Last Photographs of Terry Sawchuk | HFBoards - NHL Message Board and Forum for National Hockey League
Toggle sidebar

Last Photographs of Terry Sawchuk

  • Thread starter Thread starter puckhead103*
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.

puckhead103*

Guest
i have a collection of sawchuk action photos dating from late 40's up to 1970...

the most hardest find of photos was during the ranger years....

i have already seen the publicity shot photos so those don't count...

also i checked HHOF and received no reply...

i am asking if some of u have any action photos from his last game (april 9) or any off ice photos etc....
 
Can't help you, unfortunately.

However, your post raised a question:

What really was the story behind his death?

Not suggesting any conspiracy or whatnot, but didn't his demise occur under somewhat weird circumstances? Falling over a backyard grill or something while engaged in "horseplay" with teammate/roomate Ron Stewart?

I know a book about him came out a couple years back, but it always struck me that his death was somewhat mysterious, or under-reported. :dunno:
 
The exact story is a little hazy, but from what I've read, Murphy and Sawchuk were sharing a rented house during the season. At the end of the year, the two of them went out for a few drinks, then when they went back home (or were still at the bar, the story varies) and got into an argument, either over some shared bills or about who was supposed to clean the place. It got physical, and Sawchuk either fell onto a barbecue grill or landed on Stewart's knee when they started wrestling. In either case, he was seriously hurt, Stewart called an ambulance, and Sawchuk was taken to the hospital, where his gallbladder was removed. There were complications, and he had to undergo major surgery three times in the next month before he finally died. Evidently, there was just too much damage done to his liver, and he was too weakened to recover.

The police investigated, and decided not to press charges against Stewart. Some accounts say Sawchuk, while in the hospital, said it wasn't Stewart's fault, but most just mention the police deciding it was an accident.
 
Lard_Lad said:
The exact story is a little hazy, but from what I've read, Murphy and Sawchuk were sharing a rented house during the season. At the end of the year, the two of them went out for a few drinks, then when they went back home (or were still at the bar, the story varies) and got into an argument, either over some shared bills or about who was supposed to clean the place. It got physical, and Sawchuk either fell onto a barbecue grill or landed on Stewart's knee when they started wrestling. In either case, he was seriously hurt, Stewart called an ambulance, and Sawchuk was taken to the hospital, where his gallbladder was removed. There were complications, and he had to undergo major surgery three times in the next month before he finally died. Evidently, there was just too much damage done to his liver, and he was too weakened to recover.

The police investigated, and decided not to press charges against Stewart. Some accounts say Sawchuk, while in the hospital, said it wasn't Stewart's fault, but most just mention the police deciding it was an accident.
Click to expand...

in the dubois(sp) book, he mentioned that years of hard liquor had made his liver bleed so he was a goner anyway....
 
Trottier said:
Can't help you, unfortunately.

However, your post raised a question:

What really was the story behind his death?

Not suggesting any conspiracy or whatnot, but didn't his demise occur under somewhat weird circumstances? Falling over a backyard grill or something while engaged in "horseplay" with teammate/roomate Ron Stewart?

I know a book about him came out a couple years back, but it always struck me that his death was somewhat mysterious, or under-reported. :dunno:
Click to expand...

it was sawchuk that kept it a secret........it was almost to late may when the story broke that he laid up in the hospital.

sawchuk kept his illness a secret because he was afraid the story will effect the emontional state of his father, who was in a serious condition from a car accident before start of the '70 playoffs.....
 
I think I saw an action photo of Sawchuk as a Ranger in his player file at the HHOF. I'll have to remember to check the next time I'm there.

There is film footage of his last game vs Boston and also footage of him shaking hands with the Bruins after the Rangers were eliminated. It was the last time Sawchuk had a hockey uniform on.

I have talked to many players about Sawchuk over the years - he was a strange fellow. We had Marcel Pronovost on a Classic Games show to talk about Sawchuk. Pronovost knew Sawchuk better than anyone and he gave a different view of him.

Pronovost was also an advisor for the book.

