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Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID |
2013.55.15 B |
Object Name |
Video Recording |
Title |
Jean Beliveau Interview |
Interview Summary / Résumé d'entrevue |
Jean Béliveau, Order of Sport recipient, inducted in 1975, born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, talks about his ice hockey career. Jean recalls listening to Hockey Night in Canada and looking up to Maurice Richard in the 1940s. Jean discusses his junior ice hockey years playing in Victoriaville, joining the Quebec Citadelles, and signing on with the Quebec Aces to honour his local fans before moving to the National Hockey League and the Montreal Canadiens. Jean reflects on his NHL debut in 1953, how he always saw himself as a centerman and playmaker, and his goal milestones throughout his career. Jean discusses the Canadiens' five consecutive Stanley Cup victories and his evolution as a captain and leader. Jean also discusses significant events like the suspension of Maurice Richard and the 1971 Stanley Cup win, as well as his perspectives on the 1994 and 2004 NHL lockouts. Jean talks about his long career with Molson Brewery, which continued after he retired from the NHL. He explains the importance of respecting his fans by personally responding to their mail. Entrevue avec Jean Béliveau, 13 novembre 2006. MP4 numérisé à partir d'une DVCAM 40 Advanced ME de Sony. Temps de visionnement : 00:39:23. Jean Béliveau, récipiendaire de l'Ordre du sport, a été intronisé en 1975 et est né à Trois-Rivières, au Québec. Il parle de sa carrière de hockey sur glace. Jean se rappelle qu'il écoutait La Soirée du hockey et admirait Maurice Richard dans les années 1940. Jean parle de ses années de hockey junior à Victoriaville, raconte qu'il a ensuite joué avec les Citadelles de Québec, et s'est engagé avec les Aces de Québec pour honorer ses partisans locaux avant de rejoindre la Ligue nationale de hockey et les Canadiens de Montréal. Jean revient sur ses débuts dans la LNH en 1953, comment il s'est toujours vu comme un joueur de centre et un créateur de jeu, et parle de ses nombreux buts tout au long de sa carrière. Jean discute des cinq victoires consécutives de la Coupe Stanley des Canadiens et évoque son évolution en tant que capitaine et leader. Jean aborde également des événements marquants comme la suspension de Maurice Richard et la victoire à la Coupe Stanley en 1971, ainsi que ses perspectives sur les lockouts de la LNH en 1994 et 2004. Jean parle de sa longue carrière avec la brasserie Molson, qui a continué après sa retraite de la LNH. Il explique l'importance de respecter ses partisans et admirateurs en répondant personnellement à leur courrier. |
Scope & Content |
Jean Beliveau interview, 13 November 2006. Digitized MP4 from Sony 40 Advanced ME DVCAM. Viewing time 00:39:23. 00:56How did you get involved in sports? Had an ice pond behind the ice and got skates as a Christmas gift when he was 3 or 4 01:37Who were your idols? In 1940s listened to Hockey Night in Canada on the radio, remembers when Maurice Richard scored 50 goals in 50 games, he was a big influence for his way of doing things, he opened a lot of doors for other players; also looked at centermen such as Punch Imlach and Ted Kennedy 02:33Talks about his early hockey career, first years in Victoriaville as a junior, was a free agent at age 18 in 1949, went to Quebec City and played as a junior with the Quebec Citadel, for the first time got to play other big teams and scored 48 goals in 48 games, played with the Quebec Aces for two years and then joined the Canadiens in 1953 05:01Talks about the games he played when he was called up in 1952, scored his first goal in his second games against Harry Lumby 06:32Talks about the fans in Quebec City and why he felt he owed them so much - they were knowledgeable about the game, appreciated the way the team performed, honest; hard to detach himself from the fans so he played an extra 2 years with the Quebec Aces instead of playing with the Canadiens earlier. 07:46After signing with Montreal at Saturday, noon, October 23 1953, his first game was the All-Star Game; he was a little nervous and considers it a great honour 09:59Comparing NHL to juniors: big step between minor pro and the NHL; first few years have to acclimate, the games is a lot faster than in a senior league, had to adjust play in terms of skating and making the plays quicker 10:52Talks about the fights in the first years - as a rookie you are going to be tested, he had to size against the other players; each person has their own way of doing things 12:22Scoring 47 goals in season 3-4, did you think of 50? - he was the centreman so it was up to him to make the plays, he had many assists and he would like to be remembered as being a team player "To me the success of the team was the most important". 