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NHL Hockey in the 1950s Their feeder system, which supplied all but a tiny percentage of talent to the NHL six, consisted of junior teams spread coast to coast across Canada, all of which were controlled – and sometimes wholly owned – by the major league clubs. The major league's control often reached down into the pee- wee leagues, so if a talented young player began serious competitive play for an affiliate of the Bruins, Maple Leafs or one of the others, he would remain the property of that organization until they traded or released him. With so much talent stockpiled in so few farm systems, the pay scales could be easily controlled, too. It wasn't quite cradle-to-grave ownership, but it was close. Nowhere was the stamp of the parent team more traditional than in the Province of Quebec, where boys of French-Canadian heritage yearned to be happy serfs of the Canadiens. Source: Larry Felsner, cited in Habs Eye on the Prize available: richard-riot-55-yearshttp:// richard-riot-55-years Winnipeg Warriors, , champions of the Western Hockey League and farm team for the Canadians that same year! Information source for Canadien farm teams: Image source: Western Canada Pictorial IndexWestern Canada Pictorial Index More information at Manitoba Historical at

During the 1950’s Maurice “Rocket” Richard was the most dynamic hockey player in the National Hockey League. He was also outspoken and wrote a column for a French language newspaper for a while. In March 1955, Richard was suspended for the rest of the season and the playoffs by NHL president Clarence Campbell for striking a linesmen during a fight against the Canadiens arch nemesis the Boston Bruins. While the penalty was harsh, Richard was not totally innocent, having been in a previous violent altercation with an official. When Campbell attended the next Canadiens home game on St. Patrick’s day, events spun out of control into full scale rioting in the streets of Montreal. Riots after Richard Suspended !

“Because I always try so hard to win and had my troubles in Boston, I was suspended. At playoff time it hurts not be in the game with the boys. However, I want to do what is good for the people of Montreal and the team. So that no further harm will be done, I would like to ask everyone to get behind the team and to help the boys win from the New York Rangers and Detroit. I will take my punishment and come back next year to help the club and the younger players to win the Cup.” Source: Statement by Maurice Richard read over the radio, March 18, Statement by Rocket Richard By Flickr user Archives de la Ville de Montréal, under l CC remix licence by-nc-sa 2.0 Note: Photo is not of event described in the text! Or… for an alternative picture and text!?!

Montreal Herald, March 21, 1955 Dear Mr. Editor, I would like to say “congratulations” to Mr. Clarence Campbell for his very wise decision regarding Richard. He has done Richard and his team-mates a great favor, but they will be too blind with rage to be aware of it. Richard is just a bad-tempered, narrow-minded individual. Scowling if he doesn’t get all his own way. The title of “Baby” Richard would suit him far better. He has spoiled hockey for me and many others…. Richard could never be a good player because he is incapable of being a good sport, able to take a loss in good spirit, as well as a win…. It doesn’t say much for the rest of the Canadiens players. They certainly haven’t much confidence in themselves when they think they are finished without Richard instead of going out and showing him he is not irreplaceable. That would do him good. At the rate he was going, something tragic would have happened in the near future. His suspension is best for all concerned. In fact he should be banned unless he can learn to be a good sport. All power to Mr. Campbell! Please don’t resign. DISGUSTED CANADIEN

La Patrie (Montreal), March 17, 1955 [Translation] Here are some reactions we collected this morning: Raoul Godbout: (boxing promoter) “I do not want to criticize Mr. Campbell but it’s my view that he’s not just punishing Richard but also the whole Canadiens team. It would have been fairer towards Richard and the Canadiens if he imposed a suspension for the rest of the regular season and maybe the first seven games of the next season. In my opinion we should not prevent Richard from playing in the playoffs.” Myer Insky, President of the Quebec Rugby Football Union: “It is regrettable that this thing has happened, but it is important that authority is respected…. There wouldn’t be any hockey without referees and they need to be protected by the players, coaches, club presidents and fans. It would be unjust to say the punishment is too severe or not. Only those who saw what occurred in Boston and know both sides of the story can make that judgment.” George Slater, President of the Quebec Hockey league: “Without witnessing the proof and pleadings made toward Mr. Campbell I cannot make a comment. I imagine that Mr. Campbell’s statement to the press did not include everything that was involved in this process.”

Montreal Herald, March 19, 1955 The Herald held court in Montreal yesterday. A reporter and photographer acted as jury examiners. They chose 12 men good and true, and put the turbulent hockey situation on trial before them. Eleven said the rioting could not be condoned. The 12th was all in favor of Montreal’s show of loyalty to Maurice Richard. Nine blamed the riot on Clarence Campbell, the calm but much abused lawyer who is the NHL’s president. One blamed the police, one blamed mayor Jean Drapeau, and the last said the mayor and the police should share the blame. No one blamed Richard…. Tom Reilly, 790 sixth ave Verdun: “It wasn’t necessary for Campbell to go to the game. He wouldn't’t have been considered a coward.”

