When he was Number One, they were too. Maurice Richard was born into a poor family in August of 1921. The Canadiens retired his number, 9, in 1960, and in 1999 donated the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy to the NHL, awarded annually to the league's regular season leading goal-scorer. Finally restrained by linesman Cliff Thompson, Richard hit the official twice before leaving the ice. Returning for the 1943-44 season, Richard scored 32 goals in 46 games. Late in the 1955 season, Richard took a slash to the head and by Boston Bruin Hal Laycoe. The couple settled in the neighbourhood of Nouveau-Bordeaux. He would miss the entire season. Family Tree . He acted as a consulting editor for a magazine titled Maurice Richard's Hockey Illustrated,[107] owned the "544/9 Tavern" (named for his career goal total and sweater number) in Montreal, and was a pitchman for dozens of products, including beer, hair dye, car batteries, fishing tackle and children's toys. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. It was the first of 14 consecutive years he was named a league all-star. The couple got married at the young age of twenty and seventeen on September 12, 1942. [72] He took to the radio the next day asking for calm: "Do no more harm. Of course, he was much more than "just a hockey player." He agreed to meet at the Montreal Forum for a last question or two and suggested, when we met in the . Despite the assaults, Campbell remained in his seat until another protester threw a tear gas canister into the audience. [110] Richard reconciled with the Canadiens in 1981 and resumed his team ambassador role. . As Richard approached 50 goals for the season, opposition players resorted to increasingly violent efforts to prevent him from scoring. Richard was especially pleased to welcome his younger brother, Henri, to the lineup of the Canadiens for the 1954-55 season, which promised to be one of the Rocket's finest. He owns property in the area and is a member of the Eagle Bend . only 180 pounds. [52] The photograph by Roger St.Jean is among the most famous images of Richard. [125] Carrier wrote of how he and his friends all emulated Richard's style and mannerisms: "we were five Maurice Richards against five other Maurice Richards, throwing themselves on the puck. [8] He made a second attempt to enlist with the military but was again turned down after x-rays revealed that his bones had not healed properly; Richard's ankle was left permanently deformed, forcing him to alter his skating style. [83] In the playoffs, he scored the overtime-winning goal in the fifth game of the semi-final to eliminate New York, then scored four goals in a 51 victory over Boston in the first game of the finals en route to a five-game series win and second consecutive championship for Montreal. The Richard family, for instance, is a cool one and its members, with the exception of Maurice and his hockeyplaying brother Henri, rarely see one another. Richard immediately went on the radio to ask his fans to restore order, and calm prevailed the next day. in Montreal, Quebec , Canada, Died on May 27, 2000 It was announced in 1998 that Richard was diagnosed with abdominal cancer. This article was last updated by on September 30, 2022. 1965- Henri met his wife Lucille Norcet when he was seventeen. Maurice Richard Povich was born in the Washington District of Columbia on January 17, 1939. Richard certainly has been one of the greatest players in the game and we will miss him. He won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1947, played in 13 All-Star Games and was named to 14 post-season NHL All-Star teams, eight on the first team. Richard's Biography, http://www.nhl.com/teampage/mon/rbio.htm, (May 10, 1999). [63] Richard was among many in Quebec who believed that Campbell treated French Canadian players more harshly than their English counterparts. On May 31, Maurice was given a State funeral in Notre Dame Basilica, where his thousands of admirers came to pay respect to the Hockey legend. Maurice "Rocket" Richard (1921-2000) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. They started smashing windows in the Forum, the ice arena where the Canadiens played. After suffering from several injuries, Maurice Richard retired in 1960 at the age of 39. Richard had been working on an all-time scoring title, and needed to be in the games to win it. Onesime and Alice had moved from the Gasp region to Nouveau-Bordeaux so that Onesime could work as a machinist at the Canadian Pacific Railway. During the 1980s, Maurice also wrote a sports column for Montreals La Presse. All of Canada was shocked. Joseph Henri Maurice "Rocket" Richard PC CC OQ (/rrd/; French:[ia]; August 4, 1921 May 27, 2000) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. This score became the most iconic moment that defined Maurices