If we could all accomplish a fraction of what Bob Clarke did in his career, I’m sure we would all be content with our lives.
"Clarkie," as he is affectionately referred to by fans and friends, was playing for the Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior League and had put up impressive numbers. However, he was rarely scouted, as few teams sent scouts to Western Canada in the 1960s. Clarke believed the only teams scouting him at the time were Detroit and Philadelphia.
Although he was a dangerous offensive threat, many teams passed on his services in the 1969 NHL draft because he had diabetes. “Just pissed me off,” Clarke said of teams not willing to take a chance on him. “But anyone who’s competitive would just say ‘[screw] you.’ ”
The Philadelphia Flyers decided to take that chance by drafting Clarke in the second-round, 17th overall in 1969.
Fifteen seasons, two Stanley Cups, 358 goals, and 1210 points later, Clarke had silenced his doubters.
He retired from his playing career in 1984 and was offered a position in Flyers management. The love and pride of an entire city ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Alan Bass
Bob Clarke Continues Philadelphia Flyers Legacy in Front Office
March 19th, 2010 by Alan Bass Leave a reply »
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