Hockey Hall of Fame Legends

Albert Stray is librarian and manager of the Streetsville Public
Library.

This large-format book is packed with glossy photographs, history, and
anecdotes about hockey and the personalities that have dominated the
game from the late 19th century up to the present day. Organized by era,
the book is easy to dip into depending on your particular interest,
whether it be the origins of the game, the “golden era” of the
original six teams, or the post-expansion period.

Six information-filled chapters include biographical sketches of
selected members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, along with color
photographs of artifacts such as team sweaters, hockey cards, and other
memorabilia. Sidebars provide information about lesser-known members of
the hockey fraternity, as well as wide-ranging trivia. You may be
surprised to learn that Queen Victoria watched a hockey game at Windsor
Castle in 1853, that the Stanley Cup is actually a mug, or that Jacques
Plante was not the first goalie to design and wear a mask (that honor
belongs to Ottawa Senators goalie Clint Benedict).

While many are familiar with the annual trophies awarded for excellence
(best rookie, best defenceman, MVP, and scoring), Legends tells the
stories behind the trophies and the men whose names they commemorate. At
the back of the book is an alphabetical list of all the members of the
Hockey Hall of Fame together with their birthplace, date of induction,
teams played for, and individual statistics. Derick Murray’s
photographs provide a fascinating insight into how the game has changed
over the last 100 years while remaining basically the same. A photograph
early in the book of a “young boy striking the classic pose” is
timeless.

This book (endorsed by Ken Dryden and Scotty Morrison) is a must read
for all hockey fans.