Yes, Virgina, way back in time, the Toronto Maple Leafs did actually win thre Stanley Cup. They won it 11 times, actually, including four championships in the 1960s alone.
As we head into another Stanley Cup playoff tournament (the regular season ends April 18), chants of “Sixty-seven!” mock the fact that it has been 57 years, however, since 1967, since the Leafs have drank from the cup — the longest drout in professional sports.
To prove to generations that the team actually did win in the sound and colour film era, I’ll be showing two historic 16mm films from my personal collection. It’s all part of a classic “sports-“Victory on Ice” themed, TV on Film Party event happening this Wednesday, April 10 at 1 p.m. at the Westdale cinema in Hamilton, Ont.
The hockey films will feature highlights from Leaf victories in 1962 and 1967. The 1962 film has the Toronto team triumphing over the Chicago Blackhawks. The colour on that reel is exceptional for a 16mm film of that vintage. It was so long ago that the Blackhawks star winger, the late Bobby Hull, wears No. 7 instead of his more famous No. 9.
It is fun to watch how dressed up hockey patrons got back them. Everyone filing into Maple Leaf Gardens seems to be dressed in suits and ties or wearing their Sunday best.
Besides the Leafs victory over the Montreal Canadiens in 1967, featuring stars such as Dave Keon, Johnny Bower, Tim Horton and Frank Mahovlich, there are also glimpses of some of the pavillions at Montreal’s Expo ’67 as part of that highlight reel.
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Other films will showcase sports highlights from the 1970s, including the infamous “Battle of the Sexes” between tennis ace Billie Jean King and male chauvinist pig Bobby Riggs. There are even NFL, NBA and major league baseball highlights, plus stars of golf, boxing and racing.
A Hamilton TiCats promotional clip from the ’70s will also be shown. Plus see O.J. Simpson before he became famous for, uh, an entirely different reason.
Come prepared to answer sports TV trivia questions win cool prizes! Among the prize sponsors for this screening will be Shaftesbury, producers of Murdoch Mysteries.
For tickets and more information, follow this link to thewestdale.ca. See you on Wednesday!
