FeedRick In Retirement
October 18, 2012 in Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks Tags: Byer's Bulldozers, John French, New England Whalers, Orillia Packet and Times, Rick Ley, Wayne Piper, WHA
Terrific piece in the Orillia Packet and Times about Rick Ley, a kid from my old neighbourhood, a guy who once borrowed my hockey gloves to go to junior camp, and who also accidentally knocked out my front tooth with a baseball. Of course he also enjoyed a stellar career in the NHL and WHA, which isn’t as important as the hockey glove and tooth knocked out, but should be mentioned anyway.
This link, sent to me from my buddy Ron Green in Orillia, is an interview in the Wednesday edition of the Packet, and it seems retirement is agreeing with Rick, which is great. It also mentions another guy I’ve talked about often, John French, along with Wayne Piper, who was my coach for a couple of years when I was a smallish-yet-shifty right winger for Byers Bulldozers.
Have a look. It’s a good read about a good Orillian. Ley’s Credentials Second to None
October 19th, 2012 at 7:41 am
Hey Dennis,I read the interview about Rick.I enjoyed watching him play with the leafs and coaching with Pat Quinn as well,good defensman,liked to rush the puck if I remember correctly.You know,although he didnt win a Stanley Cup,he had a pretty succesful career.
October 19th, 2012 at 8:23 am
Derry, he was successful for sure, but what really stands out for me was that he was tough as nails.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:58 pm
When I read between the lines, I sense that his biggest influence was in the gloves he once borrowed. The knocked out tooth was so that the victim could impress the girls.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Oh that Rick. He was as tough as teeth.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Yes Christopher, I feel that too. Without the gloves, who knows how he would’ve ended up?