Bobby Hull borderline maniac?

[BaddaBing Badda Boom]

Not much footage on Hull. One can only gather that he was like an early version of Wayne Gretzky with the attendant muscle behind him. For example he had guys like Magnusson, Dan Maloney, Jerry Korab, Nesterenko watching his back. However, when I look at his limited engagements he seems to have had beefs with the then resident NHL tough guys: Flemming, Shack, Ferguson, Ted Green , Harper, Horton, etc… The limited footage I have seen of Hull he seems like a Darryl Sittler type he looks like he can handle his affairs. The going consensus, from what I can gather anecdotally, is that Hull was a bit of a “loon” once he lost it and could be quite a force. Any thoughts?

[spiderarms]

Originally Posted by BaddaBing Badda Boom

Not much footage on Hull. One can only gather that he was like an early version of Wayne Gretzky with the attendant muscle behind him. For example he had guys like Magnusson, Dan Maloney, Jerry Korab, Nesterenko watching his back. However, when I look at his limited engagements he seems to have had beefs with the then resident NHL tough guys: Flemming, Shack, Ferguson, Ted Green , Harper, Horton, etc… The limited footage I have seen of Hull he seems like a Darryl Sittler type he looks like he can handle his affairs. The going consensus, from what I can gather anecdotally, is that Hull was a bit of a “loon” once he lost it and could be quite a force. Any thoughts?

I saw a few games with Hull and he was a guy I would describe as rugged, strong on his skates but a clean, honest checking guy. He was very well respected and was someone you didn't want to rile as he could handle himself. He didn't need a "bodyguard".

As you might expect, because of the era, there were limited fights so he didn't engage in many. My understanding though was he had a few scrapes, I believe John Ferguson was one. I think in the WHA he also had one with Steve Durbano.

He definitely was not a gretsky type, more of an Orr type if I was going to make a comparison.

[Killah_punk]

Bobby Hull was a physical specimen. He would work on the family farm in the off season.

[bustoff]

Originally Posted by spiderarms

I saw a few games with Hull and he was a guy I would describe as rugged, strong on his skates but a clean, honest checking guy. He was very well respected and was someone you didn't want to rile as he could handle himself. He didn't need a "bodyguard".

As you might expect, because of the era, there were limited fights so he didn't engage in many. My understanding though was he had a few scrapes, I believe John Ferguson was one. I think in the WHA he also had one with Steve Durbano.

He definitely was not a gretsky type, more of an Orr type if I was going to make a comparison.

Thats when Durby ripped his toupe off and threw it in the stands.

[Johnny Pie]

Hull was nothing like Gretzky, probably the opposite. His game was power. Back when I first saw him from 67 on he was not someone who needed a protector like Gretzky. His strength was legendary back then. Superstars like Orr, Howe , Hull had to be able to take care of themselves and they did. I have posted pics of Hull destroying Bugsy Watson in the mid 60's. Watson paid the price for getting under his skin. He also fought Kurtenbach, Fleming,Hillman along with his Ferguson feud. Hull was a powerful man in his time and he did show a bit of a temper when fukked with. People sometime figure that because Hull spoke out against the goon stuff in the WHA when players took shots at him and his Euro teammates he was in need of protection. When he was a Hawk it was different, he took care of himself. I'm sure Maggie could really give a better picture of Hull since he saw him a lot more than I did. But Hull being like Gretzky no way.

[flex_buff_chest]

Originally Posted by Killah_punk

Bobby Hull was a physical specimen. He would work on the family farm in the off season.

Gorgeous.

[mikebflorida]

From all I've read of Bobby Hull, he was a super star player in the NHL and had every rink roughneck and cheapshot artist take a poke at him and he played his way through it, he had a long fuse but could finally have had enough and take matters into his own hands.

I read a book about him when I was in elementary school called The Golden Jet and recall vividly a stick swinging incident with a Ranger I think, I can picture it in my head but can't remember the player so yeah, he'd get into it when he needed to but things were so different back then, it was not real common.

The only comparison to Gretzky is that both were super star players of their eras and I think Hull was a better player than Gretzky and that Gretzky would have been breaking Hull's records rather than Howe's if Bobby stayed in the league instead of going to the WHA. But that's where the comparison ends, Gretzky was pure finesse, a butterfly on the ice while Hull was pure power, 10x the skater, and a much harder slap shot.

[BaddaBing Badda Boom]

The only thing I meant to convey when associating Hull with Gretzky was the fact that Hull had heat and muscle watching his back and that's where the comparison ends as Hull was willing and capable of taking care of himself.

[Howatt8]

Originally Posted by bustoff

Thats when Durby ripped his toupe off and threw it in the stands.

I think that's a bit of an old wives tale as I think it's been confirmed that it was Dave Hanson and not Durbano that ripped off Hull's toupe.

Hull was a pretty tough customer and he wasn't out of his league fighting anyone in the game during his prime. Hell, he fought Ferguson twice and won one and drew the other. He also beat another pretty tough customer in Ron Harris. The only guy I recall beating him handily was Kurtenbach.

the Kurtenbach fight was during the 68 playoffs. Both guys exchanged a few when Kurtenbach landed an overhand right that really stunned Hull. You could see his knees buckle, but he stayed on his feet. That punch pretty much ended the fight and Hull was definately seeing stars. No disrespect to Hull because I had seen Kurtenbach drop Ted Harris with a similar shot. Kurtenbach had a wicked right hand.

That was actually the second fight for Hull in that game. Earlier, he had a relatively lackluster fight with Vic Hadfield.

[rondo]

I've seen those pics of hull before and was a bit enamoured with how chiseled hull was in a time physical fitness was not exactly at the forefront . With arms & shoulders like that it's no wonder he could shoot the puck like that. I have no doubt he could handle himself against any fighter of any generation.

[Schultz]

His slapshot was once timed at 120 mph.

[Johnny Pie]

Originally Posted by Howatt8

I think that's a bit of an old wives tale as I think it's been confirmed that it was Dave Hanson and not Durbano that ripped off Hull's toupe.

Hull was a pretty tough customer and he wasn't out of his league fighting anyone in the game during his prime. Hell, he fought Ferguson twice and won one and drew the other. He also beat another pretty tough customer in Ron Harris. The only guy I recall beating him handily was Kurtenbach.

the Kurtenbach fight was during the 68 playoffs. Both guys exchanged a few when Kurtenbach landed an overhand right that really stunned Hull. You could see his knees buckle, but he stayed on his feet. That punch pretty much ended the fight and Hull was definately seeing stars. No disrespect to Hull because I had seen Kurtenbach drop Ted Harris with a similar shot. Kurtenbach had a wicked right hand.

That was actually the second fight for Hull in that game. Earlier, he had a relatively lackluster fight with Vic Hadfield.

Howatt once again you are 100% accurate. Here is a pic of that right hand Hull takes from Kurt. There was no shame in losing to Kurt and it shows that Hull did stick up for himself.

[Johnny Pie]

Thought I would post the Hull- Watson fight to show Bobby taking care of Business vs the superpest Bugsy Watson. Like all who saw him know for sure, Hull was one powerful man.