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The 1972 Summit Series SUMMIT PART 4:
SHOWDOWN
Canadian
fans were in a state of euphoria in the aftermath of their team's
triumph in Game 7. Having braved the Russian winter and the Red Army on
the way back to the hotel, they were ready to party in the comfort of
the bar. The Soviet
authorities, however, were in no mood to put up with the foreigners'
noisy celebration. A
Montreal resident who was utterly smashed started blaring on the trumpet
he had taken to the arena. Two plainclothes policemen approached the fan
and asked him to quit. The foreigner cursed at them and defiantly touted
another piercing blast. Badges were flashed and the cops attempted to
apprehend the Canadian. A
brawl erupted and the fan wrestled out of the grasp of his captors.
Glasses and bottles were smashed, chairs and tables overturned.
The commotion carried outside the Intourist Hotel. Moments later, AK-47
rifle-wielding Soviet troops swarmed into the bar area, scattering the
few remaining patrons. With
difficulty, the police managed to subdue the drunken fan and drag him
off to headquarters. There, he was soaked down under a cold shower, his
head shaved, and a prisoner identification number tattooed on his heels.
In an adjoining room, he was summarily tried and sentenced to two years
for disturbing the peace. Word
of the incident got back to the Canadian embassy. The ambassador's staff
immediately started negotiations, but the police refused to release
their prisoner. Finally, after intercession from Soviet authorities, the
police relented and agreed to return the fan on the conditions that he
exit the country immediately and the Canadian government pay the hotel
for damages. In
contrast to their fans' celebration, Team Canada's was more subdued.
They still had one game remaining and only one day to prepare for
it. At the same time, the
players had no outlet to go and unwind; the team had an appointment to
attend the ballet "Anna Karenina," a form of entertainment
they did not relish. The
coaching staff and officials were also not celebrating in the aftermath
of Game 7. They were fighting a behind-the-scenes battle with the Soviet
hockey association over the selection of officials for Game 8. The
Russians were going back on their word not to use the two controversial
West Germans who had given fits to Team Canada earlier in the series. The
Soviet authorities claimed the change was made because the international
order of hockey referees had appealed to them not to discriminate
against their German colleagues. Eagleson was infuriated. He engaged
Alexander Gresko, his counterpart, in a shouting match, then dropped an
ultimatum: if either German worked Game 8, Team Canada would boycott. Shrewdly,
Gresko asked for a truce and offered to resolve the issue on the
following morning. He knew that the Canadian camp was divided and that
the Canadian diplomats were more likely to cooperate than Team Canada's
coaches and officials. That
night, as the Canadians languished at the ballet, Eagleson was summoned
out of the opera house for an emergency meeting with Ambassador Ford.
Gresko had forwarded his request to the top levels of Canadian
government and Ford felt obligated to settle the matter in a way that
caused the least amount of fuss and didn't harm international relations.
Senator Arthur Liang, the senior governmental official present and guest
of the Premier, had assured Gresko that Team Canada would show up for
Game 8 regardless of who officiated. Eagleson
refused to budge in his stance. He also felt betrayed and infuriated
that a fellow countryman would undermine Team Canada's competitive edge
for the sake of global politics. "Well,
you'd better get back to Senator Liang and tell him to mind his own
goddamn business unless he's prepared to go and explain to the players,
because I'm not going to," Eagleson retorted. "And if he can
get them on the ice, good luck to him." Liang,
at the recommendation of diplomat Patrick Reid, wisely backed down and
let the hockey personnel work the problem out. On
the morning of game day, Thursday, September 28, a separate summit
meeting was held in a room high in the arena that overlooked Team
Canada's early workout. The Canadian party was infuriated that the
Soviets would be inflexible after Hockey Canada bent over backward to
accommodate their wishes in the first four games. Neither
side backed down. At length, Andrei Starovoitov tired of the argument
and coldly told the Canadians it was pointless to continue as their own
government had guaranteed they would play. It was a foolhardy ploy. Assistant
coach John Ferguson's temper snapped. As his veins bulged, he picked up
a full water pitcher and hurled it against the wall, shattering it with
a terrific crash. For several long moments, the room remained quiet.
Then the Soviets agreed to a compromise -- each side could pick
one official. The
Canadians selected Uwe Dahlberg, who had worked Game 7. The Soviets
responded that the Swede was sick with flu and unavailable. Team Canada
then picked Rudolph Bata, who had been Dahlberg's partner. The Russians
countered with West German Joseph Kompalla, Team Canada's nemesis. With
the arrangements completed, the Canadian delegation departed and went
downstairs to tell their anxiously awaiting players that Game 8 would
indeed take place. That night, when they returned for the game, Sinden
saw that Dahlberg had miraculously "recovered" from the flu
and was seated in the audience, happily chatting.
1972 Summit Series Part
2 - The Clash Of The Titans |
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