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Saturday, May 27, 2000 Rocket remembered for his emotion, determinationPoliticians and sports figures alike were quick to honour the Montreal Canadiens hockey star whose popularity spanned generations and cultures. Premier Lucien Bouchard hailed Richard as a "Quebec hero." Prime Minister Jean Chretien said the Rocket was a "symbol to all of what it takes to be a true champion." And broadcaster Dick Irvin Jr., whose father, Dick Irvin, coached the Rocket, recalled how Richard could raise the roof at the Montreal Forum. "I have a theory, whenever he scored a goal, the cheer at the Forum was just a decibel higher, than when anybody else scored, no matter the importance," Irvin said. Former Canadiens sniper Guy Lafleur, a hero to another generation of hockey fans, remembered the Rocket as an inspiration. "We all wanted to wear (his) No. 9 when we were kids -- not just me," said Lafleur. "This man played a role in my career through the pride he displayed each time he wore the sweater of the Montreal Canadiens." According to former teammate Dickie Moore, the Rocket knew he had a responsibility to his fans. "He said 'You know Dickie, I play to satisfy the people. They expect me to score and I give it everything to please them.'" "He was an icon in Montreal, in Quebec. People just worshipped him, so did we all," Moore told Headline Sports. "He never ever lost touch with his fans," said Canadiens president Pierre Boivin. Bouchard paid tribute to Richard's battling spirit. "He had a solid will to win and was a tireless worker," Bouchard said. "Skilled and determined, he was in all respects an indispensable teammate but also a formidable opponent." Ronald Corey, former president of the Canadiens, remembered Richard's drive and the emotions he elicited. "He was a man of great determination," said Corey. "Just look at his eyes. "There wasn't a dry eye in the house when he received a standing ovation at the closing of the Montreal Forum (in 1996). It was extremely moving; I almost fell to the ground, my knees were trembling so hard." Irvin also pointed to that night, noting the prolonged ovation for a man "who hadn't played or scored a goal in 36 years." "I would dare say that 75 to 80 per cent of the people in the building had never seen him play," Irvin said. "It was an amazing situation, mind-boggling really. That was the hold that he had and his memory had on hockey fans in Montreal. Chretien said Richard "both defined and transcended the game of hockey." "But what truly set him apart -- what made him a special hero to the fans -- was his extraordinary intensity," the prime minister said in a statement. "He played with great emotion and flair and possessed an unmatched will to win. "His dazzling combination of skill and drive not only made him one of the greatest hockey players ever, it also made him a symbol to all of what it takes to be a true champion. "The Rocket enriched the lives of everyone who had the privilege and pleasure of watching him in action and who, today, are flooded with memories of his incredible exploits." Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson called the Rocket "a legend in Canadian hockey." "It is not only the world of sport which mourns his loss, but the whole country," she said. "Canada has lost a man who had an important impact on the history of his sport and who inspired us all. "Rocket Richard was admired for his elegance on the ice, his passion for the game and his determination. His integrity, straight-forwardness and openness were respected by all Canadians. He acted as a role model with dignity and sincerity. His whole life was a positive influence on our society." NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the Rocket was "one of NHL's greatest ambassadors." "With his pride, his passion, his drive and his determination, Maurice Richard embodied all the qualities that make hockey great." "He was one of the best players who ever played in the history of hockey," former hockey star Mario Lemieux, owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, told Radio-Canada's all-news channel, RDI. "He was a man who had a lot of respect in the hockey world." Lemieux, who idolized the former Canadien since he was a boy, said Richard "built the foundation for francophones" to play in the NHL. "When he arrived on the scene in the middle of the World War 2, we all needed heroes," said Quebec historian Marcel Tessier. "And French-Canadians saw themselves in him, in his humble roots, and in his passion. "There's a saying that no athlete is greater than the game he plays, but Richard was. We don't create heroes; they create themselves. They are monuments; they are mountains. "I, too, am in mourning today." In Montreal, radio station CKAC switched to all-Richard programming, as did some local stations in the moments after the announcement of the former hockey star's death at 5:40 p.m. EDT Saturday. The news conference at the Montreal hospital where he died was carried live by Montreal TV stations and national news channels. Don Cherry, speaking on Hockey Night in Canada during the Colorado-Dallas game, said the Rocket was like royalty. "He'd walk into a room and it was like a king walked in. I live in Three Rivers and the people in Quebec, they loved him, they absolutely loved the guy. He was great guy." While Richard's death was not unexpected, the news still hit hard. "I can't comment on this. It's too personal," said a distraught Bert Olmstead, a former teammate. "This is a sad moment in my life, it's really hurting," Moore said. Said Irvin: "He was in person like he was on the ice, he was his own man. He wasn't an easy man to get to know, to talk to, in either language, he had his highs and lows. "He was the Rocket, someone you put a little larger than life." More on Rocket Richard
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