Émile Bouchard sport ice hockey
Joseph Émile Alcide Bouchard  (4 September 1919 – 14 April 2012) was a Canadian ice hockey player who played defence with the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League from 1941 to 1956. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, won four Stanley Cups,  was captain of the Canadiens for eight years and was voted to the NHL All-Star team four times. Although having a reputation as a clean player, he was also one of the strongest players and best body-checkers of his era. He excelled as a defensive defenceman, had superior passing skills and was known for his leadership and mentoring of younger players. In his early years in the NHL, Bouchard, among other players, made a major contribution to reinvigorating what was at the time an ailing Canadien franchise.He was born in Montreal, Quebec, and at the time his death resided in Saint-Lambert, Quebec. In retirement Bouchard was active with several business interests and contributions to his community. In 2008, he received the National Order of Quebec. On 4 December 2009, Bouchard's No. 3 was retired by the Canadiens as part of their 100th anniversary celebrations. On 30 December 2009, Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, announced Bouchard as among the appointments to the Order of Canada.Youth and learning the game
Bouchard was born 4 September 1919, in Montreal the son of Regina Lachapelle and Calixte Bouchard. Growing up poor during the depression, Bouchard did not begin skating until he was 16 and had to learn on rented skates, before borrowing $35 from his brother for a complete set of hockey equipment which included his own pair of skates. Bouchard opted for a career in hockey over banking when he was offered $75 a week to play senior hockey and the bank paid $7. In the minors Bouchard played with the Verdun Maple Leafs, Montreal Junior Canadiens and Providence Reds. It was Verdun teammate Bob Fillion who gave Bouchard the nickname "Butch". It originated due to the resemblance of his last name to the English word "butcher". Bouchard was determined, strong and developed enough skills to impress coach Dick Irvin in the Canadiens' 1940–41 training camp after which he was signed as a free agent. Bouchard had arrived at training camp in peak condition, which was unusual for National Hockey League (NHL) players of the time. To attend this first training camp he rode a bike 50 miles (80 km), which also allowed him to pocket the travel expenses the Canadiens had allotted.In an era when hockey players were regarded by hockey management as rural and unsophisticated, Bouchard had already developed his entrepreneurial skills. While still in high school he was working alongside an inspector with the Department of Agriculture when he came across a bee ranch owned by a priest who had just died. Borrowing $500 from his brother he bought the business. He turned it into an apiary of 200 hives which was so successful he earned enough to buy his parents a home. It was due to this business acuity that prior to signing with the Canadiens he uncovered what Ken Reardon and Elmer Lach, already playing with the Montreal, were currently earning. Then, over the course of ten days he negotiated a larger contract than either player had been receiving, $3,750 ($62,471 in 2021 dollars).
athletics competitive physical activity physical competition