A look back at life spent on ice

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This article was published 21/09/2018 (2766 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More than 60 years after he played for the New York Rangers, Bob Chrystal’s National Hockey League career is being memorialized in a new autobiography. 

Block that Shot: The Bob Chrystal Story is written by local hockey historian Ty Dilello and tells the story of Chrystal’s early life in Winnipeg; his experiences  as a defenceman in the 1950s; and his eventual retirement in St. James, where he has lived for the last 55 years.

“It’s funny how a player like Bob, who played so long ago, now lives pretty anonymously,” said Dilello, who, at the age of 25, has already penned five books on hockey history.

Dilello became interested in Chrystal’s story while doing research for his last, Golden Boys, which lists the top 50 hockey players to come from Manitoba. The two spent many hours reliving the NHLer’s playing days and pouring over scrapbooks and newspaper clippings collected by his Chrystal’s father.

“Mimi can tell me what to buy at the store and I need a note, but I can remember back to those days very well,” said Chrystal, referring to his wife of 66 years. “I’m very pleased that Ty took an interest in me and my stories and decided to do the book… I feel quite honoured.” 

Chrystal got acquainted with the game by playing street hockey in the West End. His mother taught him how to skate and he played in community club leagues in the neighbourhood before being recruited by the Brandon Wheat Kings when he was 18. 

A highlight of his time with the Wheat Kings, aside from meeting Mimi in Brandon, was playing eight games against the former Montreal Royals in the Memorial Cup’s longest series ever. 

His first stint as a professional player was with the Denver Falcons of the now defunct United States Hockey League before playing with the Cleveland Barons in the 

American Hockey League. He scored the Barons’ game-winning goal during the 1953 Calder Cup.

“It was really a funny goal because it wasn’t even on the net, it was flipped out to get a line change and unfortunately for the Pittsburgh goalie it took a bad pop and got by him,” Chrystal said, laughing. 

His next assignment was with the Rangers and the family moved together to New York, which took a bit of getting used to for Mimi. 

“It was an experience for me never really being away from home and being left alone in New York,” she said. “A little scary at times, but… there were really a lot of nice people.”

Chrystal would go on to play 132 games with the Rangers before suffering a leg injury and having a run-in with his coach Phil 

Watson that caused him to quit the team. When asked if he ever expected to play professional hockey as a kid, Chrystal said no. 

“I didn’t even expect it as I grew older I guess they saw something that they liked,” he said. “I really had the desire to win and I tried to always do my best and it was very important to me to be one of the better players.”

Chrystal continued playing hockey in Canada before retiring from the game and taking a job in public relations with Carling Brewery and later as a rep for Canadian Club whisky.

At 88-years-old, he still enjoys following hockey stats but doesn’t watch the game much. 

“Some of it is jealousy, of course, because of the money they’re making compared to what I made,” Chrystal said, jokingly. “We also played very positional hockey, now they’re all over the ice.”

Block that Shot is available on Amazon.ca