In April 1972, during the World Championship held in Prague, special negotiations were held between representatives from both Canada and the USSR. Russia was the reigning World Champion and they were eager to take on Canada's best players. On April 23, the Canadian delegation flew back to Canada with the great news - there was to be an 8-game exhibition series between the two hockey rivals.
During June, there were rumours going around as to which of the players night be named to the team. Billy was, of course, hoping that he would be among the chosen few. He had a great sophomore year with the Leafs, having finished second in scoring among defencemen, just one point behind Bobby Orr. When Alan Eagleson, head of the National Hockey League Players Association and the brainchild between the Team Canada series, called, we knew that our prayers had been answered.
During the time that the Leafs had finished their season and the team was announced to the media at a press conference in Toronto in July, Billy kept up his training. When the weather was good, we took many walks with the babies in their carriages and he also did lots of road work, several miles a day.
We also planted both a vegetable garden and had a flower garden. So it seemed as if they needed constant weeding.
On July 12, we made a family outing to the press conference. Of course, Grandma and Auntie Estelle came along for moral support. It was a hot and muggy day in Toronto as Harry Sinden announced the team. They stood at the front of the front of the platform. As Harry said, "From the Toronto Maple Leafs, Billy Duke" Billy took a step forward and from the back of the room, I could feel his enthusiasm.
After the question and answer period, Bo Cassidy asked us if he could get several pictures of the family. He took about a dozen different pictures of Billy, the twins and I. Grandma and Auntie Estelle even got into the act.
for moral support. It was a hot and muggy day in Toronto as Harry Sinden announced the team. They stood at front of the platform. As Harry said, "From the Toronto Maple Leafs, Billy Duke" Billy took a step forward and from the back of the room, I could feel his enthusiasm.
After the question and answer period, Bo Cassidy asked us if he could get several pictures of the family. He took about a dozen different pictures of Billy, the twins and I. Grandma and Auntie Estelle even got into the act.
We spent the rest of the summer getting ready for our trip to Russia. Because the babies were much too young to travel and stay with us for two weeks, they stayed back in Canada with Grandma. Since she had only had one baby at a time, several of her friends at the church came to help her during the days when Estelle was in school.
None of the other players brought their children so we did not feel guilty because we did not take them.
The team met on August 1 for a months' training camp. Since Billy had been working hard to keep in shape, he only reported to camp five pounds over what it was when he finished the season.
Harry Sinden had named John Ferguson, former NHL bad guy as his assistant coach. The players practiced every day and Harry and John put the line combination together during that month.
Most of the players' wives did not arrive until the first game of the series - September 2 in Montreal. During the game in Montreal, the media were surprised at the outcome of the game. Several media personalities had scouted the Russian goalie, Vladislav Tretiak during the summer. Their report was the goalie was weak and Canada would easily beat him. It was not until ages later that it turned out that the particular game that they saw him play was on the eve of his wedding. The outcome of the first game was 7-3 for the Russians. The teams moved on to Toronto. On the day that the teams were not playing, they practiced and the hockey wives' and I went shopping. I enjoyed shopping with fellow Leaf wives Jan Ellis, Mary Glennie and Nora Henderson. The rest of the wives came along and it was fun to show them around Toronto's best stores. On September 4, we played in Toronto with a 4-1 victory for Canada. On to Winnipeg for Game 3 on the 6th which was a 4-4 tie. September 8 is the last game in Canada and the Russians win 5-3.
Some of the fans decided that the Canadians were not playing up to their potential, so they started to boo Team Canada during the Vancouver game. Phil Esposito was named as one of the stars of the game and CTV, one of the 2 Canadian networks, was carrying the game. Johnny Esaw was the interviewer. Phil was not pleased with the fans' reaction and he started to say that it was really getting some of the players down. They were playing their best and many of them had given up their hockey school summer to play for their country. When Phil started to pour out his heart to the national audience, Johnny knew he had an interview of a life time and he decided not to end the interview until Phil was finished. Phil did not realize what a hornet's nest he had stumbled into. Before he had gone into the dressing room, there was a phonecall for him. Someone had phoned to say that he was behind the team. Before the team left for final 4 games in Russia, telegrams were arriving from across the country saying that no matter what the outcome of the series, the people were behind them.
There was a break of about two weeks between the games in Canada and the games in Russia. The team was scheduled to meeet in Toronto on September 20. After Billy and I bid the babies and babysitters good-bye, Liz drove us to the airpor The Air Canada flight was scheduled to make one stop before heading to Moscow over the polar cap - Montreal International Airport to pick up those who were waiting in Montreal. The overnight flight to Moscow took 12 hours. Billy and I had both brought books to read, but we spent more of the time catching up on the news of the rest of the team.
Billy had not played any of the games in Canada but was hoping to see action in Russia. He was just happy to have been chosen to play.
The four games were scheduled on alternate days - Sept 22, 24, 26 and 28. Hockey Canada had scheduled many events on the days that there was no games - we saw the Moscow Circus, the Kremlin, Red Square and the Bolshoi Opera.
There also was a reception held at the Canadian Embassy for the players, wives and many of the fans.
Over 3000 Canadian fans accompanied the team to Moscow for the series of the century.
After Vic Hadfield, Gilbert Perreault, Jocelyn Guevrement left the team because they felt they were not going to play, Billy was put into the line up
Billy played a bit of Game 6.
We had enjoyed our visit to Moscow, but we were glad to get home to Ca nada. The team left for home on October 1 after a couple of games in Sweden and Finland.
The first stop for the Air Canada charter was the Montreal International Airport where the players were treated to a ride on fire trucks as the fans loudly cheered. A reception was planned for Nathan Philip's Square in Toronto and the players who got off at Toronto, got back on the plane. An estimated 50,000 enthusiastic fans crowded in the rain to cheer loudly when all the players were introduced. Phil Esposito, who had stayed on the plane, apologized to the crowd and said he was wrong. He said that Canadian hockey fans are the best in the world.
After the reception, we gave Liz a call and she came and picked us up at the Square.
We were glad to be home. It had been a great 27 days in September, but we were glad to be home.
Most of the players who played for Team Canada reported to their team's training camp within the next day or two. Billy reported to the camp the following Wednesday.