As for the tragic incident, Ron Stewart was involved and naturally doesn't want to talk about it. I was sitting with Stewart once and someone came over and started asking him questions about the incident and we had to chase the guy away.

Stewart and Sawchuk were friends and roomates going back to their Toronto days so they knew each other a long time.

They were both drinkers.

The dispute started in the bar after the season about the rented house and the condition it was in. I went to the front lawn of the house where it was reported that while fighting, Sawchuk fell into a barbecue stick or something.

At the time, I was told by a friend of mine who played for the Minnesota North Stars that the injury happened when Sawchuk was kicked in the 'groin' area. I don't know if that is true but players talk and that's what I was told.

Doesn't matter anyways. It was tragic. One of the last things Sawchuk had Emile Francis promise him was to give his goalie son a tryout, which I'm sure Francis did.

Your best bet is to read the Dupuis book.

puckhead103 said:
it was sawchuk that kept it a secret........it was almost to late may when the story broke that he laid up in the hospital.

sawchuk kept his illness a secret because he was afraid the story will effect the emontional state of his father, who was in a serious condition from a car accident before start of the '70 playoffs.....
Click to expand...
 
ClassicHockey said:
I think I saw an action photo of Sawchuk as a Ranger in his player file at the HHOF. I'll have to remember to check the next time I'm there.

There is film footage of his last game vs Boston and also footage of him shaking hands with the Bruins after the Rangers were eliminated. It was the last time Sawchuk had a hockey uniform on.

I have talked to many players about Sawchuk over the years - he was a strange fellow. We had Marcel Pronovost on a Classic Games show to talk about Sawchuk. Pronovost knew Sawchuk better than anyone and he gave a different view of him.

Pronovost was also an advisor for the book.

As for the tragic incident, Ron Stewart was involved and naturally doesn't want to talk about it. I was sitting with Stewart once and someone came over and started asking him questions about the incident and we had to chase the guy away.

Stewart and Sawchuk were friends and roomates going back to their Toronto days so they knew each other a long time.

They were both drinkers.

The dispute started in the bar after the season about the rented house and the condition it was in. I went to the front lawn of the house where it was reported that while fighting, Sawchuk fell into a barbecue stick or something.

At the time, I was told by a friend of mine who played for the Minnesota North Stars that the injury happened when Sawchuk was kicked in the 'groin' area. I don't know if that is true but players talk and that's what I was told.

Doesn't matter anyways. It was tragic. One of the last things Sawchuk had Emile Francis promise him was to give his goalie son a tryout, which I'm sure Francis did.

Your best bet is to read the Dupuis book.
Click to expand...

i got the dupuis book...
 
hey classic hockey.....was the footage him shaking hands and playing that boston game at the HHOF?.....is there anyway i can find the tape of that?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
raketheleaves said:
Gerald Eziniki (sp?) followed the Rangers that year and wrote a book about their season. I seem to remember some action shots of Sawchuck in there.
Click to expand...

the name is eskenazi....what is the title of the book?....is it still in publication?
 
The shaking hands footage is part of out-takes from hundreds of 16mm films from the 70's. I doubt it will be released unless someone does a show on Sawchuk. It wouldn't be worth the expense otherwise.

The Sawchuk action from Game 2 in that series is in the 1969-70 Boston Bruin hi-lite tapes. A lot of collectors have those. If you can't find someone who has the tapes, let me know and I'll suggest someone.

puckhead103 said:
hey classic hockey.....was the footage him shaking hands and playing that boston game at the HHOF?.....is there anyway i can find the tape of that?
Click to expand...
 
ClassicHockey said:
The shaking hands footage is part of out-takes from hundreds of 16mm films from the 70's. I doubt it will be released unless someone does a show on Sawchuk. It wouldn't be worth the expense otherwise.

The Sawchuk action from Game 2 in that series is in the 1969-70 Boston Bruin hi-lite tapes. A lot of collectors have those. If you can't find someone who has the tapes, let me know and I'll suggest someone.
Click to expand...

thanks....i know a couple of collectors who have that...

thanks again...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Latest posts

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom