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A16 SPORTS
Tuesday 31 January 2023
Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, the Golden Jet, dies at 84
By JAY COHEN for a 2002 show.
AP Sports Writer A Russian newspaper re-
CHICAGO (AP) — When ported in 1998 that Hull
Bobby Hull got the puck, said Adolf Hitler “had some
he was tough to stop. He good ideas.” Hull denied
had blazing speed, a hard making the comment, call-
slap shot and tons of confi- ing it “false and defama-
dence. tory.”
Long before today’s big- Hull was inducted into the
gest stars took the ice, “The Hockey Hall of Fame in
Golden Jet” put on quite a 1983 and his No. 9 sweater
show. was retired by the Black-
Hull, a Hall of Fame winger hawks that same year. He
and two-time NHL MVP was estranged from the
who helped the Chicago team for a while before he
Blackhawks win the Stan- was named a Blackhawks
ley Cup in 1961, has died. ambassador in a ceremo-
He was 84. ny with former teammate
The Blackhawks and the Stan Mikita in 2008. Hull
NHL Alumni Association an- and Mikita have adjacent
nounced Hull’s death on statues outside the United
Monday. There were no Former Chicago Blackhawks player Bobby Hull is introduced to fans during the NHL hockey team’s Center.
further details provided by convention in Chicago, July 26, 2019. The franchise announced
either organization. Associated Press in February 2022 that Hull
had retired from any offi-
cial team role, calling it a
The Blackhawks said Hull joint decision.
“delivered countless mem- “Bobby Hull will always be
ories to our fans, whom he remembered as one of
adored. Generations of the greatest Blackhawks
Chicagoans were dazzled players of all time. He was
by Bobby’s shooting prow- a beloved member of the
ess, skating skill and overall Blackhawks family,” team
team leadership that led owner Rocky Wirtz said in a
to 604 career goals, a fran- statement.
chise record that remains “When I assumed leader-
to this day. We send our ship of the organization
deepest sympathies to the upon my father’s passing
Hull family.” in 2007, one of my first pri-
Hull was one of the most orities was to meet with
prolific forwards in NHL his- Bobby to convince him
tory, scoring 610 times dur- to come back as an am-
ing his 16-year career with bassador of the team. His
Chicago, Hartford and connection to our fans
Winnipeg. was special and irreplace-
Nicknamed “The Golden able.”
Jet” for his speed and Hull’s brother, Dennis,
blond hair, he also collect- played for Chicago for
ed 303 goals while playing most of his 14 years in the
for the Jets in the World league, and Bobby’s son,
Hockey Association for Brett, spent 19 years in
seven seasons. the NHL. Bobby and Brett
While Hull starred on the each won the Hart Trophy
ice, he faced legal and as league MVP, becom-
family issues in his personal ing the first father-son duo
life. to accomplish the feat.
Hull was convicted of as- Bobby won in 1964-65 and
saulting a police officer 1965-1966, while Brett won
who intervened in a dis- in 1990-1991.
pute with then-wife Debo- Bobby Hull helped the
rah in 1986. He also was Blackhawks return to the
accused of battery, but top of the NHL after they
that charge was dropped were one of the worst
after Deborah told authori- teams in the league for
ties she didn’t want to tes- years before his debut dur-
tify against her husband, a ing the 1957-58 season. He
state attorney told the Chi- had 13 goals and 34 assists
cago Tribune. in his first campaign with
Hull’s second wife, Joanne, the team, finishing second
accused him of abuse dur- in the Calder Trophy race
ing an interview with ESPN for rookie of the year.q
