Bobby Hull launching children’s foundation

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This article was published 20/01/2016 (3791 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of hockey’s most recognizable faces is using his name to help raise money for sick children.

Bobby Hull, who put Winnipeg on the sports map in 1972 when he joined the WHA’s Jets, is about to launch the Bobby Hull Foundation for Children.

The man known as the Golden Jet and his team won’t be starting from scratch, however. They’re assuming the mantle from the Steen family, which ran the Amadeus Steen Foundation for many years.

“When I’ve gone to the Children’s Hospital and visited with these poor little kids who have never done anything wrong and they’re suffering from cancer, it chokes me up. I’ve been lucky. I’ve never had a serious illness in my life. If I can do anything to help make their (hospital) stay as easy as can be, I’m all for it,” Hull said.

An official announcement on the new foundation and its plans will be made in early February.

Hull has long since lost track of how many hospitals he has visited over his lifetime.

“Maybe I haven’t visited enough. I know how important it is to be involved with fundraising for the Children’s Hospital,” he said.

The first fundraising event in which Hull is participating is a trip aboard a private jet to see the Jets play the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 9.

There are still a few spots aboard “Golden Jet Air,” which cost $2,500 and include hotel accommodation, tickets to the Blues owner’s suite for the game and an after-party hosted by Hull’s son, Brett, and long-time Blues centre, Bernie Federko.

Former Winnipegger Brent Fitz, who plays drums for Slash, is flying back from his home in Las Vegas to go on the trip. He has been a fan of Hull since he was a kid but his fandom was taken to a new level a few years ago when he went on a fishing trip with Hull and his former Hot Line centre, Ulf Nilsson.

“It’s the right thing to do. I’m going with the team. I don’t want to be the lone wolf. I’m going back to Winnipeg and flying down to St. Louis the right way,” he said.

“I can’t say no to this. It’s too good of a Jets experience to pass up.”

Fitz, who shipped a pair of seats from the old Winnipeg Arena to his Vegas home, wore his WHA-era Hull jersey to the Jets-Ducks game in Anaheim last year when Teemu Selanne’s jersey was retired.

“I knew a million people at the game,” he said.

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca