Post on 07-Mar-2016
description
transcript
100Photos
that changed
canada
edited by mark reid , the beaver magazine
foreword by charlotte gray
preface by deborah morrison
ON SALE NOW! THE Gift Book of the Season
Order your copy today by phone 1-888-816-0997 or order online at HistorySociety.ca. Proceeds from the sale of each book help to support the activities of Canada’s National History Society.
I n t r o d u c t i o n
Markreid
somewhere between light entering a lens and the release of
theshutter,amidthealchemyoff-stopsandapertureadjust-
ments, great photographs are born. The greatest photos are those
thataffectusinsomewayandofferinsightsintothesubjectsthatare
hiddenfromthenakedeye.
It was the master Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh who
oncesaid,“Withineverymanandwomanasecretishidden,andasa
photographeritismytasktorevealitifIcan.”Thequestionis:Can
photographsrevealthesecrettounderstandingacountrysovastand
diverseasCanada?
100 Photos That Changed Canadaisnotsomuchahistorybook
asitisasearchforthesharedmoments—theterribleandthesublime—
inwhichweframethenotionofwhoweareasapeopleandanation.
Ma
ria
nn
e H
el
m
xx 100 photos that changed canada 100 photos that changed canada xxi
Fromtheoutset,weknewthatwewantedthisbooktobeun-
likeanyotherphotohistoryofCanada.Wewantedourcontributors
toviewtheimagesinthiscollectionthroughadifferentlens—alens
bothpassionateandanalytical—andanswerthequestionthatwillbe
askedofeverysinglephotographinthisbook:Whocares?
Whocaresthatearlyinthetwentiethcenturywomenacross
Canada fought for, and won, the right to vote? Who cares that a
one-leggedyoungmanhadtheaudacitytothinkhecouldendcan-
cer by running across Canada? And why does it matter that, in
thedyingsecondsofahockeygameinMoscow,aCanadianplayer
banged in his own rebound—vaulting his team from ignominy
toimmortality?
In2008,The Beaver featuredastorycalled“10PhotosThat
ChangedCanada.”onthecoverwasaphotoofTerryFoxinsilhou-
ette, running along a rain-slicked road in ontario in July 1980.
AccompanyingTerry’sphotowerethesewords:“somefilleduswith
pride,othersbroughtustotears.Thesearetheimagesthatshaped
ournation.”
sifting through hundreds of photographs in search of the
bestforthiscollection,wecametoseethatCanadahasmanyiconic
images. All of the photos in this book have, in some way, shaped
our perceptions of Canada and of ourselves. They’re a tangible
reminder of the collective triumphs, failures, and sacrifices experi-
encedbyCanadiansthroughouttheyears.
Ifthereisauniversaltruthtobefoundinthiscompilation,it’s
this:Historylivesonlyaslongastherearethosewillingtoremember
it.Greatphotographsarenotonlyavividandvisualreminderofour
past,theyareameanstopreserveit.
This collection of 100 Photos That Changed Canada is by no
meansadefinitivelist.It’sasnapshotofwhowewere,whoweare,
andwhowemightbecome.
xx 100 photos that changed canada 100 photos that changed canada xxi
Fromtheoutset,weknewthatwewantedthisbooktobeun-
likeanyotherphotohistoryofCanada.Wewantedourcontributors
toviewtheimagesinthiscollectionthroughadifferentlens—alens
bothpassionateandanalytical—andanswerthequestionthatwillbe
askedofeverysinglephotographinthisbook:Whocares?
Whocaresthatearlyinthetwentiethcenturywomenacross
Canada fought for, and won, the right to vote? Who cares that a
one-leggedyoungmanhadtheaudacitytothinkhecouldendcan-
cer by running across Canada? And why does it matter that, in
thedyingsecondsofahockeygameinMoscow,aCanadianplayer
banged in his own rebound—vaulting his team from ignominy
toimmortality?
In2008,The Beaver featuredastorycalled“10PhotosThat
ChangedCanada.”onthecoverwasaphotoofTerryFoxinsilhou-
ette, running along a rain-slicked road in ontario in July 1980.
