The time a Boston Bruins' legend nearly froze to death
Defenseman Eddie Shore played 14 seasons in the NHL, all with the Boston Bruins. He appeared in 550 games and collected 105 goals, 179 assists, 284 points and 1,047 penalty minutes.
Shore won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins twice (1929, 1939), the Hart Memorial Trophy four times (1933, 1935, 1936, 1938) and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947. His number 2 was retired by Boston in 1947 as well.
However, there's one absolutely wild story about Eddie Shore that perfectly describes the type of person and player he was.
It's a great read below:
The story begins one night earlier as the Bruins took a night train to Montreal for a road game with the Maroons. As the Pullman rolled away from the platform, Bruins manager Art Ross walked the sleeping cars counting heads when he saw Eddie Shore was missing.
�'Mr. Ross didn't know it, but my cab was late due to a snowstorm and I was running down the platform trying to jump on''. Shore was well aware of Ross' $500 fine for any player who is late. Determined to reach Montreal in time, he checked trains but they wouldn't arrive till after game time and airlines were all down from the snow.
Then a wealthy friend of his offered him his limo and chauffeur.
So just before midnight, he and the chauffeur left on a 350-mile trip through treacherous ice and snow. �'The chauffeur drove at 3 mph. I wasn't happy and I told him so but he said he didn't have chains. The poor fellow urged me to turn back.''
�'Soon the car skidded to the lip of a ditch. I took the wheel and drove to a service station and had tire chains put on, within minutes the wiper blades froze. I couldn't see so I removed the top half of the windshield."
Shore's face was exposed but still saw thru the night. At 5 am near New Hampshire, the chains wore out.
�'We got on new ones and weaved on and we skidded off the road four more times. The new pair of chains fell off at 3 pm the next day. I felt a short nap would put me in good shape, but all I asked of the driver was 12 mph and stay on the road.''
But the moment he dozed off, they crashed again into a deep ditch. So Shore hiked a mile to a farmhouse for help.
�'I paid $8 for a team of horses, harnessed them and pulled the car out of the ditch.''
They continued and arrived at 5:30 pm at the Windsor Hotel and he nearly collapsed.
�'He was in no condition to play,'' said Ross. �'His eyes were bloodshot, face frostbitten, fingers stuck like claws from the steering wheel and his legs were almost paralyzed from hitting the brake and clutch.''
After a 20-minute nap and a steak dinner on the run, Shore dressed.
The Boston Bruins won the game 1-0 on a goal at 8:20 of the second period scored by, none other than, Eddie Shore.
Ross waived the fine for Shore being late.
�'Mr. Ross didn't know it, but my cab was late due to a snowstorm and I was running down the platform trying to jump on''. Shore was well aware of Ross' $500 fine for any player who is late. Determined to reach Montreal in time, he checked trains but they wouldn't arrive till after game time and airlines were all down from the snow.
Then a wealthy friend of his offered him his limo and chauffeur.
So just before midnight, he and the chauffeur left on a 350-mile trip through treacherous ice and snow. �'The chauffeur drove at 3 mph. I wasn't happy and I told him so but he said he didn't have chains. The poor fellow urged me to turn back.''
�'Soon the car skidded to the lip of a ditch. I took the wheel and drove to a service station and had tire chains put on, within minutes the wiper blades froze. I couldn't see so I removed the top half of the windshield."
Shore's face was exposed but still saw thru the night. At 5 am near New Hampshire, the chains wore out.
�'We got on new ones and weaved on and we skidded off the road four more times. The new pair of chains fell off at 3 pm the next day. I felt a short nap would put me in good shape, but all I asked of the driver was 12 mph and stay on the road.''
But the moment he dozed off, they crashed again into a deep ditch. So Shore hiked a mile to a farmhouse for help.
�'I paid $8 for a team of horses, harnessed them and pulled the car out of the ditch.''
They continued and arrived at 5:30 pm at the Windsor Hotel and he nearly collapsed.
�'He was in no condition to play,'' said Ross. �'His eyes were bloodshot, face frostbitten, fingers stuck like claws from the steering wheel and his legs were almost paralyzed from hitting the brake and clutch.''
After a 20-minute nap and a steak dinner on the run, Shore dressed.
The Boston Bruins won the game 1-0 on a goal at 8:20 of the second period scored by, none other than, Eddie Shore.
Ross waived the fine for Shore being late.
CREDIT: @hockeybukakke on Instagram
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