Hockey: A People's History — Season 1, Episode 5: A National Obsession (1945-1960)
Documentary • 45 min • 1 season, 10 episodes
Episode synopsis
Television meets hockey and a Saturday night tradition is born. In Quebec, everyone's watching Maurice Richard. In addition, to scoring goals, he is a fearsome player who fights as hard as he plays. When he is suspended by NHL President Clarence Campbell for hitting a referee, riots break out in Montreal. English Canadian fans are watching the exploits of a tough-as-nails kid from Saskatchewan, Gordie Howe. Playing for the Detroit Red Wings, Howe almost dies in 1951 following an on-ice collision with Teeter Kennedy. He recovers and goes on to enjoy the longest career in professional hockey.
About Hockey: A People's History
Hockey: A People's History is a television documentary series from the CBC's Documentary Unit. It premiered on September 17, 2006. It aired on Sunday nights, in two-episode blocks, on CBC Television; repeats were made later in the week on CBC Newsworld. Much like previous series Canada: A People's History, the series told the history of the sport of ice hockey from a personal perspective, giving voice to various individuals, major and minor, as the sport grows and evolves in Canada. The series ran for 10 hours in total, and was shot in HD. Episode narration was by actor Paul Gross.