Bobby Clarke
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Robert Earle "Bobby" Clarke OC (born on August 13, 1949 in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada) is a former NHL hockey player for the Philadelphia Flyers and currently the Flyers' general manager.
Playing career
Clarke played in hockey leagues since the age of eight. He learned he had diabetes when he was twelve or thirteen years old. Although he was a highly-touted prospect as a junior, playing with his hometown Flin Flon Bombers, some NHL teams hesitated to draft him because of his diabetes. However, the Philadelphia Flyers organization made enquires of a diabetic specialist and were told that as long as he took care of himself, Clarke would be fine. Thus assured, the Flyers drafted Clarke with their second pick, 17th overall, in the 1969 Entry Draft. (His diet antics would later become famous: he would drink two cans of soda and take three spoons of sugar before a game, add two bottles of orange juice during intermissions and pack chocolate bars and glucose gum hidden in his uniform's pockets, to prevent his sugar from going down from all the physical activity during the sixty minute games.)Clarke played for fifteen seasons in the NHL, from 1969 to 1984, and was one of the great stars of the sport during his playing days, notable for a ferocious will, tenacious defense play and scoring prowess. He was the ultimate proto-type team player, recognized by both his peers and fans alike. In 1974 and 1975, after being named the Flyers' captain, he led his team -- nicknamed the "Broad Street Bullies" for their penalty-filled intimidating style -- to back-to-back Stanley Cups, the first expansion squad to win a Cup. Despite his diabetes and hard-nosed play, Clarke proved remarkably durable, playing fewer than 70 games only one season in his career. He also helped save the honor of North American hockey by leading the Flyers to victory in the final game of the 1975-76 USSR Red Army tour in North America.
Clarke retired after the 1983-84 NHL season, having scored 358 goals and 852 assists for 1210 points and 1453 penalty minutes in 1144 games. At the time of his retirement, he was 4th all-time in assists and 10th in points.
The next season, the Flyers retired his number, 16, on 1984-11-15. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987 and into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Wayne Gretzky has remarked that it was Clarke's play "from behind the net" that inspired him to improve that area of his game. Most regard Gretzky as the best ever from that position on the ice.
Career Statistics
Regular SeasonSeason Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM1969-70 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 76 15 31 46 68 1970-71 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 77 27 36 63 78 1971-72 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 78 35 46 81 87 1972-73 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 78 37 67 104 80 1973-74 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 77 35 52 87 113 1974-75 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 27 89 116 125 1975-76 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 76 30 89 119 136 1976-77 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 27 63 90 71 1977-78 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 71 21 68 89 83 1978-79 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 16 57 73 68 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 76 12 57 69 65 1980-81 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 19 46 65 140 1981-82 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 62 17 46 63 154 1982-83 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 80 23 62 85 115 1983-84 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 73 17 43 60 70
NHL Totals 1144 358 852 1210 1453
International play
Clarke was a frequent player for Canadian national teams. He scored two goals and four assists in the original 1972 Summit Series. He played again in the 1976 Canada Cup, for the NHL All-Stars in the 1979 Challenge Cup, and for the national team in the 1982 World Championships.He is often remembered for his slash on Valeri Kharlamov in the sixth game of the Summit Series. Clarke came up behind Kharlamov, wound up his stick and swung it, as he would a golf club, across the ankle of the Russian. This broke Kharlamov's ankle, thereby sidelining the Soviets' best player for the next game of the series. (Canada went on to win in eight games.) Years later, John Ferguson, Sr., an assistant coach with Team Canada, was quoted as saying "I called Clarke over to the bench, looked over at Kharlamov and said, 'I think he needs a tap on the ankle.'"
Retirement
Having a taste of management during his playing career, when he served as a player-assistant coach between 1979-1982, Clarke was named general manager in 1984. He served as such until a dispute with team higher management in 1990, and spent the next three seasons as the general manager for the Minnesota North Stars, guiding the team to a Stanley Cup final appearance in 1991.Clarke was named the Florida Panthers' first general manager in 1993, which set league records for wins and points by an expansion team. He left that post after a single season to return to Philadelphia, and has served as the Flyers' general manager ever since. Between the two stints, the Flyers have reached the Stanley Cup finals three times in Clarke's tenure as general manager.
In 1998 Clarke, as general manager, put together the first Canadian Olympic hockey team to feature a full squad of the NHL's best, which came up short of the medals and finished a disappointing fourth in Nagano.
He is now the general manager of the Flyers, and oversaw the Flyers organization's historic 2004-05 season where both teams in the Flyers' farm system, the Trenton Titans and Philadelphia Phantoms, won their respective championships.
Bobby Clarke also owns a mens athletic club located in Cherry Hill, NJ on Kings Highway.
Career achievements and facts
- Captained the Philadelphia Flyers to Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975.
- Currently 100th in all-time goal scoring, 21st in assists, 36th in points and 90th in games played.
- Won the Hart Memorial Trophy 1973, 1975 and 1976.
- Named a Second Team All-Star in 1973 and 1974.
- Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977 and 1978.
- Won the Frank J. Selke trophy in 1983.
- Won the Lester B. Pearson trophy in 1973.
- Won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1972.
- In 1981 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
- Won the Yanick Dupre Memorial in 1982
- Represented Canada in the 1972 Summit Series vs. USSR.
- Captained Team Canada to victory in the 1976 Canada Cup.
- The WHL named the award for its top scorer after Clarke.
See also
- List of retired NHL players
- List of NHL statistical leaders
- List of NHL seasons
- List of NHL players with 1000 points
- Bob Clarke Trophy
- Bobby Clarke Trophy
External links
- Bobby Clarke's statistics at [hockeydb.com]
- [Hockey Hall of Fame]
- [Bobby Clarke Hockey Cards]
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