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bypatrick casey staff writer era for maple leafs hockey spending a totatof 10 seasons sin toronto then harry watson steps on the ice after jcomuig from detroit in a hade for billyh before tonights finalgameattayldr watson played witfijtfie likes of maple eeaf gardens glorious teeder kennedy syl appsturk broda and v l jhereednhustarj was- part of four approach thanvirneverfadef stanley cupwimungleaf clubs during his he ran the gardens like a military base it 14year careerbeginhihg in 1947 with the was stfict operatipnfwhere a shirt and tie firstbfthree straight titles it hadtqbew6rnmetimehedaiotof now living in markvam watson is one ot r didfrt hire that but i had just spent two i many past arid presentnhlstars who call ears mtheair force so i didrft niind irf yofkregiohhome v j whenf icame from detroit conn j watsbnvas witness to bill barilkos his- smytbe told hap day hejwanted to see me j t tpricl95ixupnnmg overtime goal ahd irememberasking hap if i shoulci call j bariikodied irfa jjlane crash luring a fishing- him conn or connie hetold me to callhim s jxipjn northern ontario that summer arid mrsmythe 7 mvleatsiofrfa unionvilles frank mahovlich isnow body was foundil yearsiatef j c senator mahovlich but hockey fans remem- jwatsnlrernem ber him breaking into the league with corner of church and carlton as if it was yes- torontoin 1956 and leading the team to four terday itcameduring the 194142 season stanley cups during the 1960s v when hearrivedwith the newyork those teamswe hadjhthe 60s stayed aneficanhisxookienhl campaign together for 10 years with few players s juststoodvand looked larbund during changing the memories of those days still j my first experience going into thegardens stand out inriiy mind mahovlich said this couldhtbelievehowbigthe week from his ottawa office i and how higri the seats went up to the roof t when i joined the leafs in 1957 i v explained watson whoalso won the cupm remember scoring mytirstgoal atthe 7 1943wimmedetr6iteedwuigst detroit olympia and my first hat trick was in igrew up in saskatbonand we used to chicago on dec 1 but theirt got my second m play outsideall trie time the biggestrink i hat trick at maple leaf gardens oh dec 25 ever played in before that held maybe 2000 against montreal what achristmas present 4 peopleso 1 wasnt tuseds to the big crowds that was a- v the lights seemed to be blinking all the time mahovlichwould grab two more stanley andit reauy affected yovr eyes v 1 cup rings with the montrealcanadiens and watsonwhbubepartofalengthycefe- enjoyed the honour of playing for home r i moriypriorto tonights tilt with the chicago teams in the two best hockey shrines ever blackhawkswho opened the building in built he also participated in the closing of playing in the gardens recallingthe soft ice and st- louismarkham resident bob neely 193 1 with hi 2- y oss to toronto will watch the montreal forum in march of i996 conditions and the tiny dressing room for also played for the leafsihthe 1970s v i formercapfain red horner pass thetorch to while many were in awe of the gardens the visitingn players during his tenure with the leafs itraded newmarlcets jamie t- present captain mats sundin to signal a new on theirfirst arrival the same cant be said new york pittsburgh and los angeles macoiin to detroitlast season where he x jh i tfor mike palmateer the diminutive goal- but the markham resident insists it was capturedhis second stanley cupping jeff tender t playwonmiima tougher on his father who would be watch- oneill of king cityjs a major compdnehtof 4egion of fans during hisieight seasons with ing from his seats mthe cornertgold section the hurricanes lineup the leafs t j v of fink sylappssr played his entire 10- thornhills bryan muif ha finally jbeen he practised at the gardens eyeryiweek- year career withtheleafs and was named to l rewarded with ice time in chicago l end with the toronto marlbbros orgahiza- the hockey hall offame and sharons own curtis joseph has fans tionahdplayedbefore 15000 fans during a v ytfi jernenibervriaving a penaltytshot dreaming of theifirststanleygupsinces vmemonalcup tournament v against toronto and they showed dad on tv j 1967 with his stellar netminding heroics vexceptforimytwo years in washmgtoni sitting in the corner with his hat pulled down leading this years team v rarpwiinwpflrina tnpriiiiaanri whitfann nvprihiqtpvps vsain annsjwhnw fathers r tnrnntn nraftpd rrar i staffphotosjoerdwineveen markham resident harry watson played for four stanley cupwinning toronto maple leafs teams including tte 194748 squadshowing in background u f 4nhlefs former leaf coaches mike mufphy chicag6detrbitahd boston- ahdits always four years ago mike gartner purchaseda and mike kitchen still own homes in aurora sad to see these arenas go saidvic hadfield- 2 itui2aliiuxcixu mivii ivzisnl j ritrir h wasselected who spliti6 seasons between newybfk j seals pittsburgh and now operates a golf centre m wbodbridge hetraditibn split stakes awhile to buildit backup again it geles takes a lot of time to bring it back v 31