Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Clarke Turns 65, Quick Hits

While I never got to see him play (save for the WC Alumni Game), I have nothing but love for the guy who was the backbone of 2 Stanley Cup championships. It's a challenge trying to defend him from his "dirty" detractors, as they have a point. But to me, for better or worse, it was just another tool that he used to win at any cost. He may not be the most naturally talented player ever on the Flyers (I honestly think that Lindros and maybe even Giroux may have that title), but he will most likely always be the best player they've ever had, and is the true measuring stick for every Flyer from today until eternity.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Clarke Turns 65, Quick Hits
- bmeltzer

You played " card hockey" too hey Bill. I always had the Flyers winning by 6-7 but I used a tin foil ball for the puck and two table top hockey nets .
It was great having the Flyers always win! The only thing is, I bent a lot of my hockey cards ( rookie cards)

You played " card hockey" too hey Bill. I always had the Flyers winning by 6-7 but I used a tin foil ball for the puck and two table top hockey nets .
It was great having the Flyers always win! The only thing is, I bent a lot of my hockey cards ( rookie cards)
- 3flyerkids

Question for you and Bill: how readily available were hockey cards in the USA compared to baseball cards in the 70s? I'm sure OPC wasn't obtainable, but I'm not sure if Topps hockey could be found easily or not.

Well done, Bill. You captured quite nicely what Clarke meant to hockey fans of a certain age (i.e.--born in the late '60's, early '70's). He captured our imaginations.

In every sport I played, if I was able to do so, I wore 16 because of Bobby Clarke. He made you believe that you could win if you just outworked everyone else.

Also:

I'd wash it down with a glass of milk from a Flyers Stanley Cup commemorative glass, which originally contained sour cream.

This line REALLY took me back as I think every kid our age had this same glass.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Clarke Turns 65, Quick Hits
- bmeltzer

I'd say it's unlikely we'll see another Recchi for Desjardins and LeClair type of deal in the near future but easily my All-Time favourite trade within the last 20 years. Paul Holmgren was close by pulling the trigger on the Carter and Richards deals (Which I'd say are my second favourite deals) but LeClair and Desjardins became too important to this team to not love the outcome.

I'd say it's unlikely we'll see another Recchi for Desjardins and LeClair type of deal in the near future but easily my All-Time favourite trade within the last 20 years. Paul Holmgren was close by pulling the trigger on the Carter and Richards deals (Which I'd say are my second favourite deals) but LeClair and Desjardins became too important to this team to not love the outcome.
- SuperSchennBros

Any success this franchise had in the mid-90's is tied to that trade and (for better or worse), the Lindros trade.

Something I wasn't aware of - Voynov played three full seasons in the AHL before making the Kings and was 21 years old when he played his first NHL game. I wouldn't be surprised if Hagg follows a similar path.

As the first expansion team to win the Cup and two in a row, Clarke played one of the greatest roles in legitimizing the expansion and expansions to come. Not like the way you had the Blues against the Bruins in the early years with the division setups.

Every player who comes into the league as players lower than #150 or so in the depth chart owes Clarke and the Flyers organization for this first Cup by someone other than the original 6.

They beat the other teams and they beat the refs too by killing the penalties showered on them

The league has fallen all over itself legitimizing other expansions or franchises in trouble or law enforcement ignoring drug use at the expense other franchises and thats why Clarke didnt see a cup as a GM, not because of the work he did. 1987 & 2004......

I'd say it's unlikely we'll see another Recchi for Desjardins and LeClair type of deal in the near future but easily my All-Time favourite trade within the last 20 years. Paul Holmgren was close by pulling the trigger on the Carter and Richards deals (Which I'd say are my second favourite deals) but LeClair and Desjardins became too important to this team to not love the outcome.
- SuperSchennBros

The closest we've seen recently was probably the Neal/Niskanen for Goligoski deal. But, the Recchi deal made sense from day 1 for both sides, but I'm still not sure why Dallas made that deal.

Question for you and Bill: how readily available were hockey cards in the USA compared to baseball cards in the 70s? I'm sure OPC wasn't obtainable, but I'm not sure if Topps hockey could be found easily or not.
- jmatchett383

I really didn't collect much until about 1979 or so.

I still have Topps hockey cards from those years that I purchased.

