"My mom gave a couple of dollars to a woman who was in desperate need of milk for her family. In return, the woman gave my mom a gunnysack full of things, including a pair of skates. My sister Edna grabbed one and I got the other. We went outside and push-glided around an ice pond. When Edna got cold and took her skate off, I put it on my other foot." So begins the story of one of the greatest--and toughest--men to ever play the game of ice hockey, Gordie Howe. Or try Bobby Hull: "We won the Stanley Cup in 1961 when I was 22 years old... but I never did drink out of the Stanley Cup. As the festivities began, I started drinking beer out of the owner's son Mike Wirtz's dirty old felt hat. I got sick as a dog and had to go to bed instead of celebrating that night." For the Love of Hockey collects the personal stories of 91 of the game's greatest players, stars such as Rocket Richard, Bobby Orr, Guy Lafleur, Wayne Gretzky, and Mario Lemieux. With big, full-color action shots and the words of the players themselves, this is a heartfelt tribute to the most talented practitioners of a fast and furious sport.


Michael Jung, Resource Links, February 2002
A must read for every hockey addict in Canada.


Book Description
NHL stars and legends reveal key moments of their careers. The greatest hockey players of all time share their most vivid memories of the game they love. These stories and anecdotes are essentially joyful, occasionally heart-breaking, and always heartfelt. Their reminiscences include: - Dramatic overtime goals - Record-breaking games - Team camaraderie - Devastating trades - Career-ending injuries. Thrilling color photographs enhance the personal stories of players from such hockey legends as: - Rocket Richard - Gordie Howe - Jean Beliveau - Bobby Orr - Wayne Gretzky. The book also includes the hottest players of today such as: - Steve Yzerman - Mario Lemieux - Jeremy Roenick. Told in the players' own words, these stories are infused with the same skill, spirit, character and determination that carried each of these men to the heights of the National Hockey League and made hockey one of the most popular sports in the world. As hockey attracts more fans of all ages, so will For the Love of Hockey.


About the Author
Chris McDonell is a writer, graphic artist and hockey enthusiast. His previous books include Hockey All-Stars and Hockey's Greatest Stars.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

For the Love of Hockey will appeal to hockey fans of all ages. In their own words, 91 of the greatest hockey players in National Hockey League (NHL) history share reminiscences of some of the most significant moments of their life in the game. Stories woven from magical boyhood recollections of a treasured first pair of skates to the feeling of exaltation experienced when, as men, they raised the Stanley Cup in victory contribute to a rich tapestry of hockey lore. While not all memories are joyful ones, the stories of painful injuries, gut-wrenching trades and personal tragedies are ultimately an integral part of these tales of triumph. Each player has signed his story, further personalizing an intimate account of what hockey has meant to him. And die-hard fans will be pleased to see an NHL career summary for each player at the back of this unique book.

FROM THE CRITICS

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