Page 56 - Card Photo Flipbook-December 2022

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While living in Needham a major “nor’easter” storm hit the Boston area Feb 25th, 1969.
There was 80 cm of heavy wet snow. Schools were closed for two weeks and power was
out for two days. Helen, in her usual resourceful fashion, was able to keep the family,
including young Michael, warm using the gas stove with the oven door open. On July
18th-20th, 1969 Teddy Kennedy drove off the bridge at Chappaquiddick Island, followed by
man walking on the moon. The former was bigger news in Boston than the latter. On a
warm afternoon – Sunday, May 10th, 1970, the Cards and the Dicks sat in the backyard
watching TV (using an extension cord from Doug’s house – no portable TVs in those days!)
and saw Bobby Orr score his famous overtime goal as the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.
The Boston era ended abruptly. Bill Crosby, the head of hematology at NEMC, asked Bob
to stay on for another year. However, this meant changing from a J visa so that Bob
became draft eligible and sure enough in late May a letter from the Needham draft board
arrived asking him to take his pre-induction physical (the Vietnam war was underway). A
call to Hamilton was made and a residency was available. In late June 1970 the ’57
Mercury Meteor was packed up, North American Van Lines arrived and the next adventure
began driving to Hamilton, Ontario.