As a 17-year old from International Falls, Minnesota and arriving on the Boston hockey scene about 40 years ago, I could not predict the course that my hockey future would take. Nor would I ever expect to be writing this article to BU hockey fans, knowing and understanding their strong feeling is about BC hockey. But, as a BC alum who admits taking real estate courses at BU, and who now closely observes every Hockey East and ECAC hockey program as a professional player representative, I thought BU hockey fans might be interested in an objective view of the history and growth of BU hockey since my Boston adventure began in August of 1966.
It didn’t take long to learn of Coach Jack Kelley and the feared Boston University Terriers Hockey Team. Freshmen could not play back then, but even as a bystander there was always that excitement in the air about the coming season, and particularly the anticipation and built-up tension along Commonwealth Avenue. After all, the BU Hockey Program was on a roll and had recent All-Americans in Tom Ross, Jack Ferreira, Richie Green and Brian Gilmour. Fred “Bear” Bassi was making his mark along with notable names like Herb Wakabayashi and a talented Mike Hyndman. Oh yes, BU hockey was the talk of Boston. Add in All-Americans Steve Stirling, Bobby Brown and John Danby with the late Ric Jordan, plus dozens of others in the supporting cast, and you can see that BU Hockey was really the talk of the HUB in the late 60’s.
How did it all happen for BU Hockey? How were these top players recruited and signed, to help deliver BU to the “Bigtime” in college hockey. In my opinion, it was designed that way and happened, because of the skilled hand of Coach Jack Kelley.
Watching the Terriers develop in the 60’s was a wonderful time for the passionate hockey fan. It was even greater for hockey players, as they each looked forward to playing solid teams like Cornell with Coach Ned Harkness, and such stars as Ken Dryden, Doug and Dave Ferguson. Harvard had the likes of Gene Kinasewich, Tim Taylor, Joe Cavanagh, Terry Flaman and Chris Gurry. It was gratifying for me to play for Boston College in that decade of stars, which included the likes of Tom “Red” Martin, Billy Daley, Jim Logue, John Cunniff, Paul Hurley and Jerry York.
After a great run at the helm of the Terriers, Jack Kelley not only won the national championship, but led BU to two successive NCAA titles, which put him at a plateau he may have been able to maintain for another decade but it also made him a prominent candidate for a pro coaching job. At the conclusion of the 71-72 season, as the war in Vietnam was ending, a new fledging pro hockey league arrived, as the World Hockey Association (WHA). Jack Kelley accepted the offer to become the new coach and general manager of the New England Whalers, based in Boston.
Howard Baldwin, a player once cut by Kelley at BU, became the 28 year-old owner. Kelley continued his winning ways, as he assembled former Colby College player Ron Ryan to be assistant general manager, and former BU stars Jack Ferreira and Richie Green to head the scouting department. In an attempt to win at the box office in the new league, I was fortunate to be one of four Boston College players Kelley signed amid the likes of John Cunniff, Paul Hurley and Kevin Ahearn.
Larry Pleau, a local product who also played for the Montreal Canadiens and is now general manager of the St. Louis Blues, was the first New England Whaler to be signed by Kelley. Boston University stars Mike Hyndman, John Danby, Bobby Brown and Ric Jordan were also signed quickly. BU statistician Chris Henes even started to work his magic for the new Whalers. Former BU assistant coach Bob Crocker would later join the team as assistant general manager. The WHA got a further boost when Bobby Hull signed as the first player of the newly formed Winnipeg Jets, getting a $1 million signing bonus to jump from the Chicago Black Hawks.
Local Boston Bruin players were also signed to other WHA teams. All-Pro goaltender Gerry Cheevers would go to the Cleveland Crusaders, with John McKenzie and the flamboyant Derek Sanderson signing with the Philadelphia Blazers. Sanderson signed for $2.4 Million, the largest contract ever received by a hockey player. Bruin’s Captain Teddy Green signed with the Whalers and helped lead the team to the first WHA Championship.
Tommy Williams, the 1960 Olympic Squaw Valley Star and the lone American in the National Hockey League for several years, also signed on with the Whalers. Art Dunphy, sports information director at BU, joined the Whalers. Northeastern University equipment man Skip Cunningham jumped onboard. Mark and David Kelley served as Whaler stick-boys at the Boston Garden and The Boston Arena, now Matthews Arena. My brother, a young Neil Sheehy, was the stick boy for the Whalers team on road trips to St. Paul and Winnipeg before eventually enrolling at Harvard University, and further embarking on an 11-year pro career spanning over nine NHL Seasons. He later went to law school and went into the player-representative business, of which I am now a partner.