image in the mind of hockey fans across the league. The crowd became so infuriated that the game was forfeited to the Red Wings, evacuating the building. Reid: Maurice Richard's legacy still felt, 60 years after riot [39] Richard finished the season with 73 points, seven behind Lach and six ahead of Blake, as the Punch line finished first, second and third in league scoring. [13] He suffered a broken wrist after becoming entangled with a defenceman and crashed into the net. In addition to that, in 1998 NHL decided to name the award after the name of Maurice for the highest goal scorer. Many said he looked like "a small ox on skates." Maurice Richard is the most iconic Canadian professional ice hockey player (born on August 4, 1921, and died on May 27, 2000). [76], Richard fulfilled his promise to Canadiens' fans, made in his post-riot radio address, by leading Montreal to a Stanley Cup championship in 195556 the start of a still unprecedented 5 consecutive Stanley Cup victories by one team. His father, Onsime Richard, was originally from the Gasp region of Quebec, before moving to Montreal, where he married Maurice's mother, Alice Larame. But after suffering from cancer, Maurice lost some weight. Over 115,000 people paid their respects by viewing his lying in state at the Molson Centre. . Richard would be off the game, including the last three games of the regular season and all of the playoffs. [47] After recording only 38 points in 194849, Richard posted a 65-point campaign the next season and his 43 goals led the NHL for the third time. He is the second of three children born to Shirley Povich and his wife, Ethyl Friedman, in a Jewish family. Similarly, we will go through his early life, family, career, net worth, riot, and many other topics. Moreover, the Montreal Canadiens, in honor of Maurice, retired his jersey number 9 in 1960. [111], Richard and his wife, Lucille, lived in Montreal where they raised seven children: Huguette, Maurice Jr., Norman, Andr, Suzanne, Polo and Jean. He sat out the rest of the season. "Prime Minister Chretien Speaks Out." Privately, however, Richard blamed Campbell for deliberately inciting the crowd with this appearance at the Forum. Lucille and Maurice are parents of seven children; five sons and two daughters. However, the date of retrieval is often important. No wonder he lit up every arena in which he performed. "He possessed Herculean strength, and I once saw him score with a defenseman on his back," continued Chadwick. After retirement from the game, Maurice put his hand into business also. Unfortunately, this time also only after playing sixteen games, Richard broke his leg. Get behind the team in the playoffs. Maurice Richard, who had starred for their Stanley Cup winners in 1944, '46 and '53, told Henri to keep a low profile among his teammates. . He continued to work for the Canadiens for a brief period, but tensions with the team's owners left him disillusioned. [133], In an article published four days after the riot, journalist Andr Laurendeau was the first to suggest that it was a sign of growing nationalism in Quebec. During the same time, Richard was called to the Canadian Military Recruitment Office for duty, but the offer was turned down because of an injury. "[131] Richard himself publicly dismissed his role as a catalyst for cultural or political change. [13][42] In 195051, Richard scored 42 goals,[13] including his 271st career goal, making him Montreal's all-time goal leader. [96] He was best known for dashing toward the net from the blue line and was equally adept at scoring from his forehand or backhand. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [10] He enrolled in a technical school, intent on earning a trade certificate. Of even greater importance, the Stanley Cup finals were coming. Sign up for our regular 'Habs Newsletter' for all the latest. [65], The mob of over 20,000 people developed into a riot. A day before the funeral, his body was kept at the Molson Centre in Montreal. English king Richard had experienced enough humiliation and doubt and trained even harder during the off-season to be ready for the new season. To play on more than one team, Richard adopted aliases, the most well known-being Maurice Rochon. [16], Off the ice, Richard was a quiet, unassuming youth who spoke little. His well-wishers thought the suspension decision was unfair and taken as an injustice to Richard. