I think Bobby Hull might still be the most exciting athlete I've ever seen. The speed on his rushes, the power on his slap shots!
Oh yeah, ‘The Pest’ Watson!!! Coincidence I’m sure but I was just looking at a old SPORT Mag. (I have an almost complete SPORT Mag. collection I started collecting WAY back!!! SI also. SI carried those Janzen Sportswear adds then. Jerry West, Hull, Cousy, Hornung etc. flown off to some paradise to model swimsuits, what a way to make a living!!!), where the article was about those who ‘shadowed’ Bobby. Most were on the record as not liking it one bit as they were hamstrung offensively and did not get to shoot the puck much and Bobby was very generous to most of ‘em, (”They just gotta job to do”). Then there was that Ferguson........Damn I still get pissed off even thinking about him. Then ‘71 and that blown 7th game against the hated Canadians! SON OF A BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think I remember that fight. Bobby had been getting hit all game long and finally had had enough. They started circling and they both dropped their gloves. Bobby put his fists up like John L. Sullivan. I had never seen him do that ever. The other guy threw one looping overhead punch and Bobby caught it, pulled them man down on his back on the ice and pummeled him. The refs just stood back and let them have at it too.
When it looked like the man was really clobbered, the refs pulled Bobby off him and their was a huge grin on his face as he smiled with his tooth gapped mouth. They other guy was a mess.
I don't think I'll ever forget that fight.