He blew out his knee, was getting operated on. A few smart-alec quotes in the press made his new owners irate and, before the season was over, the team bought him out for $1 million. His new deal, which the Bruins would not match, made him the highest-paid athlete in the world at that time. WebThe snooty treatment embarrassed Derek Sanderson, who had grown up poor. He is from Canada and was the highest-paid athlete in the world for a short time. In 2005 he went to work in the professional athletes department of Howland Capital, a private investment firm in Boston. Brad Marchand is a player that's gritty, he's in your face, he's got a great pair of hands. Copyright 1999-2020 Boston Professional Hockey Association, Inc. and the National Hockey League. I said, 'Well, what are you gonna do?'. On a rainy afternoon in Philadelphia, a young man walked into a Rolls-Royce dealership, curious because hed never been close to such a pricey and prestigious car. This made Turk groggy. I saw it hit the back of the net and I said, 'Well, that's it, I think.' Perhaps, if you purchased it, youd be sitting in the back.. [They've] got some great players. [19], In 2012, Sanderson became the Managing Director of The Sports Group, in Boston. Jean-Guy Talbot should never have come to me and when he came to me and poke checked me and flipped it over, the rest was up to Bobby. The snooty treatment embarrassed Derek Sanderson, who had grown up poor. I'm telling you, the things he knows about the gamehe was a really, really good coach and a good person. Boston Bruins and BostonBruins.com are trademarks of Boston Professional Hockey Association, Inc. (BPHA). It remains the only time in Bruins history that they had consecutive Calder Trophy winners.[8]. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. He was in traction. After winning a second Stanley Cup two years later, Boston fans could not believe the news that summer that Sanderson had jumped to the upstart WHA, signing with the Philadelphia Blazers for $2.6 million. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. What is one story from 1970 that people might not know? "I liked life. In 1980, through the good graces of Orr, he checked into rehab in Ste. Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 20 April 2023, at 13:56. The cold and rain made the night miserable, but I knew I just needed a place where I could close my eyes and drift away from my problems for a few hours. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. It wouldnt have mattered to me if they did.. [4] In 196465, Sanderson helped the Flyers reach the Memorial Cup finals where they beat the Edmonton Oil Kings[5] in five games. Sanderson was also a productive player with unique skills that propelled the Bruins to a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Blues in the 1970 Stanley Cup Final. Customize your Sportsnet lineup for the latest news from your favourite leagues and teams. Sandersons ridiculously opulent lifestyle was driven in part by watching his own father work for $26 a week sweeping floors, before becoming a machinist. It wasn't Turk, it was Derek and it was Phil. What? WebDerek Sanderson vs. Tim Horton, October 26, 1968 - Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs. For starters, the Rolls-Royce ran out of gas on the way home. Later, he developed cirrhosis of the liver. Booze and drugs send Sandersons life They'd just shake you off. Money was new and scary for him, he says. The game-winning play was a give-and-go pass from Sanderson to Orr in the slot and Blues Hall of Fame goalie Glenn Hall never had a chance. How can I be broke? Sanderson asked. From alcohol, Sanderson turned to barbiturates to deal with another challenge facing athletes; pain. [Gary Doak] was there. His reckless flamboyance left him with nothing more than nagging loneliness and a debilitating addiction to drugs and alcohol. The owner of the Bruins wisely cautioned him that, for someone not bred to wealth, it would ruin his life. He paid for it all with his credit card. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. WebWhy is Derek Sanderson called Turk? But he had no filter. [13] It also turned out to be the signature moment for both players in their careers. And it was. He wore blue jeans and a matching jean jacket over an old sweater, with cowboy boots. Especially for one nicknamed The Turk.. I was just a fan when the guys did that one, when they brought Esposito out of the hospital room. About three times a week? the 60's and 70's in the Boston area. Ah yes, and Jack Edwards, you are no Fred Cusick when it comes to play by play. From our newsroom to your inbox at noon, the latest headlines, stories, opinion and photos from the Toronto Sun. It wasn't long before Westfall and Sanderson emerged as the most accomplished penalty-killing tandem in the league. Derek "Turk" Sanderson is a talented but troubled member of the Stanley Cup-winning Bruins in the 1970s. [16] By his estimate, he survived 10 hip surgeries, prostate cancer and two heart attacks. Bobby Orr, always a class act and possibly the greatest hockey player of all time, repeatedly tried to steer Sanderson away from his snowball slide to hell. Sanderson had pen in hand when the lawyer walked into the room and said, "I still think you're only worth $75,000. Sanderson made a bad first impression with Canucks management before a regular-season game had been played. It was a lot of fun, an exciting moment, a great time. Derek