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Net Worth (Penguin $27.95)
ALAN EAGLESON WANTS TO Penalize Victoria couple Alison Griffiths and David Cruise for writing Net Worth (Penguin $27.95), an expose of the bucks behind the pucks. Eagleson, former head of the NHL Players' Association, threatened to sue Penguin Books because Griffiths and Cruise allege that 'the Eagle' has not always acted in the players' best interests. "Somehow Eagleson got hold of a confidential copy of our uncorrected galleys," says Cruise, who cites Eagleson's "renowned vengeance" in the text. Net Worth clearly reveals that although the NHL has been very profitable for most of its owners, many of the big names in the game--Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe, Frank Mahovlich--were
underpaid and they retired with "wretched" pensions. "Hockey players are still the worst paid of all pro athletes,"; says Cruise.
After 19 years in the game, Gordie Howe had only worked himself up to $27,500 a year including bonuses. Detroit Red Wings owner Jack Adams would offer Howe a completed contract each year, with only the salary left blank. "Just fill in what you're worth, Gord," he said. "Howe dutifully added a mere $1,000 annual raise," Cruise and Griffiths report. "Adams, never deigning to look at the contract, would utter some variation of You're a good fella, Gord, clap him on the back and, if he were in a particularly expansive mood, take him out to lunch." Net Worth further depicts Gordie Howe as "the most shabbily treated superstar in sport" who even now is treated by the NHL as "little better than a water boy" when the league requires his services as an ambassador. Following his 26 years in the NHL, Gordie Howe now receives a pension of less than $13,000 annually. In Net Worth, the authors reveal that it was Toronto Maple Leaf defenceman Bobby Baun who finally made Howe realize that his naive humility was actually having the effect of holding down salaries throughout the league for more than a decade.
Net Worth also claims that Wayne Gretzky ('The Great One') is partly to blame for low salaries and lousy pensions. "Gretzky has been well aware of pension issues and the failings of the NHLPA since 1985," say the authors, "yet he's chosen to avoid the controversy. Gretzky's image may be untarnished for the fans and corporations, but a lot of players won't forget his reluctance to get involved when he could have made a difference single-handedly." In the1950s several top players such as Ted Lindsay and Doug Harvey tried to form a players' association. They specifically wanted to find out how their pension plan fund was operated and how the funds were invested. Their attempt was ruthlessly smashed by the NHL owners, led by Toronto's Conn Smythe. In 1966, Alan Eagleson succeeded in forming the first players' association for two reasons: He was Bobby Orr's agent ("From the beginning, Orr was a walking advertisement for Alan Eagleson"). And the owners were afraid when they heard the Teamsters wanted to unionize the league. "I don't like unions," Conn Smythe said, "but I'm glad it's Eagleson at the head of the Players' Association rather than somebody else." In 1980 Bobby Orr parted bitterly with Eagleson, severing all business ties with the man he used to phone every morning before breakfast. Cruise predicts that the players' current best hope is Eric Lindros, the 18year-old superstar who is refusing to report to Quebec where he's been drafted. "He may be the player that breaks the owners' control of hockey," Cruise told BookWorld. 0-670-83117-4
[BCBW 1991] "Sports";
underpaid and they retired with "wretched" pensions. "Hockey players are still the worst paid of all pro athletes,"; says Cruise.
After 19 years in the game, Gordie Howe had only worked himself up to $27,500 a year including bonuses. Detroit Red Wings owner Jack Adams would offer Howe a completed contract each year, with only the salary left blank. "Just fill in what you're worth, Gord," he said. "Howe dutifully added a mere $1,000 annual raise," Cruise and Griffiths report. "Adams, never deigning to look at the contract, would utter some variation of You're a good fella, Gord, clap him on the back and, if he were in a particularly expansive mood, take him out to lunch." Net Worth further depicts Gordie Howe as "the most shabbily treated superstar in sport" who even now is treated by the NHL as "little better than a water boy" when the league requires his services as an ambassador. Following his 26 years in the NHL, Gordie Howe now receives a pension of less than $13,000 annually. In Net Worth, the authors reveal that it was Toronto Maple Leaf defenceman Bobby Baun who finally made Howe realize that his naive humility was actually having the effect of holding down salaries throughout the league for more than a decade.
Net Worth also claims that Wayne Gretzky ('The Great One') is partly to blame for low salaries and lousy pensions. "Gretzky has been well aware of pension issues and the failings of the NHLPA since 1985," say the authors, "yet he's chosen to avoid the controversy. Gretzky's image may be untarnished for the fans and corporations, but a lot of players won't forget his reluctance to get involved when he could have made a difference single-handedly." In the1950s several top players such as Ted Lindsay and Doug Harvey tried to form a players' association. They specifically wanted to find out how their pension plan fund was operated and how the funds were invested. Their attempt was ruthlessly smashed by the NHL owners, led by Toronto's Conn Smythe. In 1966, Alan Eagleson succeeded in forming the first players' association for two reasons: He was Bobby Orr's agent ("From the beginning, Orr was a walking advertisement for Alan Eagleson"). And the owners were afraid when they heard the Teamsters wanted to unionize the league. "I don't like unions," Conn Smythe said, "but I'm glad it's Eagleson at the head of the Players' Association rather than somebody else." In 1980 Bobby Orr parted bitterly with Eagleson, severing all business ties with the man he used to phone every morning before breakfast. Cruise predicts that the players' current best hope is Eric Lindros, the 18year-old superstar who is refusing to report to Quebec where he's been drafted. "He may be the player that breaks the owners' control of hockey," Cruise told BookWorld. 0-670-83117-4
[BCBW 1991] "Sports";
Submitted on November 18, 2004 in By David.
