tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
Interesting contrast between these two statements:
Cooper Smeaton was already a seasoned referee and executive during Shore’s career. He probably saw as much of Shore as anyone besides teammates and season-ticket holders.
Shore was at his peak when Coleman started writing — in Winnipeg. I can’t pin down exactly what year Coleman moved to Toronto, but it wasn’t likely in time to see Shore in live action.
Interesting to see the development of Shore’s reputation from his generational peers, to younger contemporaries who may not have actually seen him (or did so with a less critical eye), to the golden glow a half-century later.
“No, no Eddie Shore this time. I’m naming defence players and Shore, good as he was, never would have been the player he’s rated if it wasn’t for Lionel Hitchman, “Hitch”, to my mind, was one of the most underrated players of all time as a defenceman. Eddie drew a lot of the credit, but you ask any of those who played against them who they’d want out there if it was a one-man defence. They’d say Shore because they could get around him. None of them ever relished the task of getting by Hitchman.”
Coleman mentioned of Orr “Defensively, he wasn’t quite as strong or as mean as Eddie Shore, but who was?”
Cooper Smeaton was already a seasoned referee and executive during Shore’s career. He probably saw as much of Shore as anyone besides teammates and season-ticket holders.
Shore was at his peak when Coleman started writing — in Winnipeg. I can’t pin down exactly what year Coleman moved to Toronto, but it wasn’t likely in time to see Shore in live action.
Interesting to see the development of Shore’s reputation from his generational peers, to younger contemporaries who may not have actually seen him (or did so with a less critical eye), to the golden glow a half-century later.