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. "From the blue line to the net, he was unequalled," said referee Bill Chadwick, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Joseph Henry Maurice Richard was born on August 4, 1921 in Montreal, Quebec. The trio, known as the "Punch line", formed a dominant scoring unit throughout the 1940s. The riot has taken on a mythical quality in the decades since and is often viewed as a precursor to Quebec's Quiet Revolution. [19], Having recovered from his broken ankle in time for the 194142 season, Richard returned to the QSHL Canadiens, with whom he played 31 games and recorded 17 points before he was again injured. Richard, himself, was stunned. Maurice Richard was born on the 4th of August, 1921. Numerous honours were bestowed upon Richard throughout and following his career: the Canadian Press named him its male athlete of the year on three occasions,[119] and in 1957, Richard won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's athlete of the year. McFarlane, Brian. Last update: 2022-02-07 15:01:37. by blog Admin. He came from humble beginnings and fought for the culture he believed in, by way of sport. Olney, Ross R., This Game Called Hockey, Dodd Mead, 1978, Olney, Ross R., Superchampions of Ice Hockey, Clarion Books, 1982. . Richard suffered his first major injury in his first game with the Royals when he crashed into the boards and broke his ankle. At 16, Maurice dropped out of school and worked with his father as a machinist and that was his only income other than some income in the winter with the senior Canadiens. [109] He lasted only two games, a win and a loss, before finding himself unable to handle the strain of coaching. [96] Goaltender Jacques Plante declared it one of the most appropriate nicknames given to an athlete, noting the fierce intensity that often showed in Richard's eyes and comparing it to "the rocket's red glare" referenced in "The Star-Spangled Banner". Campbell removed Richard from the team for the rest of the season, including the Stanley Cup playoffs. He tied Newsy Lalonde's NHL record for goals in one playoff game (equalled by three players since), which resulted in his being named first, second and third star of the game,[29] as chosen by journalist Charles Mayer. [31], The 194445 NHL season was a record-setting one for Richard. Richard, Elmer Lach and Toe Blake formed the "Punch line", a high-scoring forward line of the 1940s. Richard overcame nearly every level of adversity to become the greatest hockey player of his generation and one of the best in NHL history. Ironically, the Canadiens' success from 1956 to 1960 occurred when Richard's skills were being dimmed by age. Get behind the team in the playoffs. The infamous conclusion of the 1954-55 season fueled Richard's desire for another Stanley Cup victory. Brandon Montour Wife Ryian Montour: Relationship Timeline And Pregnancy. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/maurice-richard, "Maurice Richard Humiliated by the rejection, he intensified his training and reported to Montreal's training camp for the 194344 season fully healthy. Manage Settings Richard retaliated by hitting Laycoe with his own stick and, after a linesman took that away, with two other sticks that he managed to grab. Sanjib Sah is an engineer and content writer passionate about sports and athletics. You have entered an incorrect email address! Windows and doors were smashed at the Forum and surrounding businesses. [90] Montreal nonetheless won the Stanley Cup in both seasons. It was the menace implicit in him each time he swooped in on an opposing goaltender, often with another player clinging to his back. In all Richard contributed to eight Stanley Cup victories by the Canadiens in his eighteen years with the team. Maurice Richard, who won eight Stanley Cups during his Hall of Fame career, died in 2000. . [40] Richard never won the point title, finishing second five times in his career. Maurice Richard: 100 Greatest NHL Players | NHL.com The main premise of the non-profit org was to raise funds to send poor . He then led the way with twelve scores in the playoffs in route to Montreals fifth Stanley Cup. Despite this impressive start, he suffered a broken ankle and many feared that Richard might be injury-prone. Richard Maurice Dargan Obituary (1955 - 2023) - Echovita Maurice Richard, 84, formerly of N. Dartmouth and New Bedford, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Sunday, December 31, 2017 after a period of declining health. The couple eventually had seven children and remained married up to the time of Lucille Richard's death in 1994. Singer, songwriter, pianist Gunshots rang out, stores were looted, and a full scale riot was underway. [120] The Canadiens retired his sweater number 9 in 1960,[42] while the Hockey Hall of Fame waived its five-year waiting period after retirement and inducted him in 1961. