Red Storey dies at age 88

Red Storey, a classic larger-than-life character who won two Grey Cups as an athlete and entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1967 for his refereeing, died yesterday at age 88.

Born Roy Alvin Storey in Barrie, Ont., pretty much everyone called him Red. As a young man, he played hockey, lacrosse, baseball and football; however, football was his first love. He turned pro with the Toronto Argonauts at the age of 18. Legend has it he used to hitchhike between Barrie and Toronto when he played for the Argos.

Storey made football history in 1938 when he scored three touchdowns coming off the bench in the fourth quarter for the Argos against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, powering his team to a Grey Cup win -- a record that stands today. Storey won two Grey Cups with the Argos, but a knee injury in 1941 ended his football career.

By 1950, Storey had entered the NHL as a referee. Beliveau described him as fair, frank and a lot of fun. The league trusted Storey to referee in every Stanley Cup final between 1952 and 1958.

In 1955, Storey faced his biggest refereeing challenge: He dropped the puck at the Montreal Forum on the night of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard riot. NHL Commissioner Clarence Campbell had suspended the Canadiens start for the rest of the season and all of the playoffs. He then showed up at the Forum four days later to take in the St. Patrick's Day game against the Detroit Red Wings.

"It was very scary," Storey recalled years later. "I thought if someone lit a match, the whole place might explode."

As it was, the game ended in the first period when someone threw a tear gas bomb on the ice, and people started pelting Campbell with food, then physically assaulting him. People evacuated the forum and then the melee started working its way down Montreal's St. Catharine's Street. More than 60 people were arrested.

"There wouldn't have been any problem if that numbnuts had stayed home," Storey said, adding, "you know who I'm talking about."

Storey had a reason to call Campbell "numbnuts." In 1959, Campbell publicly said Storey had choked while refereeing a game at Chicago Stadium. Storey quit in a huff and never worked for the NHL again.

However, he stayed in hockey, doing broadcast commentary and participating in old-timers' games across North America. This is the era that I remember Red from. He was the equivalent of basketballs "Meadow Lark" Lemon. Complete with gimmicky wigs and bucket of confetti.

The Canadian Sports Hall of Fame inducted him as a member in 1986. In 1991, he was made a member of the Order of Canada. Storey did more than sports. He raised millions over his half-century of charity work -- money aimed at helping kids who were growing up as poor as he did.

"There are thousands of kids in Montreal who have milk every day because of Red Storey's milk fund. This man was absolutely larger than life," Burns said.

Tomorrow is St.Patrick's day and I'm sure more than a few pints will be hoisted in memory of Red and Boom Boom, who died Saturday.

Later,
Kenaz