AccompanyingTerry’sphotowerethesewords:“somefilleduswith
pride,othersbroughtustotears.Thesearetheimagesthatshaped
ournation.”
sifting through hundreds of photographs in search of the
bestforthiscollection,wecametoseethatCanadahasmanyiconic
images. All of the photos in this book have, in some way, shaped
our perceptions of Canada and of ourselves. They’re a tangible
reminder of the collective triumphs, failures, and sacrifices experi-
encedbyCanadiansthroughouttheyears.
Ifthereisauniversaltruthtobefoundinthiscompilation,it’s
this:Historylivesonlyaslongastherearethosewillingtoremember
it.Greatphotographsarenotonlyavividandvisualreminderofour
past,theyareameanstopreserveit.
This collection of 100 Photos That Changed Canada is by no
meansadefinitivelist.It’sasnapshotofwhowewere,whoweare,
andwhowemightbecome.
Contents ix Listof100Photos xi ForewordbyCharlotteGray xv PrefacebyDeborahMorrison xix IntroductionbyMarkReid
1 PartOne1847–1921:theroadtonationhood
VoICes:MichaelBliss;JimBurant;MagaretConrad;TimCook;DenysDelâge;J.L.Granatstein;CharlotteGray;JacquesLacoursière;TinaLoo;PeterMansbridge;KenMcGoogan;ChristopherMoore;DeborahMorrison;Nelleoosterom;AndréPicard;BrianYoung
55 ParttwO1922–1955:ForgedinFire
VoICes:IrvingAbella;MichaelBliss;TimCook;WillFerguson;J.L.Granatstein;RudyardGriffiths;PhilKoch;JacquesLacoursière;PeterMansbridge;ChristopherMoore;DesmondMorton;DonNewman;Nelleoosterom;RichardW.Pound;JoelRalph;MarkReid;GraemeRoy;BrianTobin;ChrisWebb;WinonaWheeler
109 Partthree1956–1979:InSearchofOurselves
VoICes:ThomasA.Axworthy;JimBurant;TimCook;PeterDesbarats;WillFergu-son;DeborahGrey;PaulJones;JacquesLacoursière;TinaLoo;PeterMansbridge;ChristopherMoore;DesmondMorton;DonNewman;Nelleoosterom;AndréPicard;RobertPichette;RichardW.Pound;BrianTobin;ChrisWebb
161 PartFOur1980–Present:FutureFocus
VoICes:ChristieBlatchford;MichaelBliss;PeterDesbarats;CharlotteGray;PaulJones;JacquesLacoursière;TinaLoo;PeterMansbridge;BrianMaracle;KenMcGoogan;ChristopherMoore;DeborahMorrison;DesmondMorton;DonNewman;JacquesPoitras;RichardW.Pound;MarkReid;BeverleyTallon;ChrisWebb;WinonaWheeler
219 Acknowledgements 221 Contributors 227 PhotoCredits
100 Photos That Changed CanadaCopyright©2009by.Allrightsreserved.PublishedbyHarperCollinsPublishersLtdFirsteditionNo part of this book may be used or reproduced in anymannerwhatsoeverwithoutthepriorwrittenpermissionofthepublisher,exceptinthecaseofbriefquotationsembodiedinreviews.HarperCollinsbooksmaybepurchasedforeducational,busi-ness,orsalespromotionalusethroughourspecialMarketsDepartment.HarperCollinsPublishersLtd2Bloorstreeteast,20thFloorToronto,ontario,CanadaM4W1A8www.harpercollins.caLibrary and Archives Canada Cataloguing in PublicationinformationisavailableIsBN:PP987654321PrintedandboundinHongKong
originalartdesign/montageconceptMichelGroleau
Copy-editing:PhilKochNelleoosteromBeverleyTallon
Contents ix Listof100Photos xi ForewordbyCharlotteGray xv PrefacebyDeborahMorrison xix IntroductionbyMarkReid
1 PartOne1847–1921:theroadtonationhood
VoICes:MichaelBliss;JimBurant;MagaretConrad;TimCook;DenysDelâge;J.L.Granatstein;CharlotteGray;JacquesLacoursière;TinaLoo;PeterMansbridge;KenMcGoogan;ChristopherMoore;DeborahMorrison;Nelleoosterom;AndréPicard;BrianYoung