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. In 1961, he was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame just one year after retiring though this recognition is given to other players only after five years of retirement. He gave each of his 10 grandchildren a Stanley . To many people in the province of Quebec, Richard was the epitome of French-Canadian pride. Maurice grew up on the family farm near Horace, North Dakota. ." At the end of the first period, one spectator walked up to Campbell as if to shake his hand; instead, he started punching the NHL president. Born on Thursday, August 4, 1921 http://www.canoe.ca/HockeyRocketRichard/may27_dead.html (October 17, 2002). Laurendeau suggested the riot "betrayed what lay behind the apparent indifference and long-held passiveness of French Canadians". Richard scored no points in four games in the 1959 Stanley Cup Finals, but recorded a goal and three assists in 1960. The following season, Richards was at the Awards Presentation when he awarded another hockey legend, Teemu Selanne, the inaugural Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy. In the same year, Richard became the first player in NHL history to score eight points in one game. The eight-time Stanley Cup winner Maurice Richard has a net worth of around $1.5 to $5.5 million. At age eighteen, be began his quest to become a professional hockey player after trying out for the Verdun Juniors. Most of us didnt get to watch Richard in his prime and have only photographs and history to know him by, but never under-estimate the impact he had on modern day hockey and society. Richard led the Montreal Canadiens to eight Stanley Cup championships, including five consecutive victories from 1956 to 1960. NHL President Clarence Campbell suspended him for the remainder of the season and playoffs, which precipitated the Richard Riot in Montreal. Maurice Richard [2023 Update]: Riots, Wife & Net Worth - Celeb Doko As a teen, Richard excelled at baseball and boxing. However, coach Dick Irvin had faith in Richard, and kept him on the disabled list. [82] With 33 goals and 62 points, Richard again finished second on the team to Bliveau. Several scholars maintain that this exceptional demonstration of national pride was the prelude to the Quiet Revolution. Richard was a member of eight Stanley Cup championship teams, including a league record five straight between 1956 and 1960; he was the team's captain for the last four. Frank Selke attempted to persuade him to return to try to disperse the crowd, but Richard refused, fearing that he would instead further inflame the passions of the mob. The oldest child of Onesime, a carpenter for the Canadian Pacific Railway, and Alice Richard, Maurice grew up in a rough neighborhood in Montreal's north end, where the Richard family house sat next to a city jail. He led his local team to three straight league championships and scored 133 of his teams 144 goals. After he began playing in organized leagues, Richard joined several teams and used pseudonyms such as "Maurice Rochon" to circumvent rules that restricted players to one team. Montreal Canadiens is a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The great Nelson Mandela said, Sport has the power to change the world, and sometimes, it takes an icon like Maurice Richard to stand up for his fans. The following weeks and months would be hell for Campbell as Richard supporters sent death threats and threw objects at him at every chance they had. For 18 brilliant seasons, Richard played for the only team Montreal Canadiens that ever mattered to him. November 8th, 1952, the rafters shook (according to the Montreal Gazette) as Richard 325th career goal in the second period, one of the greatest moments in hockey to this day. In the team's first game of the Stanley Cup finals, Richard scored five goals to give the Canadiens the win. The brothers were born into a poor family of Irish immigrants in rural New Hampshire in the early 1900s, and saw their father struggle later in life. Even when injuries slowed down Maurice just before the end of his career, his presence in the lineup would inspire other teammates and help them win their fourth and fifth championship in 1959 and 1960. [24] Richard led the league with 12 playoff goals,[28] including a five-goal effort against the Toronto Maple Leafs in a semi-final game. 27 Apr. Rocks first certified zany, Lemieux, Mario Family tree of Maurice RICHARD - Geneastar This achievement remained standard until Darryl Sittlers 10-point night in 1976. [8] Richard's supporters reacted angrily to Campbell: he received several death threats and, upon taking his customary seat at the next Canadiens game, unruly fans pelted him with vegetables, eggs and other debris. [18] They were engaged when he was 20, and though her parents felt she was too young, married on September 12, 1942, when she was seventeen. Later, Richard became the franchises career leader by scoring unique goals and was eventually named Hall of Famer. [113] Lucille died of cancer in 1994,[114] two years after the Richards celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Intense, he was renowned for his physical and occasionally violent style of play. For Richard, scoring involved no master strategy: ''I never planned a play in advance. [105], As Richard struggled both with the need to find a purpose to his post-retirement life and the fear of being forgotten,[106] he attached his name to numerous endeavours. [22] Richard's first goal was against the New York Rangers on November 8, 1942. This only adds to his legacy as a hockey great. