Star photographer Frank Lennon dies at 79; captured legendary Henderson image

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This article was published 22/08/2006 (6967 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO (CP) — Photographer Frank Lennon’s career at the Toronto Star spanned nearly a half-century, but he will always be remembered for one shot that is “etched into the visual cortex of every Canadian.”

In it, hockey hero Paul Henderson leaps joyously into the arms of teammate Yvon Cournoyer after scoring the winning goal in Game 8 of the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union.

Lennon took photographs of great Canadians and great Canadian moments — including iconic images of political firebrand Tommy Douglas and country star Stompin’ Tom Connors— but that one frame defined his work.

Lennon died in hospital Tuesday at the age of 79.

One critic would later say that Lennon’s most famous photo was “etched into the visual cortex of every Canadian.”

The picture earned Lennon a National Newspaper Award, The Canadian Press Picture of the Year and even Sports Picture of the Century by one magazine.

It was also good to him financially, because although the Star gave him a bonus for shooting it, the syndication department inadvertently allowed him to copyright the picture.

Legend has it that darkroom staff were so overwhelmed with readers’ requests for prints at $5 each that the syndication department gave out Lennon’s number, in effect saying: “You handle it, Frank.”

The picture has since appeared in countless books, hockey cards, posters, a Royal Canadian Mint coin and a postage stamp.

To get it, Lennon relied on his legendary hard work, exquisite timing and anticipation.

He was perched high above the ice at Moscow’s Luzhniki Arena in the dying moments of the pivotal Game 8 when he decided to run down for a better angle.

Guessing where the winning goal would be scored, he focused his camera on the Soviet net. Henderson did the rest.

“Everybody around him jumped up and (Lennon) would (later) say to me that he was amazed he had the presence of mind to keep shooting,” Henderson recalled later. “Everything within him wanted to jump up and shout.”

Lennon took all kinds of photos for the Star from crime to human interest and politics — but his passion remained sports photography, especially hockey and football.

“I’m so proud and happy that he got the recognition for the photo, but it unfortunately covered up the superlative volume of work he did over his whole career as a photojournalist,” said Brad Henderson, former photo editor for the Star.

Those who knew and admired him said Lennon had a passion for the job that involved an enormous amount of hard work.

Another former Star photo editor, Fred Ross, said Lennon represented an earlier generation of photographers who were trained with the big format cameras that produced only one picture every six seconds.

Getting “the” picture was difficult. By contrast, today’s photographers — using digital cameras that capture up to eight frames per second — don’t depend as heavily on the timing that Lennon and his generation relied on.

“Skill involving timing and anticipation were extremely important (to get the photo), and Lennon was the master of both,” Ross said.

After 47 years at the Star, Lennon retired in 1990.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Helen, children Judith, Kevin, Darcy, Martha, Anita, Daria and Andrea, his brother Bill, sisters Janet and Margaret, and 13 grandchildren.

(Toronto Star)