Sanderson vs. Tim Horton, October 26, 1968 - Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Wow does this one go way back--Turk Sanderson versus Mr. Donut. Derek Sanderson faced a number of personal challenges throughout his career, some typical of a pro-athlete. Sanderson played only eight games with the Blazers and was kicked off the team at the end of the season. BostonBruins.com is the official website of the Boston Bruins. The rink spanned two backyards of small cookie-cutter houses on lots provided at modest prices to servicemen such as Harold upon their return home. The doctor then advised We had great fans. Combine a gritty style of play with quick hands and fast feet, throw in a swagger that sat well with his movie-star good looks, mix well with his fair share of nastiness and you have the young Derek Sanderson, better known by his friends and teammates as Turk. He took his first drink at 7 when an uncle gave him a beer at Christmas. WebDerek Michael Turk Sanderson (June 16, 1946-) served up the pass to Bobby Orr in the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals against the St. Louis Blues that Orr buried past Jacques Plante to help the Bruins capture their first Stanley Cup championship in 29 years. No, no. Flyers. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Money meant nothing to me. Sanderson had only one request: He didn't want the Bruins lawyer to be in the room. He cares that much about his players, he never called us by our nicknames. You were such a great penalty killer and face-off man. Asked to name a moment that stands out as the craziest, Sanderson says softly, "They were all crazy. The puck has to be inside your weighted foot and you have to stay behind it when you swing." As a promotion, the club had given each patron in attendance a souvenir orange puck. . He returned to the Bruins in the NHL and was traded to the New York Rangers, where he continued to live lavishly. Sanderson has a new book out called "Crossing the Line: The Outrageous Story of a [Vancouver Canucks forward] Bobby Lalonde was 5-foot-4. On November 1, in a game at Cleveland, Sanderson suffered a back injury when he slipped on a piece of paper on the ice. A look at the Turk behind-the-scenes crew and production team. The eccentric center, the winner of the 1967 Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie, became one of the most beloved athletes in the city's sports lore. In the summer of 1972, Sanderson signed what was then the richest contract in professional sports history. They were great. We were lucky. He drank at 12 after his girlfriend dumped him, and then at 14, consumed four beers in rapid succession. And for someone who was originally afraid of public speaking, he learned to be the hockey commentator on Boston Bruins broadcasts. Get a hold of Harry and write a book. His only vice these days is playing too much golf. Flyers. I never thought of what to say in those moments. Derek Sanderson Jeter of the new york yankees is named for the turk. Playing with the Bruins in 1967-68, he scored 24 goals with 25 assists and won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year. I wanted to protect athletes from themselves, he says. It's a 50-50 chance you'll get it, right? Today, Sanderson, 66, is clean and sober. Come with a little grit and work hard. You're a centerman, if you win them allan average of 92 back in the daya lot of face-offs and you win every face-off back to your defenseman who then turns back a little bit and passes to his partner, you're gonna have the puck - my father used to tell me - a good seven, eight minutes more than the other team and that's a good thing. [3], Sanderson played junior hockey in his hometown with the Niagara Falls Flyers of the Ontario Hockey Association. WebNarrated by Boston native, Primetime Emmy Award-nominee and star of Mad Men John Slattery, Center of Attention follows Sandersons journey from humble beginnings, to Its easy for sports fans today to find amusement in the financial train wrecks that many athletes suffer. He helps professional athletes invest their money as vice president of Baystate Wealth Management in Boston. In 1965 Turk led his team to the Memorial Cup, symbol of junior hockey supremacy in Canada and in 1967 he was the recipient of the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the OHLs leading scorer.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',823,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Instinctively, Derek always understood the value of the big stage. In 1966, the Boston Bruins management, in the middle of a cellar-dwelling season, decided to arrange a game in the Boston Garden between the Sanderson-led Niagara Falls Flyers and the Bobby Orr-led Oshawa Generals to showcase their up and coming talent. Who did I think I was at 24 [to be writing an autobiography]?". Derek Sanderson last played in 1978. Sanderson bounced from team to team, never being able to stay with a team for more than two full seasons. Sinden responded, "How many times have you told me you were misquoted. We were really deep. It was the beginning of the end. What is wrong with reporter Susan Raff's arm on WFSB news? He owned the record for eight seasons. People walked by and didnt recognize me. 