Montreal Herald, March 19, 1955 … continued Nat Wolfe 4872 Jean Brillant St.: “It was disgraceful. Nothing was accomplished except that the Canadiens lost the game. Only good thing was that Campbell got smacked. It wasn’t worth it.” Sam Wise, 3245 Linton Ave: “Campbell didn’t have to go to the game to prove he wasn’t a coward. He proved that when he suspended Richard.” Fred Campbell, who insists he’s no relation to Clarence Campbell and is thinking of changing his name, took up another position. He defended Campbell’s presence at the game. “Not only is he a citizen with a right to be there, but he’s the president of the league with a duty to be there. Blame the trouble on the police for not foreseeing it and preventing it, or at least controlling it.” Zoel Bernier, 974 Chenneville: “Campbell should not have gone to the game. Some people might have called him a coward. It wouldn’t have lasted.” Bernier admitted that there probably would have been no riot if Canadiens (sic) had been winning the game. Maurice Racette of Rosemont: “I’m 100 per cent with the people. I’m glad they got together to show Campbell they were not happy that their star was not there. It is because Maurice wasn’t playing that our team was losing 4-1.”

Ottawa Journal, March Sirs: - That people has lost the sense of perspective is obvious in the front page reporting (two days in a row) of the latest brawl of our great national hero “Rocket” Richard. Such news evidently belongs to the sports section and certainly should not have precedence over more important world and domestic events. The debates of Parliament, for instance, are relegated to page seven; even the news of Bevan’s dismissal* takes second place to Richard’s disgusting exhibition of stone-age manners… Do you not find this situation distressing? Or do I wrong too much? L.P. Clermont 12 Electric Street, Ottawa *Aneruin Bevan was a British Member of Parliament for the Labour party who was fired as party whip for leading a protest of 41 MP’s against Britain’s use of a hydrogen nuclear bomb.

Ottawa Journal, March Toronto — Conn Smythe, president of the Toronto Maple Leafs, said tonight that the riot at the National Hockey league game at Montreal last night was “terrible”. During the riot Campbell was struck by a fan. ‘It’s a shame that a man like Clarence Campbell has to take abuse of that kind,” Smythe said. “It’s terrible.” The Leaf president said such a situation would never arise in Maple Leaf Gardens. “It couldn't’t happen in our place.” Smythe was asked how it could be avoided if the situation was as ripe as it was in Montreal. He answered: “Well just let anyone try to make it happen.” Smythe said there is no need to take the NHL office out of Montreal. “Montreal is a great sports city. It’s just a minor element that causes trouble.”

Montreal Herald, March … You might not agree with his judgment but, but you can’t but admire the superb courage of Clarence Campbell, a man who faced death throughout World War II, to whom the heckling and minor missiles and the torrents of verbal abuse ranging from the stupid to the obscene hurled his way bounced like thistle down off one who had faced shells and shrapnel. Here was a man caught between two extremes. If he avoided the game he would be listed as a coward by his detractors. If he went, he was inciting a riot. So he went…. … “He didn’t hit me,” said Pres. Campbell afterwards. “He made some flapping motions, but I pushed him back with my foot and someone caught him.” … The President bore no marks. He was as relaxed as anybody in the room. “A most unfortunate thing,” he said. “Don’t worry about me. I wasn’t hurt, in any way. The missiles were harmless, the blows missed. It could have been a lot worse.”

Ottawa Journal, March … When the rink had been cleared and Dick Irvin was speaking to a few friends in the director’s room, he recalled how simple was the episode that brought this all on. “Why the other night in Boston, I had given up on the game that started all this. It was a joke. We were being beaten 4 –1 with five minutes to go and I just pulled the goalie as a gesture and figured we might pick up one or two goals. “here was a game that I had conceded and nothing would have happened if Laycoe hadn’t high-sticked Richard. Imagine all of this from a game that was practically over and lost.”

Read about it from several perspectives at richard-riot-55-years

Read about it and browse photos and articles at

Read about it and view clips at “CBC: The Legendary #9: Maurice 'Rocket' Richard” the-legendary-9-maurice-rocket-richard.html The Legendary #9: Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Maurice Richard wasn't an outstanding stickhandler. And he wasn't the finest skater the NHL has produced. But he became one of the best players in history through sheer force of will. Driven by desire so fierce his glare unhinged rival goaltenders, the Montreal Canadiens star set numerous records. "The Rocket" became a cultural icon among Quebecers, who so revered Richard that they started a riot when "Saint Maurice" was suspended from the league.