Today, I'm looking at Welcome to
Maple Leaf Gardens,
by Graig Abel & Lance Hornby.
As
one of the most storied franchises in the entire NHL, with a rich
history and tradition, it's easy to say that this could be “just
another Leafs book.” Many people would even just let it go by the
wayside.
They're
all making a huge mistake.
There
are photos galore of the stars and lesser-known players to suit up
for the Leafs. Plenty of variety for sure. Action shots, posed
pictures, you name it. Graig Abel was the photographer for the Maple
Leafs for over three decades, and in this book, you truly get a sense
of time as it passed through the years.
Not
only are there full color photos galore, off-beat tales from people
like Doug Gilmour, Darryl Sittler, and the enigmatic owner, Harold
Ballard.
There
are also photos from numerous concerts that took place in the arena,
as well as other events. Lacrosse, tennis, ice skating shows... Maple
Leaf Gardens truly was the place to be.
This
book stands as a tribute to the only remaining Original Six building,
the only one still to stand. In November 2012, hockey returned to the
Maple Leaf Gardens as college hockey began, but, as the author
himself states, “It's not the same.” For any hockey fan, for a
fan of the Maple Leafs, for someone who wants to delve deeply into
the arena history, this is the book for you. Enjoy!
Special
thanks to Sara Dunn at ECW Press for making this book available for
reviewing purposes.
Powell's
City of Books: http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781770411630-0
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