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In Montreal Technical School, he played for the Parc Lafontaine team. He had healed sufficiently to rejoin the team for the playoffs, where he scored six goals. [85] As Richard celebrated with his teammates, it was announced to the Montreal Forum crowd: "Canadiens' goal, scored by Mr. Hockey himself, Maurice Richard". [24] Coach Dick Irvin shifted him from left wing to right and put him on a forward line with Toe Blake and Elmer Lach. He was the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in one season, accomplishing the feat in 50 games in 194445, and the first to reach 500 career goals. Thus, he went to various sport and other events in Canada, the USA, and Europe. During the altercation, Richard punched a referee. The situation led to a running feud with NHL President Clarence Campbell. Richard had a pair of ice skates when he was only four, and he used to skate on local rivers and a small backyard ice surface made by Onesime. ." The outraged fans of the Canadiens threw eggs at Campbell when he was trying to take his seat at the Montreal Forum for the next game of the regular season between the Canadiens and the Red Wings the following St. Patricks day. Joseph Henri Maurice Richard (1921 - 2000) - Genealogy It took a squad of police to restore order in the rink. "[136], Richard is the subject of the 2005 biopic The Rocket. Richard, who died from cancer on May 27, 2000, remains an icon in his native province, nearly as large in death as he was during the prime of his life. Mel Hall: Bio, Early Life, Stats, Career, and Crime >>. Thispost was originally published in May, 2014. 1939- [123] Canada's Sports Hall of Fame honoured him in 1975,[124] and Richard was given a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in 1999. He led . In one game against the Boston Bruins, Richard was hit so hard that he lay motionless on the ice, blood pouring from his head. What happened next turned the event into the Richard Riot. Joseph Henri Maurice Richard was born August 4, 1921, in Montreal, Quebec. Richard's youngest son Jean Richard and granddaughter Claudia Richard joined Global's Laura Casella to talk about the foundation and what it means to the Maurice Richard legacy. Although his fans' passions sometimes boiled over, as in the infamous riot that followed his 1955 suspension, they also contributed to the newfound pride of French-speaking Canadians in their language and heritage that led to a cultural renaissance in the province in the 1960s and beyond. Maurice Richard is the most iconic Canadian professional ice hockey player (born on August 4, 1921, and died on May 27, 2000). As time went on, the ownership changed and during the Richard era, ownership lost interest in the importance of French culture and did not speak French themselves. He led the Canadiens with 32 goals and tallied 54 points, third-best in his team. "[96], The prime of Richard's career was the era immediately following the Second World War, where battle-hardened players returned to the NHL and implemented a "gladiatorial" style that featured rugged, physical and often violent play. [2] Maurice was the oldest of eight children; he had three sisters: Georgette, Rollande and Marguerite; and four brothers: Ren, Jacques, Henri and Claude. [102] After serving in the position for three years, Richard was named a vice-president of the Canadiens in 1964. As a "Hab," the nickname used by Canadien fans for the Montreal team members, Richard scored five goals and collected six assists in his first 16 games. Published on October 27, 2020. Encyclopedia.com. Learn how your comment data is processed. The oldest of eight children, Richard emerged from a poverty-stricken family during the Great Depression and was initially viewed as a fragile player. He was the oldest of eight children and did not have an opportunity to begin playing hockey until he was fourteen years old. The family invites you to sign a book of condolences at: www.funerairepassagefuneral.ca. Referees paid little attention to the hit and Richard went on the offensive to defend himself and returned the favor to Laycoe with a stick to the head. [67], Following two days of deliberation, Campbell announced that he had suspended Richard who was leading the NHL's overall scoring race at the time for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs. The Untold Truth of What Happened To The McDonald Brothers, Their Net