The Fastest Game

VOYA - William R. Mollineaux

Using twenty-three excerpts from previously published works by writers such as Colleen and Gordie Howe, Studs Terkel, Martin O'Malley, Mordecai Richler, Ken Dryden, E. M. Swift, and Zander Hollander, Wimmer has compiled an anthology that spans this century and focuses on some of hockey's unforgettable participants. Among those included are Hobey Baker, an aristocratic gentleman who played for Princeton University; Howie Morenz, who dominated hockey as his contemporaries, Babe Ruth and Bobby Jones, dominated baseball and golf; Eddie Shore, the miserly owner of the Springfield Indians who as a player received 978 stitches; Maurice Richard, whose exploits earned him the nickname "Rocket;" Gordie Howe, whose durability was matched by his reputed dirtiness; Bernie Geoffrion, who invented the slap shot; Bobby Hull, who was the NHL's first $100,000 player; Brian Spencer, an enforcer, who admitted that hockey is more important to him than his family; Travis Roy, whose college career ended after eleven seconds when he crashed into the end of the boards; Jean Beliveau, whose brilliance caused so many goals to be scored during a two-minute penalty that the rule book had to be changed; Wayne Gretzky, who has rewritten the record book; and Bobby Orr, who revolutionized the role of a defenseman. While hockey enthusiasts will enjoy this book, it would have been more successful if Wimmer had written an introduction that tied the various writings together, giving it more focus. The black-and-white photographs missing from the galley should enhance the text, and, hopefully, the published edition will include a bibliography. Photos. VOYA Codes: 3Q 2P M J S (Readable without serious defects, For the YA with a special interest in the subject, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).