May 7th - Book Twenty-Four: Game Misconduct

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Originally uploaded by cherubichomer.

I bought this book from Value Village on Victoria Drive for $5.99. It's a little dated - published in 1996 - but still a very insightful read. It tells of the many disturbing failings of Alan Eagleson's running of Hockey Canada, the NHLPA, his law firm, and his pro hockey player agency. Obviously, most Canadian hockey fans know a little something of the problems Mr. Eagleson ran into following his departure from the NHLPA and Hockey Canada but this book clearly outlines just how greivous these transgressions were. Really, he took advantage of the NHLPA and its players to use the union in any way that he could that would make him money. Fortunately, he has been caught with doing this. Unfortunately, though only in the United States. He was charged by the FBI but after refusing to show up to court in the United States he is now a fugitive of that country. In Canada, he has not been charged even after 15 years of investigation by the RCMP, OPD, and other Federal Agencies. Plus, Canada will not extradite him to face his charges in the US. Many consider his tight association and friendships with many top Canadian government politicians as his savior from prosecution in Canada and, ultimately, the United States. Besides the many offenses outlined in Mr Conway's book, the most surprising relevation in this book was the possible relocation of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the early 90s. Apparently, Mr. Eagleson was hired to help a group in the possible purchase of an NHL franchise and one of his suggestions was to buy the Maple Leafs from the old curmudgeon Harold Ballard and to move it to Hamilton. Apparently, Mr. Ballard had just had a falling out with all of his three children and, with his advancing age, was considering selling the hockey team. The book is written like a news article - I guess that makes sense since Mr. Conway is a reporter - and there are weird, disjointed sentences. The story is very interesting but don't read it for style. 2.5/5. (271 pages. Total for the year: 6250 pages).