That’s all ancient history, but only now, as a father, do I fully appreciate what Jack Kelley did. Being a parent and coach of young hockey players at this stage of my life, I certainly understand the demeanor of a younger Jack Kelley and his climb to the top of his profession. Helping young players attain their goals by winning championships and helping in their development along the way, is a passion that I share today as a hockey agent.
Never will I forget the trade engineered by Jack Kelley that sent me to the Edmonton Oilers on Valentine’s Day 1975, while being the team’s second leading scorer. Jack would later say that I was supposed to “warm things up for the Great Wayne Gretzky.” After spending two years in Edmonton, I was traded to the Birmingham Bulls of the WHA and got to play with the likes of Frank Mahovlich and Paul Henderson. With Birmingham experiencing financial problems, Vaclav Nedomansky and I were traded to the Detroit Red Wings in the first inter-league trade.
Later, on Valentine’s Day 1978, Jack Kelley would tell me “it was time to come home” and play on a line with “Mr. Hockey,” Gordie Howe and his son Mark Howe, along with his defenseman brother Marty Howe. All three Howes’ had been so well represented by the family matriarch agent in contract negotiations, that being the wonderful and classy Colleen Howe.
After ending my career with the Hartford Whalers of the NHL, I can now look back and be very grateful to Jack Kelley as a caring and compassionate GM and coach. To any aspiring young hockey player, I can say that I touched all of the bases in the USA Hockey system, including being a roommate of the legendary coach Herb Brooks on the 1971 US National Team.
As an alum of Boston University, as well as its coach during a pivotal time of transition, Jack Kelley helped provide jobs for many, and also guided many others toward experiencing the thrill of success he had known. He started a young Jack Parker on his way to stardom by making him an assistant coach, and Parker moved up to continue BU’s winning tradition as head coach, and bring it to yet another level, by helping to build and finance the new Harry Agganis Center.
Being a hockey agent involves attending many hockey games and seeing old countless friends in the glorious buildings of our area. The Agganis Center is a spectacular site with all its facilities, and a welcomed addition along Commonwealth Avenue. It should help to benefit Boston University and the hockey program for many years to come. After all, it has taken contributions from many alumni to make it all possible, including those of former hockey players that have done well by attending BU.
I recently told Jack Kelley that he contributed to the recent NHL Lockout, as he signed me for $100,000 when his Cornell counterpart and GM Ned Harkness was offering me $15,000 for the Detroit Red Wings and $8500 for its Fort Worth farm club. I would say that Kelley had a big hand in creating the modern day paycheck for a hockey player, with an annual average of $1.8 million.
Jack Parker is a longtime friend and former foe on the ice during our BC/BU days. His twin brother Bobby, the great Paul Hurley and I were all at Boston College together in the 60’s. We all relish in the success that Jack Parker has attained and brought to Boston University. We rejoice in the appeal it has brought to young hockey players, with hopes of having a great experience playing ice hockey at the Division 1 level. It is gratifying to see the names of historically prominent people in the fantastic growth of college hockey be honored by having their names memorialized for past achievements by having awards or tournaments named after them.
BU’s naming reaches from Harry Agganis to the outstanding and current run of Jack Parker, much as my own Boston College has recognized the era of Silvio Conte and Snooks Kelley.
Having said that, and more importantly, BU should do something to honor Jack Kelley. Every time I attend a game at BU’s new arena, in my role as a professional player representative, I think of how much Jack Kelley meant to the Terriers. But I’m always disappointed when I don’t find some evidence of his impact. A bust of Jack Kelly with a plaque commemorating his achievements might be appropriate, or a separate area in a trophy case, or maybe a large banner. His image superimposed on the tickets might be possible, and I’d settle for a Jack Kelley parking place. But something is needed. Having once played against Jack Kelley’s BU teams, and later having a chance to play for him professionally, I believe it’s important for a new generation of BU fans, to appreciate how the elite college status they now expect from their beloved Terriers was first attained.
Thanks for the memories Jack,
Tim Sheehy
BC All-American 1968-70
United States Hockey Hall of Fame Member 1997 |
