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Luckily, I was able to watch the Hawks win their last Cup in '61...the Golden Jet and Stan Mikita changed hockey forever with their innovation of the curved stick.
It's difficult to imagine today what an impact that had on the game, and how controversial the 'banana blade' was at the time.
Traditionalists hated it.
I remember very well heated debates over slap shot versus wrist shot...forehead versus backhand...it's pretty funny when you look back.
Another thing to remember, and you have to wonder how they did it, was that goalies played without masks and players played without helmets. The padding was, well, a joke. But in those days players didn't hit each other with the same ferocity they do now.
IMHO there is much more talent in hockey today, the players are more skilled, the training and fitness level are infinitely better, the game is faster, the equipment obviously is better...the game clearly has progressed...and the players are finally compensated properly.
...but for those of us who grew up with six teams, there's a magic there that can never be duplicated.
Not necessarily better...just different.
Looking at this year's Blackhawks, these kids have, and convey, the same kind of excitement the '61 team had...Stan Mikita suggested during the Winter Classic that they even reminded him of that team.
Can they win the Cup this year? That would be a stretch. But if they keep improving, they can definitely contend for the next few years.
And IMHO they do have the coolest jersey, home and away, in pro sports. :D
It's difficult to imagine today what an impact that had on the game, and how controversial the 'banana blade' was at the time.
Traditionalists hated it.
I remember very well heated debates over slap shot versus wrist shot...forehead versus backhand...it's pretty funny when you look back.
Another thing to remember, and you have to wonder how they did it, was that goalies played without masks and players played without helmets. The padding was, well, a joke. But in those days players didn't hit each other with the same ferocity they do now.
IMHO there is much more talent in hockey today, the players are more skilled, the training and fitness level are infinitely better, the game is faster, the equipment obviously is better...the game clearly has progressed...and the players are finally compensated properly.
...but for those of us who grew up with six teams, there's a magic there that can never be duplicated.
Not necessarily better...just different.
Looking at this year's Blackhawks, these kids have, and convey, the same kind of excitement the '61 team had...Stan Mikita suggested during the Winter Classic that they even reminded him of that team.
Can they win the Cup this year? That would be a stretch. But if they keep improving, they can definitely contend for the next few years.
And IMHO they do have the coolest jersey, home and away, in pro sports. :D