13:50More assists than goals, do you consider yourself more of a playmaker than a goal scorer? Little bit of both, he was happy in 1971 when he got his 500th goal, (14:41) "a record is just an incentive to reach it" 15:25The first Stanley Cup in 1956-57 and what did you learn from the captains? Butch Bouchard and Maurice Richard were the captains. Maurice was quiet and showed his leadership on the ice; learned a lot from Butch; Doug Harvey was a very good speech maker; (16:16) voted captain in 1961 by his teammates "It was a complete surprise. On a personal basis it is one of my greatest joys" 18:07Talks about winning the Cup for 4 more years: 5 in a row was an inspiration to keep winning, never satisfied when you lose a Cup; (18:42) "On a personal basis, since I was a young boy in Quebec, your dream is to wear the Canadien uniform". (19:27) "We were a group of players working together on a common goal", a great coach in Toe Blake and the organization, the ownership was very good; talks about trades and getting in new players after Richard's retirement; admiration for the 1960s team because they did not have the star players of the 1950s but they did have the desire 21:60Linemates: talks about Bert Holmstead who was never satisfied after each shift they played, and wanted to talk about the plays; Jean always told the younger players (22:00) "Don't change your game because of me. I'm the centre man. Just play your game, it's up to me to adjust, not you to adjust to my game. And it works pretty good, I think" 23:40On Geoffrion winning the scoring championship: he was also close to winning it; Doug Harvey told them to play their regular game, it's a game like any other; he worked so hard that he was not going to give up a goal, too much respect for the game, the league and the fans. 25:51On the riot after Richard was suspended: felt that Richard should not have been suspended for the playoffs but only for regular season play; the suspension did not affect the players that much; proud to represent the people of Quebec, Montreal and Canada 27:40On playing on 10 Stanley Cup teams, was there one that stood out? All of them brings you so much satisfaction, worked so hard, the 1971 win was special since he was retiring; "All of them bring you great joy" 28:52Why did you pick up the Stanley Cup in 1971: It was standard that the Cup stayed on the table, it was spontaneous to pick it up: wanted to bring it closer to the fans and pass it to the players 29:32Most memorable game: overtime goal in second overtime, the Stanley Cup series like in 1956 when he scored 12 goals with 7 in the finals; (30:00) "I never based my satisfaction on the statistics. It's the way you play, it's your all around play that to me was the most important thing". (30:35) When he became captain in 1961 was memorable. "The only way you are going to win anything in sport, it's a team sport, everybody has to put their share of the efforts you need to win that Cup." 31:22Goaltenders: talks about Gump Worsley, Charlie Hodge; Doug Harvey was the general back there, talks about his trade to New York and you win with the players you have and the effort of everyone 33:18Changes in the League: his role as Captain changed with the advent of the Player's Association, also had 12 teams and more players; recalls meeting with Alan Eagleson; Jean's desire was to support the players; talks about the lockout of 2004 and his position of supporting the NHL, and compares it to the lockout of 1994. 35:34Retirement in 1971 and staying connected to the game: played 18 years from 1953 to 1971 while working at Molson Brewery, and "simply went back to Molson Brewery"; talks about being happy to stay with the game through Molson Brewery. 38:40Why is it important for you to personally write back to fan mail? They took the time to write, they need an answer |
Date |
2006/11/13 |
Year Range from |
1949 |
Year Range to |
1971 |
People |
Bouchard, Butch Richard, Maurice Imlach, Punch Kennedy, Ted Blake, Hector "Toe" Harvey, Doug Beliveau, Jean |
Search Terms |
Montreal Canadiens Jean Beliveau Ice hockey Athlete Interview NHL |