The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada • 29

III FINANCIAL CLASSIFIED OBITS COMICS THIRD SECTION PAGES 29-52 FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1945 lis Clean Bill Of Health Affects Decision MDig next season. His run-ins with the press and a couple of blasts at the officials added fodder to speculation that he was through. And even on the night of the Habs' Cup triumph in the seventh final game here against Chicago, Toe left doubt that he would return. "There's more chance of Jean Beliveau coming back than me," said the coach in the victorious dressing room. "I'm going to get away and think about my decision for a few weeks." Blake didn't go away but had a complete medical checkup.

Apparently, a clean bill of health and a -few weeks rest since the close of the season has made Toe forget his problems at least until next October when he points the Canadiens towards another championship. especially on one occasion when he had trouble shaking an ordinary cold. "I was bothered during the season," said Toe Thursday. "I promised myself that no matter what happened, I wouldn't be back unles I was in perfect health. "I have that assurance now and the doctor says I'm fit as a fiddle.

I'm very happy with the report, so even though I haven't signed you can say there's a very good chance I'll be back." Toe Blake, who indicated quite strongly this past season that he was ready to retire, yesterday opened the door towards another term as coach of the Canadiens. "I haven't signed yet but there's a very good chance I'll sign soon," said the pilot of the Stanley Cup Champions, commenting on an extensive checkup and a couple of days in hospital. Blake, who will be 53 in August, was worried about his health during the past season, Thus since Blake, himself, has indicated willingness to handle the. team again, there's little doubt he will return for his 11th season after leading Canadiens to six Stanley Cup victories and seven league championships since he took over from Dick Irvin in 1955-56. Management readily indicated that the job was Blake's again if he wanted it with Senator Hartland Molson, President Dave Molson and General Manager Sam Pollock all voicing hope that Toe would be back.

Their praises were especially loud and clear after Canadiens came through for the Stanley Cup in tough playoff rounds against Toronto and Chicago. Blake was responsible for many of the reports in late February and March that he wouldn't be back as coach Abel Seeking More Trades DETROIT Lfl Detroit's Sid every club in the National Hoc- Abel; who traded veteran de-key League with the exception extend Good of the table sertincr to fenceman Marcel Pronovost to the Toronto Maple Leafs, said GOOD LUCK: Eddie Arcoro, the win-ningest jockey in thoroughbred history, was guest of the Quebec Thoroughbred Racing Club yesterday for the press luncheon signalling the coming meeting at Blue Bonnets. Arcaro makes use of Montreal," Abel said. "I'm interested in defence-men, left-wingers and a goalie with NHL experience," Abel he is prepared to make more Luck to Jack Jackson (left), president of the QTRC, and S. J.

(Jimmy) Lan-gill, board chairman of the Mount Royal Jockey Club. The thoroughbreds start next Friday night at Blue Bonnets. deals. "Sure I want to make more trades and I've been talking to said. PLAYING the FIELD by DINK CARROLL Unhappy With Leafs, Bathgate Joins Wings In Giant Svmp TORONTO (CP) Andy Bathgate verbally spanked To ronto Maple Leafs' Coach Punch Imlach last month.

Now he's a defenceman in the world. Jeffrey and Joyal are proven NHLers. MacDonald could be a sleeper. Erickson will also be useful." Abel, who said he worked out the trade last week with Imlach, was sorry to lose Prono role, but four days ago at a New York World's Fair appearance, Bathgate said be hadn't decided anything about next season. Now he won't play for Leafs after all.

And he needn't worry about Imlach's whip-cracking tactics Detroit Red Wing. The high-scoring right winger from Winmpeg, in the National Hockey League 11 seasons, was one of three Leafs traded yes vost, a 34-year-old battle-scar any more, Detroit Manager- red Red Wing for 15 years terday to Detroit for five play ers. Along with Gordie Howe, Alex Coach Sid Abel is the exact opposite to the fiery Toronto coach when it comes to handling Delvecchio and Bui Gadsby, he helped Abel coach the younger The deal saw Bathgate, Billy Harris and minor leaguer Gary Jarrett, all forwards, go to Detroit for defencemen Marcel players. In recent playoff series, for Pronovost and Aut Erickson and The Leafs went for youth in' the deal. Pronovost is the only player they got who is past 30.

Jeffrey, a left winger, is 24 and was with the Wings three seasons. Joyal, a lanky 25-year-, old, centre for Detroit the past two seasons. MacDonald, 23, went up to the Wings last season and Erickson, a 27-year-old defenceman, went to Detroit last season in a trade with Chicago Black Hawks. Imlach may have overstocked his larder of talent as a result of the trade. He can protect only 18 players and two goal-tenders at the NHL draft meetings in Montreal June 7-10.

He still has 17 of last season's players around, in addition to the five newcomers and a flock of top minor league pro prospects. To make way for them, he must consider leaving veterans like Allan Stanley, Red Kelly, Dickie Moore, Don McKenney and Goaltender Terry Sawchuk unprotected. "I'll have to gamble and hope for the best," he said. example, Imlach has driven his players in practice while Abel and his mob released tensions forwards Larry Jeffrey, Ed Joyal and Lowell MacDonald. at the races.

Bathgate, 32, was elated two Imlach wouldn't say whether years ago when he was traded by New York Rangers, peren' Bathgate criticism prompted the trade. But he was pleased nial also-rans, to the then Stanley Cup champion Leafs. players on the club. "I played with him and coached with him. I had to give up a valuable player to get a player of the calibre of Bathgate.

