Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-02-17
Bob Tales
That Leaf-Winq
Battle Topped
All Tea Parties
BY BOB MURPHY
nnAnmn ~-A.
SPORTS EDITOR


furious goings-on tonight at
Olympia. 't'he Rcd Wings have
taken six pastingS from the
Canadiens. A memorable battle
is in prospect
But Dick Irwin. now manag-
ing Montreal Jack Adams and
some of the Red Wings will re-
call with Coulter r. Irwin OF
the British Press the greatest
hockey fight OF all between the
Toronto Maple Leafs and the
Wings during the Stanley Cup
playoffs a few years back. Coul-
ter writes 10 Arthur Daley of
the n. Y Times:
That was the widest night
of hockey I've seen. The follow
ing day Dick Irwin and other
Leaf old-timers, as well as Jack
Adams and his Detroit compan-
ions. were quoted AS saying il
was the greatest battle royal
they'd ever witnessed. And they
said that included the days Of
the Silver Seven. the Renfrew
Millionaires and the old Pacific
Coast League which preceded
the National Hockey League.
The fight started toward the
end Of the game while the Leafs
held a comfortable lead and
the Red Wings faced ehmina-
ton from the Sta. ley Cup play
offs. Red Wing teams are not
noted for accepting defeat
gracefully. and felt sure I'd
see a good fight wasn't dis
appointed
Before the nam bout went
on, play was so fast and rough
that Gordie Drillon Of the Leafs
was smashed so hard by a body
check that he was draped over
The boards partly in a Specta-
tors lap out cold. while play
continued az the other end Of
the rink
II wasn't until one Of thc\
fellows who clean the ica he
tween periods skated into the
Toronto defense and grabbed
one OF the Leafs 10 point out
the unconscious Drlllon that
play was halted He was carted
out Stlll unconscious. Prcvi-
ouSly TO that. Red Homer had
been banlshed 10 the penalty
box and while sitting IN the
cooler a jealous Red Wing lady
80 fan slugged him over the
back OF the head with her
purse
@AilneF--fgfrtS--T raci beru
numerous all evening but the
. pandemonium broke loose about
five minutes before the game
was over. TWO OF the boys
started 10 mix 10 IN me Toronto
end just As Red Wing attack
was being launched IN the De-
troit end
You know how mild man.
nered a fellow Syd Howe
usually IS Well. he was carry
ING the puck az the time and
was the first 20 toss away his
stick, leading the rush against
the Leafs Players on both
benches swarm O q over the
boards and the melee was on.
Another PLAYER noted for
his SportSmanlikc exemplary
conduct is Syl Apps OF the
Leafs But Syl was also very
worked up that night He had
Jimmy Orlando lneeInE ON the
ice holding HIM down by the
shoulder while he Slugged HIM
on the face about SIX times in
row like a man gone crazy.
TinykThompson playing goal
for the Wings. skated out 70
his blueline and threw a Leaf
70 the ice. Re then proceeded
70 rub the fellows face vigorrx
ouSly into the ice until he tired
OF a. Y
Red Horner after taking
part in a number of tho battles.
finally Skated of a bi' by him.
self and stood hcaving like a
spent horse. 100 weary 90 care
about, fighting further That
gives some indication Of the
hcrCcneSS of the fray
After about 10 minutes Of
smuggling and mauling each
other. the players stopped OF
their own accord Like Horner,
they were too tired 10 fight
any more There was no fur
Their scoring and the Red Wings
were put out Of the running for
the Stanley Cup