Stanley Cup Finals : Memorabilia Isn’t Ancient History to Flyers’ Resch

Mention the name Cyclone Taylor to the average hockey fan and, in all probability, you’ll get a blank stare.

But that’s not what you’ll get from Chico Resch.

“He played 50 years ago with the old Vancouver Canucks,” the Philadelphia Flyers’ veteran goaltender says and smiles.

Resch can give you a brief history of this long-forgotten old-timer, describing even what his uniform looked like.

It figured that if anyone could do it, Resch could. As one of hockey’s biggest fans, he has been saving memorabilia for some time now. He might have the most extensive collection outside of the National Hockey League Hall of Fame.

“I’ve always loved hockey and hockey history,” said Resch, whose team play play the Edmonton Oilers for the Stanley Cup.

Resch can remember growing up in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, watching “Hockey Night In Canada.” It was then he developed a love affair with hockey and many of the famous names of the 1950s, such as goaltenders Terry Sawchuk and Glenn Hall.

He would go into the family basement after TV games and play his own version of hockey with a little red ball he used as a puck.

“In those games, I was always Sawchuk or Hall, who were my early heroes,” Resch said.

When Resch got older, he started collecting jerseys of NHL stars and estimates that they may be worth thousands of dollars.

Those jerseys are among Resch’s most-prized possessions. Among his other memorabilia are a one-piece stick and goalie pads that go back to the 1930s.

“The best places to find things like this are in Montreal and Toronto, the Canadian cities,” said Resch, who makes it a practice on every trip to visit second-hand stores where he might find something to add to his collection.

He also goes to collectors’ shows when he can.

Where does he keep all this stuff?

“I have one of those big, old Russian trunks that stand about five feet high and have a lot of compartments,” said Resch, who was carrying a hockey program from the 1950s and some hockey cards with Sawchuk’s picture on them. “Most of it goes in there.

“But I like to display the stuff publicly, too. I want people to see it.”

Getting a ride back to town after Saturday’s practice at the Northlands Coliseum, Resch asked to be dropped off early.

“Where are you going?” he was asked.

“A second-hand store,” he said as he walked away. “Where else?”

Bobby Clarke, the Philadelphia Flyers’ general manager, is not the sentimental type.

Asked to recall the two Stanley Cups he won as a player, Clarke complained that such memories had nothing to do with this year’s final.

“That’s 15 years ago,” he said. “Obviously, we had the same types of teams that are here today, guys with lots of pride, guys who love to win, guys who are willing to sacrifice everything for their teammates.

“It’s no different today. Players aren’t any different. Feelings aren’t any different. Character remains the same.”

The Stanley Cup tradition began at a dinner 95 years ago, with a statement read on behalf of Lord Stanley of Preston, governor-general of Canada.

The statement read: “I have for some time been thinking that it would be a good thing if there were a challenge cup which should be held from year to year by the champion hockey team in the Dominion (of Canada).

“There does not appear to be any such outward sign of a championship at present, and considering the general interest which matches now elicit, and the importance of having the game played fairly and under rules generally recognized, I am willing to give a cup which shall be held from year to year by the winning team.”

Later that year, Lord Stanley purchased a silver bowl for $50. He never saw a Stanley Cup game because he returned to his native England during the 1893 season.

Glen Sather, Edmonton coach, isn’t worried by the possibility of extensive travel during the final between Philadelphia and Edmonton.

“We have an advantage by living out in Western Canada,” Sather said. “We get the chance to put in an extra couple of hundred thousand miles a year and travel in many, many more planes than Philadelphia, so we know a lot more pilots, stewardesses and the insides of planes better and pass over Brandon (Ontario) and wave a few more times than they do.”

Though the Oilers won their first Cup only three seasons ago, several players who were on that team are no longer on the roster: Pat Conacher, Lee Fogolin, Pat Hughes, Don Jackson, Willy Lindstrom, Ken Linseman, Dave Lumley and Dave Semenko.

Oilers center Wayne Gretzky entered the Stanley Cup final in a scoring slump. But he can recall pleasant memories of previous playoffs against Philadelphia.

In 1985, Gretzky had 7 goals and 4 assists for 11 points in the 5-game final against the Flyers. The seven goals in a final tied a record set by Montreal’s Jean Beliveau and the New York Islanders’ Mike Bossy.