Friday, May 7, 2010

Twinkies and the Stanley Cup

On April 16, 1961, I was having a sleepover at my house with one of my friends. No, I don't have such a good memory that I actually remember the date. But that was the final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs between the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks won.

I know this because for some reason, amidst the Twinkies and chocolate bars of the usual sleepover, my friend and I stumbled onto the radio broadcast of the final game and somehow got hooked on it. My friend rooted for Detroit and I for Chicago. We cheered; we screamed; we plunged to disappointed depths when one of "our" teams was behind. There probably were no more passionate hockey fans than us on that one night.

Oddly, neither of us previously had any great interest in hockey or in those particular teams. It is quite likely that neither of us even knew until that moment just who was in that playoff season at all.

But like most Canadian kids of a certain age, I had a pretty good acquaintance with NHL hockey. In those days, the CBC was the only television channel in Canada. And every Saturday night we watched the CBC's Hockey Night in Canada, literally the only game in town - at least in TV land. It wasn't really that much of a stretch for two young girls to fall in love with a hockey game.

Now, it's that time again - NHL playoffs - with a much greater number of teams and a much longer season (imagine having the final game of the playoffs on April 16!).

I am rooting for my favourite team of many years - the Vancouver Canucks - but have to admit that I will probably not engage with the same fervour that two little girls experienced all those years ago. It was one of those moments with a life of its own. Maybe some Twinkies and chocolate bars would help!

10 comments:

lifeshighway said...

I'm not a hockey fan but Twinkies and chocolate makes everything better.

Great story about youth and youthful friendships and those moments that last a lifetime.

ChrisJ said...

Cheri,

I wonder if they even still make Twinkies - I haven't looked for a long time.

Owen Gray said...

I grew up in Montreal when hockey was the only game in town and les Canadiens were the only team in the world.

I remember going to the Forum to watch the Black Hawks and Bobby Hull play. Little did I know that we would eventually settle where he grew up.

A friend tells me that, once in awhile, he would come to the fair grounds in town and every kid would drop what he or she was doing and draw a beeline for the fair.

There was a time when hockey was king in this country.

ChrisJ said...

Owen,

Before moving to BC, Montreal was my favourite team - I had to set myself apart from my Dad who rooted for the Leafs. The incident with the Bladkhawks was an aberration!!

Unknown said...

Such a great story! I never was much of a hockey fan until I had three boys who totally on their own discovered hockey. In order to keep up with the kids I HAVE to know how the Red Wings are doing!

For me, Hockey has to go with a Guinness, too!

ChrisJ said...

Christi,

I'll try the Guinness! I've outgrown the Twinkies and chocolate bars - at least at the same time - lol.

Cher Duncombe said...

You know I love your blog, but I am from Pittsburgh where our Pens are in the fight! Sorry, but we gotta part company on this one. :)

ChrisJ said...

Cher,

Understood!

One of The Guys said...

Twinkies and chocolate bars always help!!

I've been interested this year as well. Maybe it was the Olympics. Or maybe the basketball playoffs just haven't been as compelling.

There's nothing like a radio broadcast. Something special about hearing it and then visualizing it through someone else's eyes.

ChrisJ said...

OTG,

Sugar! It's the sugar. What's not to love?