55 ParttwO1922–1955:ForgedinFire
VoICes:IrvingAbella;MichaelBliss;TimCook;WillFerguson;J.L.Granatstein;RudyardGriffiths;PhilKoch;JacquesLacoursière;PeterMansbridge;ChristopherMoore;DesmondMorton;DonNewman;Nelleoosterom;RichardW.Pound;JoelRalph;MarkReid;GraemeRoy;BrianTobin;ChrisWebb;WinonaWheeler
109 Partthree1956–1979:InSearchofOurselves
VoICes:ThomasA.Axworthy;JimBurant;TimCook;PeterDesbarats;WillFergu-son;DeborahGrey;PaulJones;JacquesLacoursière;TinaLoo;PeterMansbridge;ChristopherMoore;DesmondMorton;DonNewman;Nelleoosterom;AndréPicard;RobertPichette;RichardW.Pound;BrianTobin;ChrisWebb
161 PartFOur1980–Present:FutureFocus
VoICes:ChristieBlatchford;MichaelBliss;PeterDesbarats;CharlotteGray;PaulJones;JacquesLacoursière;TinaLoo;PeterMansbridge;BrianMaracle;KenMcGoogan;ChristopherMoore;DeborahMorrison;DesmondMorton;DonNewman;JacquesPoitras;RichardW.Pound;MarkReid;BeverleyTallon;ChrisWebb;WinonaWheeler
219 Acknowledgements 221 Contributors 227 PhotoCredits
100 Photos That Changed CanadaCopyright©2009by.Allrightsreserved.PublishedbyHarperCollinsPublishersLtdFirsteditionNo part of this book may be used or reproduced in anymannerwhatsoeverwithoutthepriorwrittenpermissionofthepublisher,exceptinthecaseofbriefquotationsembodiedinreviews.HarperCollinsbooksmaybepurchasedforeducational,busi-ness,orsalespromotionalusethroughourspecialMarketsDepartment.HarperCollinsPublishersLtd2Bloorstreeteast,20thFloorToronto,ontario,CanadaM4W1A8www.harpercollins.caLibrary and Archives Canada Cataloguing in PublicationinformationisavailableIsBN:PP987654321PrintedandboundinHongKong
originalartdesign/montageconceptMichelGroleau
Copy-editing:PhilKochNelleoosteromBeverleyTallon
100 photos that changed canada 37
OverthetopIconic war image not what it seems
tIMCOOk
ThisisthemostfamousphotographofCanadiansintheGreatWar.Itcapturestheinfantryonthefiringlineandreadyto“gooverthetop”tocrossthekillingfieldsofnoman’sland,whereshotandshellwillleavesoldierstornandshattered.Thisevocativeimagecapturestheanxietybeforebattleandtheunknowingnessofsoldierswhoareabouttofacedeath.
It’salsoafake.The Great War was the most traumatic event in Canadian history. By war’s end, some
20percentofallmaleshadservedoverseas,andsome66,000hadbeenkilled.Itwasawarthatwasreportedondaily.PhotographswereimportantinkeepingCanadiansabreastofthesituationoverseas,andtokeepupspirits.
sirMaxAitken—laterLordBeaverbrook,anexpatriatemultimillionaire—wasresponsibleforpublicizingCanada’soverseaswareffort.BeaverbrookusedhispowerfulconnectionsandnearlylimitlessfundstobreaktheWaroffice’sobjectionstohavingphotographersatthefront.Bythesummerof1916,Beaverbrookhadarrangedforofficialphotographers,filmmakers,andartiststodocumenttheCanadiansatthefront.
Buttakingphotographsatthesharpendoftheconflictwasdifficult.Theequipmentwasfragile and bulky. sniper’s bullets, shrapnel, and high explosives discouraged photographersfromallowingtheirheadsorcamerastoprotrudeabovethetrenchparapets.Whentheydid,thesmokeandexplosionsmadeitdifficulttogetanyusefulshotsofCanadiansincombat.
official photographer William Ivor Castle had a solution. He would photograph theCanadiansbehindthelines.Heandotherphotographersalsoemployeddarkroomtechniquestoaddinshellfireburstsabovesoldiers.