The worst thing ever for a young kid was the 1980-81 Topps hockey card, where the put a scratch off thing on the front that, when scratched off, revealed the player's name. (link: http://www.cardboardconne...980-81-topps-hockey-cards)

The problem with that? Those cards are actually worth less when you scratch them to reveal the player's name. I didn't give a poop, really, but I thought that scratch off thing was a rotten trick to play on kids.

watched Clarke his entire career and he will always be the best Flyer that I have seen in orange and black

I really didn't collect much until about 1979 or so.

I still have Topps hockey cards from those years that I purchased.

The worst thing ever for a young kid was the 1980-81 Topps hockey card, where the put a scratch off thing on the front that, when scratched off, revealed the player's name. (link: http://www.cardboardconne...980-81-topps-hockey-cards)

The problem with that? Those cards are actually worth less when you scratch them to reveal the player's name. I didn't give a poop, really, but I thought that scratch off thing was a rotten trick to play on kids.
- johndewar

Oh, I'm well aware of the 80/81 Topps scratch off. But, there are a surprising amount of them out there. I think I have 3 Gretzky's and 2 Gretzky All Stars from the Topps set. I also have a Bourque RC (I don't think Messier made it into the Topps set). The OPC version was legit, didn't have the scratch off.

Oh, I'm well aware of the 80/81 Topps scratch off. But, there are a surprising amount of them out there. I think I have 3 Gretzky's and 2 Gretzky All Stars from the Topps set. I also have a Bourque RC (I don't think Messier made it into the Topps set). The OPC version was legit, didn't have the scratch off.
- jmatchett383

I didn't know OPC even existed until the mid-80's.

The closest we've seen recently was probably the Neal/Niskanen for Goligoski deal. But, the Recchi deal made sense from day 1 for both sides, but I'm still not sure why Dallas made that deal.
- jmatchett383

It's funny that Neal and Niskanen are both gone now, right as Gogo's starting to really hit his stride in Big D. I wouldn't rule out the trade appearing a bit more balanced somewhere on down the line.

I didn't know OPC even existed until the mid-80's.
- johndewar

I started collecting in 92 (100% thanks to Lindros) and became a hard-core Gretzky collector around 94. A lot of the OPC stuff seemed unobtainable until the internet came along.

Randall Cunningham first hero

I have one of these in mint condition. Anyone know the approx. value?

It's funny that Neal and Niskanen are both gone now, right as Gogo's starting to really hit his stride in Big D. I wouldn't rule out the trade appearing a bit more balanced somewhere on down the line.
- Tomahawk

The problem is that GoGo's ceiling is probably Sergei Gonchar. While Gonchar is good, he's about as 1-dimensional as defensemen get, while Neal became a 40-goal scorer and Niksanen became a solid #2/#3 defenseman. Unless GoGo becomes the second coming of Paul Coffey, that trade will never even out.

It's funny that Neal and Niskanen are both gone now, right as Gogo's starting to really hit his stride in Big D. I wouldn't rule out the trade appearing a bit more balanced somewhere on down the line.
- Tomahawk

Do you see him maturing into a Streit-type of player?

Something I wasn't aware of - Voynov played three full seasons in the AHL before making the Kings and was 21 years old when he played his first NHL game. I wouldn't be surprised if Hagg follows a similar path.
- Feanor

Yeah, Martinez, Hickey, and Deslauriers were on the farm forever, too. The latter two were down there so long they only surfaced as NHL players after they exited the system, lol.

I think he's not playing when he says the kids have to steal a job to make the team.

They were also one win short of reaching the cup finals in 2000. I remember that game 7 night. It was the year of my senior prom and a whole bunch of us were out in the lobby with our ear pieces in listening to the game. Our dates probably weren't the happiest but they understood.

I have one of these in mint condition. Anyone know the approx. value?


- PLindbergh31

I have some pocket lint laying around, I think.

They were also one win short of reaching the cup finals in 2000. I remember that game 7 night. It was the year of my senior prom and a whole bunch of us were out in the lobby with our ear pieces in listening to the game. Our dates probably weren't the happiest but they understood.
- BernieKorch

If they didn't understand, then they're not worth the trouble.

Fantastic blog.

Love the childhood reminiscing.
Paints the exact picture of the games I played as a kid too and best yet, I see my 9 yr old son doing now. It is such a great and magical time. Makes all of the craziness in the Middle East and Africa etc fade away.