Terrible Ted Lindsay ain't so terrible

Mailed Out: February 24, 2014

Returned: March 24, 20014

Sent to his home - return #9

Detroit Red Wings legend Ted Lindsay sent back what is arguably the most personable return thus far. He signed my card that I had sent to him (it came back a tad bent in the right corner) with the year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he included a pamphlet on his life, and charitable work, and he also included a little note to me! He told me that the Edmonton Flyers way before my time were the farm team and that a lot of players that developed in Edmonton ended up playing for Detroit. I included the last part where he wished me luck and signed off.  

Lindsay got the nickname Terrible Ted because of his playing style; smaller than the average NHLer at the time he played a physical game, which led to the NHL having to adapt elbowing penalties. He has a laundry list of on ice accomplishments that include being part of multiple All Star teams, winning the Memorial Cup, winning the Stanley Cup four times, winning the Art Ross trophy in 1950, being inducted into both the Canadian Sports and Hockey Hall of Fames, and his number seven was retired by the Detroit Red Wings. 

Lindsay has just as long of a list of off ice accomplishments in making changes. Doug Harvey of the Canadiens and him led the way forming the NHL Players Association after the league refused to release pension plan information to the players. This resulted in Lindsay being stripped of his captaincy, and he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. He retired after three years in Chicago to be with his family in Michigan, but at age 39 Sid Abel convinced him to make a comeback where he played just one season helping the Wings to another cup.  He started the tradition of players raising the cup over their head and skating around the rink with it, he said he did this for fans to get a better look at it. The Lester B Pearson award was renamed after him in 2010, the award is handed out to the player who is voted most valuable to their team by the NHLPA. When he was inducted into the HHOF in 1966 he refused to attend because the induction ceremony was only open to men meaning that his family could not attend, the next year it was changed so that both sexes could attend.