Thisimage,shotatatrainingcampatst.Pol,France,waspassedoffasatruerepresentationofsoldiersinthefrontlinesreadyforbattle.Butdoesitmatterthatthesoldiersherewerenotat the front? Does it lose any of its power in capturing the essence of battle when we knowthatitwastakeninatrainingarearatherthanonthekillinggroundoftheWesternFront?Dophotographshavetorepresentthetruth?
Mostobserverswouldsayyes,assumingaphotographisatruthfulandaccuraterepre-sentationofsomethingthathappened,andiscapturedthroughthephotographicprocess.Yetwhatabouteventsthatfalloutsidethelens’sview,remainingundocumentedbychoice?Ifweallowthatartcancapturetheessenceofanevent,person,orplace,istherenoroomforthisinphotographs?
Whathappenswhenaphotographthisevocativerepresentsanimaginedeventbetterthananytruthfulrepresentation?
Overthetop,atrainingexercisenearSt.Pol,France,1916.
17
100 photos that changed canada 37
OverthetopIconic war image not what it seems
tIMCOOk
ThisisthemostfamousphotographofCanadiansintheGreatWar.Itcapturestheinfantryonthefiringlineandreadyto“gooverthetop”tocrossthekillingfieldsofnoman’sland,whereshotandshellwillleavesoldierstornandshattered.Thisevocativeimagecapturestheanxietybeforebattleandtheunknowingnessofsoldierswhoareabouttofacedeath.
It’salsoafake.The Great War was the most traumatic event in Canadian history. By war’s end, some
20percentofallmaleshadservedoverseas,andsome66,000hadbeenkilled.Itwasawarthatwasreportedondaily.PhotographswereimportantinkeepingCanadiansabreastofthesituationoverseas,andtokeepupspirits.
sirMaxAitken—laterLordBeaverbrook,anexpatriatemultimillionaire—wasresponsibleforpublicizingCanada’soverseaswareffort.BeaverbrookusedhispowerfulconnectionsandnearlylimitlessfundstobreaktheWaroffice’sobjectionstohavingphotographersatthefront.Bythesummerof1916,Beaverbrookhadarrangedforofficialphotographers,filmmakers,andartiststodocumenttheCanadiansatthefront.
Buttakingphotographsatthesharpendoftheconflictwasdifficult.Theequipmentwasfragile and bulky. sniper’s bullets, shrapnel, and high explosives discouraged photographersfromallowingtheirheadsorcamerastoprotrudeabovethetrenchparapets.Whentheydid,thesmokeandexplosionsmadeitdifficulttogetanyusefulshotsofCanadiansincombat.
official photographer William Ivor Castle had a solution. He would photograph theCanadiansbehindthelines.Heandotherphotographersalsoemployeddarkroomtechniquestoaddinshellfireburstsabovesoldiers.
Thisimage,shotatatrainingcampatst.Pol,France,waspassedoffasatruerepresentationofsoldiersinthefrontlinesreadyforbattle.Butdoesitmatterthatthesoldiersherewerenotat the front? Does it lose any of its power in capturing the essence of battle when we knowthatitwastakeninatrainingarearatherthanonthekillinggroundoftheWesternFront?Dophotographshavetorepresentthetruth?
Mostobserverswouldsayyes,assumingaphotographisatruthfulandaccuraterepre-sentationofsomethingthathappened,andiscapturedthroughthephotographicprocess.Yetwhatabouteventsthatfalloutsidethelens’sview,remainingundocumentedbychoice?Ifweallowthatartcancapturetheessenceofanevent,person,orplace,istherenoroomforthisinphotographs?
Whathappenswhenaphotographthisevocativerepresentsanimaginedeventbetterthananytruthfulrepresentation?
Overthetop,atrainingexercisenearSt.Pol,France,1916.