'Crossing the Line: The Outrageous Story of a Hockey Original. What time does normal church end on Sunday? He was tough as nails. After playing with the Rangers and recording 50 points in 75 games, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues eight games into the next season. We didn't recognize that password reset code. Sandersons teammates soon began calling him Turk. Enter your email below and we'll send you another email. "I was a little bit arrogant," he says, laughing at himself. For him to get that goal, Bobby, I was so happy. The content within Cybergolf.com is copyright-protected by its publisher, Orbit Enterprises, Inc. No part of Cybergolf.com may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from Orbit Enterprises. WebDerek Sanderson has won 2 Stanley Cups as a player. This made Turk groggy. In the 1975-76 season, Sanderson scored his 32nd career short-handed goal to surpass Toronto Maple Leafs center Dave Keon as the all-time league leader. Do Eric benet and Lisa bonet have a child together? WebThe two Stanley Cup championships, 1970 and 1972 were, but for the man they called "Turk," the first one had to be sweeter, simply because of the circumstances surrounding [4] Sanderson also played two games in the CPHL with the Oklahoma City Blazers in 196566, recording one goal. He co-founded a sports wealth management group in 1990. Well, that might be tough. There isnt enough recent news in your lineup. I like that they go in and get involved. But Harry Sinden, there was nothing he did not think of. What are the qualities of an accurate map? The image of Orr flying though the air after whipping the puck past St. Louis goalie Glenn Hall in indelibly etched in the minds of most hockey fans, Bruin supporter or not. This season, home is where the hockey is. On behalf of the City of Boston Sanderson has counselled tens of thousands of wayward children. I grabbed a discarded New York Times and stretched out on a damp bench, pulling the newspaper over me like a blanket to keep dry and as warm as possible.". BostonBruins.com -There has, perhaps, never been a greater character - and storyteller - in the history of the Boston Bruins than Derek Sanderson. In the winter of 1979, Sanderson showed up in Chicago stoned. Before long, pucks were raining down and Captain Derek had to beat a hasty retreat to the dressing room to save his skin. The involvement of the fans was really important. The first thing he did was purchase a burgundy Rolls Royce car and fox-fur coat. Rhonda Sanderson's detailed questions about their son's death led to an investigation by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. [20] His second autobiography, Crossing the Line: The Outrageous Story of a Hockey Original, written with Kevin Shea, was released in October 2012. On Thursday, August 3, Derek Sanderson became the world's highest-paid professional athlete when he signed a $2,625,000 contract with the Philadelphia Blazers. So why is Sanderson alive today? Derek Sanderson co-authored his first autobiography when he was 24. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Sanderson insisted he was misquoted. The player Bruins fans called Turk was young, brash, outspoken with movie-star looks and tuned into the Our story Email Us Call Us: 248.387.9826, USA TODAY • L.A. Times • CBS Detroit • Crains Detroit Business • Corp Magazine. "I thought I looked pretty good and had my act together," he says. Along the way, he studied to become a financial advisor. The lawyer had made a string of bad investments, and that, along with Sandersons lifestyle, had drained his bank account. So I asked Sanderson what finally saved his life. The film's director Doug Atchison last directed Akeelah and the Bee and Class Act. You cant buy friends, you cant buy respect, you cant buy talent, he says. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Donny Marcotte should have got a lot more attention than he did. He has many to thank for banning alcohol and drugs from his life. WebCasey Sherman, author behind the books that became "The Finest Hours" and "Patriots Day," has written "Turk," a film about Bruins center Derek Sanderson. campaign very well. We use cookies to improve your experience. But signs of trouble developed immediately. It was widely speculated that it had hoped to prod Sanderson to bolt the team and void his lucrative deal but his contract was bought out for $800,000 after the season.[16]. [2] In his early youth, Sanderson took to hockey, skating countless hours on a scaled-down version of an NHL rink, which his father built and maintained while his mother served hot chocolate during breaks in the action. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sanderson did know how to grab a headline. When youre a defenseman you are not going to go behind the net but he reached in and that was all I needed.. Adams, who was going to offer $75,000, said under the circumstances he could go up a little. That perfect pass, zipped from behind the goal line that set Orr up, was from Derek Sanderson. I was pumped. I never went into a game that Harry Sinden didn't give me something to think about. I also remember the ad The guys said, 'Oh, what are you doing?' Then, while in a drunken stupor, he nearly froze to death sleeping in the snow. Despite his attack on the "franchise," Sanderson actually gained a lot of respect from fans and management for his style of play that game. ", Orr was among those who helped him get sober and rebound from losing millions in bad investments. A welcome email is on its way. Instead, he explained basic principles such as compound interesthow the $56,000 an athletes brother wants for a new SUV could be worth $600,000 when the athlete is 65, if properly invested. WebBest Answer Copy I believe because he looked like the macho male model who always got the girl and who portrayed a charactor called "The Turk" from the old Camels Cigarettes Phil said, 'Geez, where we going?' As for Sanderson, life changed when he met his wife, Nancy, the daughter of legendary Boston sportscaster Don Gillis. He said, Youre a centerman, so win them all., I tried some things that I had never tried before and I had some success.. Hes also a prostate cancer survivor. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Back in the '80s, he dreamed of becoming of PGA club professional. The sedate life of an amateur golfer is a long way from when he was spinning out of control with a combination of drugs, alcohol and far too much disposable income. Wanting to make sure that other hockey players would not follow his path, Sanderson organized The Professionals Group at State Street Global Advisors, where he was Director of The Sports Group that provided professional financial advice to athletes in the 1990s. By that time, Sanderson had developed vascular necrosis. Healthy Minds Canada supports research on mental health and mental illness. To see your localized preferences, please enable geolocation services in your browser settings. Remember in our day, there was only one coach. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. In a lively interview with WKXLs Chris Ryan, Derek Sanderson opens up about his amazing life. Photo: Hockey Players Relaxing in Dressing Room, By Bettmann. That something was a couple shots of Scotch, until a couple shots was no longer enough. Years earlier, the hockey star had given power of attorney to the lawyer, a long-time family friend. Along with New England Patriots receiver Jim Colclough and the New York Jets star football quarterback Joe Namath, he opened Bachelors III, a trendy nightclub on New York Citys Upper East Side. When you don't have an ending, you can't write a book. Fifty years, we might have pretty well covered it all. Montreal. "I have a wonderful wife and two great sons. WebDerek Michael Sanderson (born June 16, 1946), nicknamed "Turk", is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and two-time Stanley Cup champion who set up the epic overtime goal scored by Boston Bruins teammate Bobby Orr that clinched the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals, widely considered to be the greatest goal in National Hockey League history. Doctors informed Orr that his former teammate was an alcoholic and drug addict. Get email updates from your favourite authors. Thats when he took four fingers for a flight to New York and eight for the trip to the West Coast! Enter your email address to get a new one. That crowd was the best anywherewe kind of matured together. Turk always came to play, night after night. Sanderson now helps athletes avoid the road he took. Then, 'OK, what are you guys doing?' If you work hard, they're not gonna throw rocks at you. He first prescribed Valium. Ed Burns, best known for The Brothers McMullen, Saving Private Ryan and guest spots on Entourage, offered up " Former Bruin Derek Sanderson on his demons. He drove a silver Rolls Royce, owned a nightclub, Bachelors Three, in New York and Boston in partnership with Joe Namath and could make quite an entrance with his full-length mink coat and a new blonde on his arm every night. I used to watch the Big Bad Bruins on my grandparents television set in Hyannis growing up, Sherman said. Eddie Shore Trophy, Presented by the Gallery Gods in 1972. Experience Rogers Hometown Hockey. Nobody expected it to be that close. What are the duties of a sanitary prefect in a school? This takes you through the rollercoaster ride that's been my life." It was an exhibition game and he lost the puck behind the goal line, and I don't know how he did this, but he cut back out and roofed it over the goalie's shoulder and hit the crossbar - a fabulous move. In his book, 'Crossing the Line: The Outrageous Story of a Hockey Original, Derek Sanderson, who played for five NHL teams throughout his career including the Bruins and the Blues shares his hockey highs and lows and moments that would eventually see him homeless and living on the street. 1970 and 1972 were, but for the man they called "Turk," the first one had His team worked with athletes and high-net-worth individuals, but he is not currently listed on the company's website. WebHe was terrified of flying so the Bruins sent him to a psychiatrist who made two disastrous errors. WebDEREK SANDERSON DOCUMENTARY TO DEBUT ON NBC SPORTS ON JUNE 8TH. The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox. I was really happy that it was as close as it was. How much is a biblical shekel of silver worth in us dollars? WebBut his remarkable and ultimately redemptive story may not be as familiar to hockey fans in other markets, which is a major reason why NBC Sports Group chose Sanderson as the Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. When you come to a game and you think you are prepared but you are not unless someone gives you something specific like, This is what we are going to do tonight. . He's been a member of The Ridge Club in South Sandwich, Mass., since the early 1990s. He is now managing editor of Golf & Leisure Cape Cod magazine and has written for a variety of other publications, including Sports Illustrated, the Boston Globe, Yankee magazine and Cape Cod Life.
