RIP Bobby Hull

[bcla]

Interesting legacy, but there's no denying his greatness as a hockey player.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/bobby-hull-death-chicago-winnipeg-jets-nhl-1.6730592
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackh...bby-hull-dies-blackhawks-legacy-winnipeg-jets

 

[CdnCarrie]

Yup. Big news here in Winnipeg.

 

[RedAngie]

Probably the biggest star who jumped from the NHL to the WHA. RIP.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hill was/is an icon here in Chicago. RIP, Golden Jet.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

RIP

 

[slo]

RIP Bobby Hull

I’m so glad our family was able to meet him and speak with him in 2016. He was very nice to all of us, but especially to my DD who is a huge Blackhawks fan - she was 12yrs old at the time (she was a huge Blackhawks fan then too)

 

[White Cat]

Saw him play. RIP.

 

[RedAngie]

I saw Bobby Hull play in the tiny dump Cherry Hill Arena, home of the Jersey Knights for 2/3 of a season. You think Arizona playing in a college arena is bad?

Gordie Howe, Gerry Cheevers, and a handful of other stars too. They probably had flashbacks to their junior days.

 

[Dan Murphy]

 

[Babs Johnson]

I wasn’t aware of the scandals in his personal life.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I wasn’t aware of the scandals in his personal life.

Same. Was a bit of a shock reading that article yesterday

 

[ronandannette]

I wasn’t aware of the scandals in his personal life.

I’m not sure they even were “scandals” back in the day. 30 - 40 years ago, domestic violence was brushed under the rug (especially for prominent people) and racism/xenophobia often barely got an eye-roll. We live in a better world now.

 

[AvidDisReader]

I’m not sure they even were “scandals” back in the day. 30 - 40 years ago, domestic violence was brushed under the rug (especially for prominent people) and racism/xenophobia often barely got an eye-roll. We live in a better world now.

I was a big Blackhawk fan back in mid 60's and early 70's, and of course thought the Golden Jet was the best. It turns out he was an alcoholic and a serial spouse abuser. This info was never reported until years after he retired. It taught me to never idolize pro athletes (or famous people). We are all human and when you look closer, there are all too often ugly truths buried beneath the surface.

 

[CdnCarrie]

It was VERY well known in Winnipeg that he was a horrible person off the ice - wife beater, heavy drinker.
Punched a cop during a domestic call.

The tributes on the Jets pages are not very complimentary....
His daughter Michelle is a lawyer that works in domestic abuse due to what she witnessed her mom suffer.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I was a big Blackhawk fan back in mid 60's and early 70's, and of course thought the Golden Jet was the best. It turns out he was an alcoholic and a serial spouse abuser. This info was never reported until years after he retired. It taught me to never idolize pro athletes (or famous people). We are all human and when you look closer, there are all too often ugly truths buried beneath the surface.

It was well known. Everyone here in Winnipeg knew about it. Maybe Chicago being a bigger city was able to hide it better.

 

[ronandannette]

It was VERY well known in Winnipeg that he was a horrible person off the ice - wife beater, heavy drinker.
Punched a Winnipeg cop during a domestic call.

The tributes on the Jets pages are not very complimentary....
His daughter Michelle is a lawyer that works in domestic abuse due to what she witnessed her mom suffer.

Probably all with impunity, due to his iconic status and just how things were then which to me, actually makes it worse. I really like what @AvidDisReader said about idolizing people and I think that because absolutely nobody's life is entirely transparent, it goes for anybody, not just celebrities or powerful individuals.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I did correct my previous post. The cop he punched was not here as it was in the 1980s.

 

[AussieFan8]

I am a huge Brett Hull fan. I had no idea about Bobby's past. My awareness of him was just that he was Brett's father. Before I read the article in the original post, I had read Brett's tribute to his father upon his passing and thought that it felt more distant/unemotional than I expected. I wonder if their relationship was strained at all due to the family history? This is just pure speculation on my part.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I am a huge Brett Hull fan. I had no idea about Bobby's past. My awareness of him was just that he was Brett's father. Before I read the article in the original post, I had read Brett's tribute to his father upon his passing and thought that it felt more distant/unemotional than I expected. I wonder if their relationship was strained at all due to the family history? This is just pure speculation on my part.

I believe Brett has said that he rarely saw his Dad and didn't even have his phone number.
Read that Bobby did not keep in contact with his 5 children after the divorce. But I have no idea if that is true.

 

[AvidDisReader]

It was well known. Everyone here in Winnipeg knew about it. Maybe Chicago being a bigger city was able to hide it better.

For sure it was hidden in Chicago, but do not forget he went to Winnipeg after he left Chicago.