17
100 photos that changed canada 121
hopeFloatsOutport resettlements painful, but necessary
BrIantOBIn
Canadianshavealwaysbeendrawnfromruralcommunitiestoourlargertownsandcities.ThesameistrueofNewfoundlandandLabrador.However,thepaceofresettlementacceleratedfol-lowingConfederationwithCanadain1949,asPremierJosephsmallwoodadoptedhispolicyof“DeveloporPerish.”smallwoodwasdeterminedtobringthenewestprovinceofCanadaoutof poverty and into the mainstream of Canadian society. The traditional inshore fishery wasfailing,andisolatedcoastalcommunites—reliantontheinshorefishery—wereoftenincrisis.
In1954,smallwoodintroducedavoluntaryresettlementprogramandthefirstofsome300coastalcommunities—withover30,000men,women,andchildren—leftbehindalltheyknewtostartlifeanew.
Thosewhocouldliterallyseveredtheirhomesfromtheir foundationsandfloatedthemto their new communities. They took the painful step of abandoning their churches and thegraveyardsthatcontainedgenerationsoffamiliesandfriends.Theygaveupthefishingberthsthathadbeenafamilybirthrightandsetoutacrossopenwatertonew,largercommunities.
ThesmallwoodgovernmenthadpromisedabetterlifeforallNewfoundlanders.However,whilethevoluntaryresettlementprogramsattractedmany,theywerenotenough.
By1965,newmeasureswereintroduced.IthadbeensixteenyearssinceConfederation,andboththeprovincialandfederalgovernmentswerestrugglingtoprovidemedical,educational,and transportation services to isolated coastal communities. The new federal-provincialFisheriesHouseholdResettlementProgramrequiredcommunitiestovoteonwhethertotakepart;tonegotiatethetermsoftheirresettlement;andtothenvoteagainbeforequalifyingforcompensation.
entirecommunitiesweremovedtogrowthcentreswherenewjobsinthedeep-seafishery,infishplants,andinserviceindustriesweresaidtobewaiting.Althoughmanyjobswerepromised,notallweredelivered,andtheresettlementprogramprovedtobedeeplycontroversial.Tothisday,thedebatecontinues;muchoftheliterature,poetry,theatre,andmusicofNewfoundlandandLabradorisinfluencedbytheresettlementprograms.
Thequestionis:Wasresettlementaboonorabanetothepeopleoftheprovince?Manyofresettlement’sharshestcriticshaveneverlivedintheoutportcommunitiesthatoftenlackedwaterandsewerservices,adequateeducationfacilities,orlife-savingbasichealthcare.
Inthis1961photo,threechildrenwatchasahomebelongingtoMalcolmRogersismooredoffshore,awaitinghightide.WhenRogersfloatedhishomefromsilverFoxIslandtoDover,onBonavistaBay,hisheartmusthavebeenheavyforallthathehadleftbehind.However,it’sequallytruethatinpainfullybreakingwiththepast,Rogershadimprovedhischildren’sfuture.RogershaddonewhatgenerationsofCanadianshavedone—sailedacrossabay,oracrossanocean,tosecurebrighterfuturesforthegenerationsthatfollowed.
Floatingnewfoundlandhouse,duringoutportresettlement,august1961.55
100 photos that changed canada 121
hopeFloatsOutport resettlements painful, but necessary
BrIantOBIn
Canadianshavealwaysbeendrawnfromruralcommunitiestoourlargertownsandcities.ThesameistrueofNewfoundlandandLabrador.However,thepaceofresettlementacceleratedfol-lowingConfederationwithCanadain1949,asPremierJosephsmallwoodadoptedhispolicyof“DeveloporPerish.”smallwoodwasdeterminedtobringthenewestprovinceofCanadaoutof poverty and into the mainstream of Canadian society. The traditional inshore fishery wasfailing,andisolatedcoastalcommunites—reliantontheinshorefishery—wereoftenincrisis.
In1954,smallwoodintroducedavoluntaryresettlementprogramandthefirstofsome300coastalcommunities—withover30,000men,women,andchildren—leftbehindalltheyknewtostartlifeanew.
Thosewhocouldliterallyseveredtheirhomesfromtheir foundationsandfloatedthemto their new communities. They took the painful step of abandoning their churches and thegraveyardsthatcontainedgenerationsoffamiliesandfriends.Theygaveupthefishingberthsthathadbeenafamilybirthrightandsetoutacrossopenwatertonew,largercommunities.
