Maple Leaf Fan Favourites
"Clear the track, here comes Shack!" Eddie Shack, the 'entertainer' or more accurately, the 'comedian'. The NHL hasn't had a character like Eddie Shack ever.
A young Wendel Clark is signed and a new age of Maple Leafs is born. Wendel becomes one of the most popular Leafs ever while owner Harold Ballard (seated at right) continues to be the 'opposite of popular' among Leaf fans.
Bill Barilko (#5) flies through the air as he scored the game winning Stanley Cup overtime goal in 1951. It was to be the last goal he would ever score. He died on a plane trip in northern Ontario where he liked to go fishing in the off-season. His #5 Leaf sweater was retired.
Capitalizing On Tragedy
"The last goal he ever scored won the Leafs the Cup...etc.,etc." -lyrics by Canadian rock band "Tragically Hip" was inspired by Bill Barilko's tragic story and wrote "50 Mission Cap". Probably one of the most unimaginitive songs ever written, looks as though the lyrics were lifted right out of Maple Leaf history journals and band members then jammed to it with a droning riff. Probably took them 5 minutes to write. Sure sounds like it.