"Jeffrey never produced what we expected of him but he is a good hockey player. Joyal is still developing and when we had to give up farmhands like Lowell MacDonald and Aut Erickson, we had to pay a big price." But Abel was glad to get Jarrett. He said the Wings had heard good reports on his performance last season with Tulsa Oilers. with the deal. "It started out as a one-for But last month, after Toronto FOR BOYS AND GIRLS BERLITZ SUMMER PROGRAM IN FRENCH ENGLISH ITALIAN GERMAN SPANISH 845-1161 was eliminated in the semi one situation.

Then Sid and I decided we might as well make finals by Montreal, Bathgate was quoted as blaming Imlach it a jim-dandy of a trade and he gave me five for three." Imlach said he was glad for for the club failure to win a fourth straight Cup. "There is a limit to a player's endurance," the Brampton, Harris, a 29-year-old Toronto native who was relegated to a bench warming role for most of Times and Conservator his 10 seasons with the Leafs. quoted Bathgate as saying. "Im He was finally sent down to lach pushed a few of the players past that limit phsyicafiy and Rochester Americans late last season. mentally we played some of our best games in practice." "This way he can stay in the NHL," Imlach said.

"Also, I'm The story also quoted Batn- gate as saying he wouldn't play sure that we 11 have the strong est player roster in the NHL. Pronovost is the fifth best next season for the Leafs if he was to be confined to a utility VISIT lira LIKE JOE TV W( THIMEC ABOUT IJ Carillon Islands near" Sf. Andrew, Lake of Two-Mountains, P.Q. WELCOME VISITORS Project open every day The Big Hockey Trade If you didn't know that Sid Abel had put together a team that finished in first place last season, you'd say he came out second best in that big trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He gave up Marcel Pronovost, Larry Jeffrey, Ed Joyal, Aut Erickson and Lowell MacDonald for Andy Bathgate, Billy Harris and Gary Jarrett.

On the surface, that exchange doesn't look so good from a Detroit standpoint. But there may be more to it than snows on the surface. It was through trades and by claiming players left unprotected by other clubs that Abel assembled the team that won the NHL championship, and he can't have lost his touch over night. Marcel Pronovost isn't as young as he used to be he's now 34 but he is still a very good defenceman and he'll doubtless replace Allan Stanley, who is ready to retire. Larry Jeffrey, who looked so good in the playoffs last year, was injured this past season and wasn't much help to the Red Wings as he might have been.

But the Leafs can use him, if that injury hasn't impaired his play, and they can also use Ed Joyal, who can play centre or on the wing. Andy Bathgate was a cinch to be traded after his forthright condemnation of Manager-Coach Punch Imlach's training methods when the Leafs were eliminated from the playoffs. Maybe he deliberately set out to be traded. He may find his Detroit surroundings much more congenial, since Abel's training methods are not so rigorous as Imlach's. The other four players involved in the trade are doubtless beaded for minor league clubs.

This is probably the first of a number of trades that will be completed before the draft meeting here early next month. George Sheppard Replies A little more than a week ago, Roy Hamilton brought a boxer, Lenny Sparks, Into the office and told of the difficulties Sparks was encountering in trying to get a shot at the Canadian welterweight title. Sparks' plight was recorded here and brought the following reply from George Sheppard, manager of Peter Schmidt, the current Canadian welterweight champion: "It was nice to see you run a fine story on Sparks and this fellow Hamilton, whoever be is. Now here is the lowdown. Peter Schmidt is now Canadian champion and is ready to meet anyone that we can get some money with and we are not ducking Sparks or anybody but we want to get paid.

"This fellow Hamilton doesn't have his figures and data-right. Schmidt fought Durelle four times and they fought because they always drew good gates and that's what promoters and managers are interested in and they are all even, one win each and two draws. "When Schmidt was champion before, we had an offer to go to Lethbridge, and we met a tough little Indian Eddie First Rider and after losing his crown and then came back to K.O. this same Rider, then we were offered Armand Savoie and we held him to a draw and then beat him, so we were not ducking anybody and not only fighting Durelle like this Hamilton said. "If he thinks his fighter is entitled to a fight and we can get paid, he can have the bout.

Righting The Record "He tells his claim to fame is a win over Don Ross and that Ross KO'd Schmidt. He is wrong again. They fought twice and the first time Peter was winning easily and got a badly cut eye which can happen to anybody, then they fought again and Don didn't win a round and got a good pasting. "It still goes what we said that Schmidt is a champion who fights anybody but not for no money. That's where I come in to see that my fighters get paid and not fight for peanuts.

"Only last week Promoter Rougier called me to fight Marcel Bizien and I said go and get him and the price was right as he felt the match would draw some money, but Bizien turned him down. "I am handling Willie Pep in his comeback and he looks great, boxes Irish Johnny Gilmore, Friday, in Norwalk, and then meets Bob Shaughnessy in Saint John, N.B., May 28th. I also have King David, sensational Israeli lightweight who has won 17 American bouts. "Come on Hamilton give the papers the right dope and we are not ducking anybody." That letter made us a little nostalgic for the days when boxing flourished here. With such boxing managers around as Lew (The Honest Brakeman) Diamond, Frankie Jay, Willie Ketchum, all you had to do was keep your mouth shut and ears open and you had a column, if not a novel.

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