ThesmallwoodgovernmenthadpromisedabetterlifeforallNewfoundlanders.However,whilethevoluntaryresettlementprogramsattractedmany,theywerenotenough.
By1965,newmeasureswereintroduced.IthadbeensixteenyearssinceConfederation,andboththeprovincialandfederalgovernmentswerestrugglingtoprovidemedical,educational,and transportation services to isolated coastal communities. The new federal-provincialFisheriesHouseholdResettlementProgramrequiredcommunitiestovoteonwhethertotakepart;tonegotiatethetermsoftheirresettlement;andtothenvoteagainbeforequalifyingforcompensation.
entirecommunitiesweremovedtogrowthcentreswherenewjobsinthedeep-seafishery,infishplants,andinserviceindustriesweresaidtobewaiting.Althoughmanyjobswerepromised,notallweredelivered,andtheresettlementprogramprovedtobedeeplycontroversial.Tothisday,thedebatecontinues;muchoftheliterature,poetry,theatre,andmusicofNewfoundlandandLabradorisinfluencedbytheresettlementprograms.
Thequestionis:Wasresettlementaboonorabanetothepeopleoftheprovince?Manyofresettlement’sharshestcriticshaveneverlivedintheoutportcommunitiesthatoftenlackedwaterandsewerservices,adequateeducationfacilities,orlife-savingbasichealthcare.
Inthis1961photo,threechildrenwatchasahomebelongingtoMalcolmRogersismooredoffshore,awaitinghightide.WhenRogersfloatedhishomefromsilverFoxIslandtoDover,onBonavistaBay,hisheartmusthavebeenheavyforallthathehadleftbehind.However,it’sequallytruethatinpainfullybreakingwiththepast,Rogershadimprovedhischildren’sfuture.RogershaddonewhatgenerationsofCanadianshavedone—sailedacrossabay,oracrossanocean,tosecurebrighterfuturesforthegenerationsthatfollowed.
Floatingnewfoundlandhouse,duringoutportresettlement,august1961.55
146 100 photos that changed canada
henderson’sGoalLast-minute salvation for hockey-mad nation
ChrISweBB
Thisiswhatredemptionlookslike—butitdidn’tcomeeasy.WhennewshitinApril1972thatCanada’sgreatesthockeyproswouldchallengethesoviet
Uniontoaneight-game“Friendshipseries,”theentirecountryknewitwouldbeanythingbutfriendly.
Foryears,thesovietshaddominatedtheinternationalamateurgame.ButnowourtopstarsweretakingtotheiceandhockeyfanssalivatedatthethoughtofCanada’sbestsweepingtheBigRedMachine.
TheseriesopenedinMontrealwithnooneexpectingasovietvictory.CanadiansbelievedtheCommunistswouldcrumbleagainstthelikesofPhilespositoandBobbyClarke.
They were wrong. Game 1 ended in a 7-3 victory for the soviets, sending shock wavesthroughoutCanada.TheCanadiansbouncedbackforawininTorontoandthenatieinWin-nipeg.ButinGame4,fansbooedthehometeamofftheiceaftera5-3lossinVancouver.“Thisisn’tagame.Thisisawarandwe’dbettergetourselvestogether,”esposito,Canada’scaptain,saidatthetime.
ThiswasaColdWarofflashingskatesandcrushingbodychecks.Twoideologies—oppos-ingwaysoflifeandofplayinghockey—foughtforsupremacy.
TheshakyhomeseriesleftmanyCanadiansunsureofCanada’sstatusasagreathockeynation.TheunsteadinessworsenedwhentheseriesshiftedtoMoscow,wheretheCanuckslostGame5andbarelywonGames6and7.
onseptember28,1972,CanadianseverywheregatheredanxiouslyaroundtheirTVsandradiosfortheeighthandfinalgameoftheseries.
InthedyingsecondsatMoscow’sLuzhnikisportsPalace—withthescoretiedat5-5—PaulHenderson flew into the soviet zone, shooting once, getting the rebound, and then shootingagain.FosterHewitt,thevoiceofCanadianhockey,shoutedthewordsthatstillleavetheheartsofmanyCanadiansracing:“HendersonhasscoredforCanada!”
