Author and journalist Charlie Foran has published ten books, including biographies of Mordecai Richler (winner of the 2011 Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Non-Fiction Prize) and, for the Extraordinary Canadians series, Maurice Richard. The great-grandson of an early Stanley Cup trustee, he was raised, thanks to a French-Canadian mother, on the Montreal Canadiens. For his huge extended family, 'Saint Maurice' was exactly that: a secular saint, worthy of veneration. (One of Foran's aunts even named her two sons 'Maurice' and 'Richard.') Foran's intimate exploration of Maurice Richard's fabled career and astonishing role in shaping the destiny of Quebec society comes from a personal place, where 'The Rocket' is forever vibrant, his dark eyes flashing as he barrels down the ... |
EXTRAORDINARY CANADIANS: MAURICE RICHARD
Born in 1921 into a working-class family, Maurice Richard came of age as a French Canadian and athlete during an era when the majority population of Quebec slumbered. A proud, reticent man, Richard aspired only to score goals and win championships for the Montreal Canadiens. But he represented far more than a high-scoring forward who filled seats in NHL arenas. Beginning with his 50-goal, 50-game season in 1944-45 and through his battles with the league over bigotry toward French-Canadian players, Richard's on-ice ferocity and off-ice dignity echoed the change in Quebec. The March 1955 “Richard Riot,” in which fans went on a rampage to protest his suspension, contained the seeds of transformation. By the time Richard retired in 1960, Quebec had begun to reinvent itself as a modern, secular society. Author Charles Foran argues that the province's passionate identification with Richard's success and struggles emboldened its people and changed Canada irrevocably.
Author and journalist Charlie Foran has published ten books, including biographies of Mordecai Richler (winner of the 2011 Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Non-Fiction Prize) and, for the Extraordinary Canadians series, Maurice Richard. The great-grandson of an early Stanley Cup trustee, he was raised, thanks to a French-Canadian mother, on the Montreal Canadiens. For his huge extended family, 'Saint Maurice' was exactly that: a secular saint, worthy of veneration. (One of Foran's aunts even named her two sons 'Maurice' and 'Richard.') Foran's intimate exploration of Maurice Richard's fabled career and astonishing role in shaping the destiny of Quebec society comes from a personal place, where 'The Rocket' is forever vibrant, his dark eyes flashing as he barrels down the ice to score another goal, win another small victory, for his people.
