sted liggende den bedste nhl kamp jeg har set.
Playoff kampen mellem Chicago & Toronto fantastisk kamp. Er du
interreseret??
Jesper Christensen
Hvilken playoff kamp og med hvilket resultat???:-)
--
Med Venlig Hilsen/Best Regards
Jesper "BigJay" Christensen
Copenhagen, Denmark
E-mail : big...@image.dk
Jesper Nielsen <fr.havn-...@post.tele.dk> wrote in message
79t2ae$57eq$1...@news-inn.inet.tele.dk...
Jesper Nielsen
sæsonen. Toronto har vundet de to første kampe i Chicago efter storspil af
Felix Potvin.
Jeg skal prøve at se om jeg kan finde kampen, også skal sende den til dig.
OG DET ER EN KANONKAMP!!!!!!!!!