Henderson raised his arms in the air and was embraced by teammate Yvon Cournoyer,while goalie Vladislav Tretiak lay sprawled in defeat behind them. Canadian fans leapt fromtheirseats.
FormanyCanadians,itisthesinglegreatestsportingmomentoftheirlives.TheroarofcelebrationinthestreetsandlivingroomsacrossCanadawasaboutmorethanhockey.Foracountrysometimesdividedbylanguageandidentity,millionscametogethertosupportwhathasbeencalledthegreatesthockeyteamofthetwentiethcentury.
Thisimmortalimage,photographedbytheToronto Star’sFrankLennon,hassincebeenreproducedasacoin,apostagestamp,andoncountlesshockeycardsandposters.
ThesummitseriesremainsoneofthefewathleticeventsthattranscendedCanadiansporttobecomepartofourcollectiveconsciousness.
henderson’sgoal,Moscow,September28,1972.
68
146 100 photos that changed canada
henderson’sGoalLast-minute salvation for hockey-mad nation
ChrISweBB
Thisiswhatredemptionlookslike—butitdidn’tcomeeasy.WhennewshitinApril1972thatCanada’sgreatesthockeyproswouldchallengethesoviet
Uniontoaneight-game“Friendshipseries,”theentirecountryknewitwouldbeanythingbutfriendly.
Foryears,thesovietshaddominatedtheinternationalamateurgame.ButnowourtopstarsweretakingtotheiceandhockeyfanssalivatedatthethoughtofCanada’sbestsweepingtheBigRedMachine.
TheseriesopenedinMontrealwithnooneexpectingasovietvictory.CanadiansbelievedtheCommunistswouldcrumbleagainstthelikesofPhilespositoandBobbyClarke.
They were wrong. Game 1 ended in a 7-3 victory for the soviets, sending shock wavesthroughoutCanada.TheCanadiansbouncedbackforawininTorontoandthenatieinWin-nipeg.ButinGame4,fansbooedthehometeamofftheiceaftera5-3lossinVancouver.“Thisisn’tagame.Thisisawarandwe’dbettergetourselvestogether,”esposito,Canada’scaptain,saidatthetime.
ThiswasaColdWarofflashingskatesandcrushingbodychecks.Twoideologies—oppos-ingwaysoflifeandofplayinghockey—foughtforsupremacy.
TheshakyhomeseriesleftmanyCanadiansunsureofCanada’sstatusasagreathockeynation.TheunsteadinessworsenedwhentheseriesshiftedtoMoscow,wheretheCanuckslostGame5andbarelywonGames6and7.
onseptember28,1972,CanadianseverywheregatheredanxiouslyaroundtheirTVsandradiosfortheeighthandfinalgameoftheseries.
InthedyingsecondsatMoscow’sLuzhnikisportsPalace—withthescoretiedat5-5—PaulHenderson flew into the soviet zone, shooting once, getting the rebound, and then shootingagain.FosterHewitt,thevoiceofCanadianhockey,shoutedthewordsthatstillleavetheheartsofmanyCanadiansracing:“HendersonhasscoredforCanada!”
Henderson raised his arms in the air and was embraced by teammate Yvon Cournoyer,while goalie Vladislav Tretiak lay sprawled in defeat behind them. Canadian fans leapt fromtheirseats.
FormanyCanadians,itisthesinglegreatestsportingmomentoftheirlives.TheroarofcelebrationinthestreetsandlivingroomsacrossCanadawasaboutmorethanhockey.Foracountrysometimesdividedbylanguageandidentity,millionscametogethertosupportwhathasbeencalledthegreatesthockeyteamofthetwentiethcentury.
Thisimmortalimage,photographedbytheToronto Star’sFrankLennon,hassincebeenreproducedasacoin,apostagestamp,andoncountlesshockeycardsandposters.
ThesummitseriesremainsoneofthefewathleticeventsthattranscendedCanadiansporttobecomepartofourcollectiveconsciousness.
henderson’sgoal,Moscow,September28,1972.
68