National Hockey League - Straight up and personal: the world according to Grapes

Also by Don Cherry

Don Cherrys Hockey Stories and Stuff
Don Cherrys Hockey Stories, Part 2

Copyright 2014 Don Cherry

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ISBN: 978-0-385-68108-7
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v3.1

I thank you, God, for helping me survive.

I AM IN THE WATER in the middle of the St. Lawrence River off Wolfe Island and drifting along with the current and waves, hanging on for dear life to a paddleboat. Ive finally realized that circumstances I will explain later have me in a desperate situation. I know I cannot last much longer, as I am getting weaker and weaker. I look at the shore its too far, for I would never make it. But Ive got to do something, as I know I cannot hang on much longer. As I drift along, strange thoughts enter my mind. If something did happen, I can see the headlines now: CBC SPORTSCASTER DROWNS IN THE ST. LAWRENCE . Some people would be happy, I am thinking, but let me tell you how I got into this nightmare.

That very morning, my wife, Luba, and I are sitting on the dock with our coffee, and one of the discussions is about me selling back to Gordon Bay Marine our Boston Whaler. I say to Luba, I know you are not too happy about me selling the Whaler, but lets face it: we hardly use it. We had a paddleboat, which she used, and a canoe that a family member had left there, but nothing that could be used safely to save someone. Luba answers, Yes, you are right, but I really think we should get a small rowboat or something in case somebody gets in trouble in the river. You never know. The St. Lawrence can be dangerous at times, and a storm can blow in any minute.

I answer, Yes, someday we will get something.

That afternoon, about three oclock, I am reading in bed and fall asleep, and suddenly I hear Luba calling my name, saying that the paddleboat has broken free from the shore and is drifting away. I suppose I have to get it. I remember we have the canoe that was behind the garage and I have never used the canoe or the paddle, so as I am pushing the canoe in the water, Luba says, Wait I will get a life jacket.

I laugh. Me wear a life jacket? No thanks. I paddle out to the middle of the river, and I notice the wind is picking up and its getting rougher, but everything is going well, no problem. And as I look back now, I was getting too brave and too cocky and getting careless, not paying attentionwhich is a dangerous thing on the river. I can see that the paddleboat is caught in the current, and as the waves pick up, its drifting away faster. But I finally catch up to the boat and tie the rope on the back of the canoe.

The wind has really picked up, but I am making progress back to the cottage, and for some strange reason I dont feel the boat is towing right, so I turn to undo the boat to retie it. That is when my troubles begin, as my paddle falls into the water. As I turn and bend over to retrieve the paddle, the canoe tips over and water starts rushing over the top of the canoe. I cannot stop it, and over I go into the water with the canoe upside down.

It is hard for me to describe the feeling when this happened. It was like, Is this really happening? and Can this be real? These things happen to other people, not me; this cant be happening in the middle of the St. Lawrence. I look, and the canoe is hardly above water. I look the other way, and the paddleboat is fast drifting away. What to do? Stay with the canoe, which is bobbing almost under water, or take off after the paddleboat that is fast disappearing? I got to remember I cant panic. Its just a little swim, I say to myself. Dont get excited. I kick off my running shoes and take off after the boat; honest to God, my thoughts go to a fellow hockey player called Ross Lowe who played for Eddie Shores Springfield Indians in the American Hockey League. I remembered we all looked up to him. It was my rookie year, 195455, and what a year Ross had. He had a tough time, knocked around hockey in the NHL Boston and Montreal and ended up in the graveyard of hockey, Springfield, with the Darth Vader of hockey, Eddie Shore, but he never quit, worked hard, and in 1955 in 60 games he got 32 goals and 50 assists and 82 points. He was a First Team All-Star and the MVP of the league and boy, was he tough.

Ross got a break when he was drafted by the New York Rangers and signed a big contract that year, and we all wished him well. What a break to get away from Shore and go to the Big Showtheres hope for all of us. Ross loved to fish, and being from Oshawa, he had lots of opportunities to fish. That summer, after being drafted by the New York Rangers on June 1, Ross was out in the lake on a hot day, and he decided to go for swim. Ross dove off the boat, and when he came up from the dive, he noticed the boat was drifting away. Ross took off after the boat, but the faster he swam, the faster the boat drifted away. Ross never made it to the boat and went under. Everybody assumed he drowned, but the rumour we heard was that he died of a heart attack from panic watching the boat drift away.

We all thought, What a bad break, just when he was getting his big hockey break, but Im not thinking of Rosss big break in hockey as I swim as hard as I can. I think of Ross drowning on account of panicking, so again I say, Relax, its just a little swim, and I calm down and swim slow but sure. I finally catch up with the boat and think my troubles are over, but they are just beginning. I look back at the dock in the distance and can make out Luba all by herselfwhat must she be thinking? I look around for a boat somewhere in the river to get rescued, but not one boat in sight. Its Julysurely some boat will come along. But no fishing boat, no sailboats, nothing. The St. Lawrence is empty and the waves are picking up again and Im drifting farther and farther away from shore.

I try to get into the boat, but its so high. I cant climb aboard; I make a mistake and keep trying and trying and make myself very weak. As I try to hang on to the boat, I have to extend myself over the side of the boat and grab hold of the arm of the foot paddle. This is very awkward, contributing to my weakening condition. Ill give it one more try to get in and Ill go all out. I let go and give it my all and get my leg almost over, but being so weak I fall back in the water. I look and wonder if I can make the shore, as I am a pretty good swimmer, but I think of all the stories I have read when the guy, after a boat accident, tries for the shore and he drowns. I stay with the boat, thinking, Oh why, oh why didnt I listen to Luba and take the life jacket? Now I know why they are called life jackets. I know I cannot last much longer. I should never have weakened myself trying to get in the boat. A strange feeling comes over me. I think this could be it, and I am accepting it very calmly. I look up at the sky and think, What a beautiful blue sky.