Bill Wirtz died today.
Had The Renaissance Man written yesterday about Mr. Wirtz it would have been to excoriate him. Today, civility and decency demands that comments be more restrained, and this is probably for the better.
That said, The Renaissance Man, though Canadian “bred and buttered” (as they say) is a life-long fan of the Chicago Blackhawks. I am young enough to still be ambulatory and, as such, I have never seen my beloved ‘Hawks win a Stanley Cup. I knew that, as long as Mr. Wirtz owned the club, I never would.
As a hockey-loving Canadian kid I was drawn to the Blackhawk superstars: Bobby Hull, Kenny Wharram, Doug Mohns, Pierre Pilote, Denis DeJordy, Elmer “Moose” Vasko, Dennis Hull and, my childhood hero, Stan Mikita. Later, other greats (great in skill, personality and sometimes both) came along, such as Lou Angotti, Jim Pappin, Tony (Tony “O”) Esposito, Pat Stapleton, Cliff Koroll, Bill White, Ivan Boldirev, Keith Magnusson, Denis Savard, and Jeremy Roenick. The Renaissance Man will never forget the 1971 Stanley Cup finals against Montreal in which Game 7 was lost on a goal scored by Jacques Lemaire, virtually from centre ice. The Renaissance Man’s heart was broken, but not his bond of loyalty.
It was a bond of loyalty, however, not reciprocated by Bill Wirtz. The Chicago Blackhawks were a team with a great history, in a hockey supporting city playing proudly in, incidentally, the greatest uniform in the world of professional sports. Bar none.
And Mr. Wirtz drove it into the ground. He had no commitment to winning; he felt no obligation to the team’s supporters or to the city. The bottom line was the bottom line. The Renaissance Man does not know whether it is true or only apocryphal, but Mr. Wirtz was once quoted as saying that, for him, the best of all possible worlds would be to proceed through the playoffs and lose Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals at home.
Even if the quote is made-up, the fact that it circulates demonstrates the low regard in which he was held by ‘Hawk fans.
Following the players’ lockout, three years ago, a lot of ‘Hawk fans thought that this was a chance for a comeback. The salary cap combined with a draft of good players at lower salaries would have allowed the ‘Hawks to stock the team with some real talent. Instead we go Eric Weinrich? Mr. Wirtz, ever miserable with a dollar, allowed yet another golden opportunity to pass.
His obituary today on CTV.ca notes that Mr. Wirtz was a great philanthropist and for that The Renaissance Man honours him. Everyone has a good and a bad side. I am sure that he was loved by his wife and children and, no doubt, was generous to friends, family and the less fortunate. That is what, in the end, is important and for what he should most be remembered.
Jay Mariotti, of the Chicago Sun-Times, says today that he loved his Chicago Blackhawks. Fair enough. He had a funny way of showing it, however, and he seemed not to care that the fans also loved the team. A lot still do, I suppose.
So, we’ll say goodbye to Bill Wirtz, hope that he finds peace with Our Heavenly Father, and express our condolences to the family that loved him.
The we will move on and hope that, under new leadership, the great Blackhawk franchise will revive.
See: http://www.tsn.ca/ctvnews/sportsstory.asp?story_id=219229And http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mariottiweb/574844,mariottiweb092607a.article
Had The Renaissance Man written yesterday about Mr. Wirtz it would have been to excoriate him. Today, civility and decency demands that comments be more restrained, and this is probably for the better.
That said, The Renaissance Man, though Canadian “bred and buttered” (as they say) is a life-long fan of the Chicago Blackhawks. I am young enough to still be ambulatory and, as such, I have never seen my beloved ‘Hawks win a Stanley Cup. I knew that, as long as Mr. Wirtz owned the club, I never would.
As a hockey-loving Canadian kid I was drawn to the Blackhawk superstars: Bobby Hull, Kenny Wharram, Doug Mohns, Pierre Pilote, Denis DeJordy, Elmer “Moose” Vasko, Dennis Hull and, my childhood hero, Stan Mikita. Later, other greats (great in skill, personality and sometimes both) came along, such as Lou Angotti, Jim Pappin, Tony (Tony “O”) Esposito, Pat Stapleton, Cliff Koroll, Bill White, Ivan Boldirev, Keith Magnusson, Denis Savard, and Jeremy Roenick. The Renaissance Man will never forget the 1971 Stanley Cup finals against Montreal in which Game 7 was lost on a goal scored by Jacques Lemaire, virtually from centre ice. The Renaissance Man’s heart was broken, but not his bond of loyalty.
It was a bond of loyalty, however, not reciprocated by Bill Wirtz. The Chicago Blackhawks were a team with a great history, in a hockey supporting city playing proudly in, incidentally, the greatest uniform in the world of professional sports. Bar none.
And Mr. Wirtz drove it into the ground. He had no commitment to winning; he felt no obligation to the team’s supporters or to the city. The bottom line was the bottom line. The Renaissance Man does not know whether it is true or only apocryphal, but Mr. Wirtz was once quoted as saying that, for him, the best of all possible worlds would be to proceed through the playoffs and lose Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals at home.
Even if the quote is made-up, the fact that it circulates demonstrates the low regard in which he was held by ‘Hawk fans.
Following the players’ lockout, three years ago, a lot of ‘Hawk fans thought that this was a chance for a comeback. The salary cap combined with a draft of good players at lower salaries would have allowed the ‘Hawks to stock the team with some real talent. Instead we go Eric Weinrich? Mr. Wirtz, ever miserable with a dollar, allowed yet another golden opportunity to pass.
His obituary today on CTV.ca notes that Mr. Wirtz was a great philanthropist and for that The Renaissance Man honours him. Everyone has a good and a bad side. I am sure that he was loved by his wife and children and, no doubt, was generous to friends, family and the less fortunate. That is what, in the end, is important and for what he should most be remembered.
Jay Mariotti, of the Chicago Sun-Times, says today that he loved his Chicago Blackhawks. Fair enough. He had a funny way of showing it, however, and he seemed not to care that the fans also loved the team. A lot still do, I suppose.
So, we’ll say goodbye to Bill Wirtz, hope that he finds peace with Our Heavenly Father, and express our condolences to the family that loved him.
The we will move on and hope that, under new leadership, the great Blackhawk franchise will revive.
See: http://www.tsn.ca/ctvnews/sportsstory.asp?story_id=219229And http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mariottiweb/574844,mariottiweb092607a.article
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