A couple of years ago, Jim Vantour called to tell me he was writing the story of the 1954-55 Edmonton Flyers. Our discussions about the team brought back many great memories - for both of us. He shared with me his memories of watching us play from his seat in the Knothole Gang. Like my teammates, I shared with him my memories from ice level. He pulled it all together to produce The Fabulous Flyers. I was thrilled when I read the story and honoured that he asked me to write the Foreword.
Jim has turned back the calendar 50-odd years to my pre-NHL days and the three seasons I spent in Edmonton with the Flyers. It's a revealing look at the history of the team as it went from an amateur to a professional club. The book also portrays hockey in the fifties; our home rink - the Edmonton Gardens; and the talented junior team - the Oil Kings with whom we shared the arena.
We loved the city - Pauline and I have never left. The Gardens was a great old arena - good crowds, the large ice surface - we used to say we could play a game behind the net.
And I loved that team. It was loaded with outstanding hockey talent - every member brought something special to the team - like Bronco's scoring, Chief's famous hip checks, the Rock's intensity, Hannigan's skating. And there were some great characters - not the least of whom was our trainer, Tiger Goldstick.
The "Edmonton kids" on the team were special - both to the fans and to us, the players. Jim recounts the kids growing up on the outdoor rinks playing for the Maple Leaf Athletic Club, then the Oil Kings and, in 1954-55, as rookies with the Flyers. The contributions of these young players were enormous. It was a privilege to play with Norm Ullman, Johnny Bucyk, Jerry Melnyk, Chuck Holmes, Eddie Zeniuk, Billy McNeill and Ray Kinasewich.
Jim got it right - in his description of the times, the events and the personalities - just as I remember them. His depiction of our team is entertaining and insightful. Reading his book is like a ticket to the game. It's as close as you can get to the real thing - the way things were over fifty years ago. It's a wonderful contribution to Alberta's hockey history. I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Glenn Hall
Edmonton Flyers, 1952 - 1955