By Charlie Hodge

The 香蕉视频直播楴ew kid in Town香蕉视频直播� will soon be back in town visiting with old friends.

Gene Carr, hockey player extraordinaire who dazzled ole time Kelowna Buckaroo香蕉视频直播檚 hockey fans in the late 1960香蕉视频直播檚 will attend the local hockey team香蕉视频直播檚 reunion July 14 to 16 in Kelowna.

香蕉视频直播淚 won香蕉视频直播檛 be swinging the golf clubs but I香蕉视频直播檒l find something to do,香蕉视频直播� Carr chuckles over the telephone. One can easily visualize his mischievous grin smirked across his handsome mug. It香蕉视频直播檚 that same grin he carried throughout his career.

Gene had reason for the grin then. He was good at what he did and loved it. 香蕉视频直播淗ockey was always it for me. I loved the game.香蕉视频直播�

Gene has reason for the grin now. Life is good and he is thankful for what he had and has.香蕉视频直播漇ometimes I pinch myself when I think about the life I香蕉视频直播檝e led, people I香蕉视频直播檝e met or got to know, experiences I香蕉视频直播檝e had. Much of it is because of hockey and where it took me. It香蕉视频直播檚 (life) great!香蕉视频直播�

Carr, for non long-time locals, was a blond hair, blue eyed, handsome teenage hockey player out of Nanaimo who dazzled even more on the ice than off. He was pure poetry on hockey skates, cutting the ice like few players ever seen before in junior hockey. Aside from his gifted agility, balance, and speed on the blades Gene had outstanding hand-eye coordination and a feel for the game. He was a slick stick-handler and precision passer, skills that projected him to the NHL.

Certainly some of his natural talent was genetic since father Red Carr was a former pro player who spent the 1948-49 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was Dad, in fact, that decided Gene needed to leave home to hone his skills further.

香蕉视频直播淒ad walked up to me and said, 香蕉视频直播楾omorrow you香蕉视频直播檙e going to Kelowna to play hockey. You香蕉视频直播檝e learned what you can here you need to learn more. My friend Don Culley is there, he can help you.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

香蕉视频直播淚 was 16 and homesick in no time,香蕉视频直播� Gene recalls.

香蕉视频直播淏ut Dad was right. Culley was a great coach and a great man. I loved 香蕉视频直播楽aul香蕉视频直播�. He was a real gentleman and taught me a whole bunch on the ice and off. I remember I had to wear a tie to an event and was totally embarrassed because I had no idea how to tie one - so I asked Saul. He not only taught me how but also gave me a set of his own cufflinks to wear. I still have them,香蕉视频直播� Carr softens.

香蕉视频直播淚 love Kelowna. I grew up there really. Grade 11 and 12 at KSS, hanging out with friends at Hot Sands and the Aquatic Dances, the pizza joint. What a great place. Kelowna holds a special place in my heart.

香蕉视频直播淚f things had worked out differently I could still be there today,香蕉视频直播� Carr says with a twinge of melancholy. It is a thought left hanging, briefly.

香蕉视频直播淭he hockey was wonderful as well. We had a great bunch of guys on the two clubs I played with (1967-1969). A real mixture of Canadian boys from across the country. Larry Lenarduzzi, Ron Pyle, Wayne Olafson, the Strong brothers Terry and Wayne, Dave Cousins, Pat McMahon, Dan McCarthy. Then my wingers were Butch Deadmarsh and Cliff McKay. Man were they fun to play with,香蕉视频直播� Gene rejoices. 香蕉视频直播淲hat I call real 香蕉视频直播楥ountry hockey香蕉视频直播�.香蕉视频直播�

Carr香蕉视频直播檚 skills naturally attracted the attention he was hoping for and he spent the following two seasons lighting up the scoreboard for the Flin Flon Bombers. While there Carr scored 58 goals and tallied 119 assists for 177 points in just 122 games.

No one was surprised when St. Louis drafted him fourth overall in the NHL amateur draft. Some were surprised however when the Blues traded Carr to the New York Rangers just 15 games into the season. Gene was part of a multi-player deal including Jim Lorentz and Wayne Connelly to the Rangers for Jack Egers, Andre Dupont and Mike Murphy.

It was never a great fit. Carr was largely played on left wing due to the Ranger depth down the middle. In addition he suffered two significant injuries to his spine, though he kept quiet about them.

香蕉视频直播淵ou kept your mouth shut about that stuff. It was your living. You did not always want the trainer knowing you were hurt cause you might lose a shift. Lose to many shifts you might lose your job.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 harder for players to hide that now. They are watched close by lots of staff. I香蕉视频直播檓 sure lots of them try and fight through the pain.香蕉视频直播�

Partway through the 1973-74 season Gene was traded to Los Angeles for a first round draft (Ron Duguay). The trade significantly impacted Gene香蕉视频直播檚 life both on the ice and off. Over the next four seasons Gene was predominantly used for penalty killing largely due to his quick speed and sense of the game. Otherwise, due to depth up front from the likes of Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor, Butch Goring, Charlie Simmer 香蕉视频直播�Gene was delegated to third or fourth line work. That was probably a blessing in disguise as his body continued to be pelted with injures.

Carr remained a fan favourite despite his lack of ice time, partly because of his flamboyant lifestyle off the ice. Soon after the trade to LA Carr was interviewed on radio and when the DJ asked the 香蕉视频直播渘ew kid in town香蕉视频直播� who his favourite band was Gene replied 香蕉视频直播渁 relatively new band on the scene The Eagles.香蕉视频直播� That response inspired a lifelong friendship with one of the radio listeners - Eagle singer/songwriter Glenn Frey. It also inspired the opening lyrics to Frey香蕉视频直播檚 song New Kid in Town, an Eagle hit.

香蕉视频直播淕lenn was a hockey fan, a Detroit area boy I think. He bundled up a couple of albums and sent them to me at the Forum with a note. Turns out he had already seen me play a game or two and so he wrote 香蕉视频直播楪eno. If you love my music as much as I love watching you play hockey then we have to meet.香蕉视频直播� I called him the next day and we were instant friends.香蕉视频直播�

Frey often attended Kings games and sometimes wore Carr香蕉视频直播檚 #12 jersey while playing his concerts.

香蕉视频直播淲e shared a lot. Good times and bad. He used to call me 香蕉视频直播楬ockey Hollywood香蕉视频直播�. Most of my friends over the years have been musicians, many of them through Glenn. Certainly I met some neat folks through him: Jackson Browne, Joe Walsh of course, Elvis, Jimmy Cagney, Bob Hope, Linda Ronstadt. But Glenn was a special man and good friend and I miss him dearly.香蕉视频直播�

Frey assisted Gene in getting out of LA as well. Carr had missed much of the 1975-76 season due to surgery needed to remove fluid that had built up on his spine. Once he was healed though he sat on the bench a lot. It drove Carr crazy.

香蕉视频直播淚 loved LA but I wanted to play hockey and was not getting the chance in LA. I knew my injuries were taking their toll and I wanted to show what I could do, given the chance, for one season. I loved LA but I also hated Bob Pulford. Pulford was a jerk.

香蕉视频直播淚rving Azof was my manager, thanks to Glenn, and so during the summer Irving went to the owners and said, 香蕉视频直播楨ither you trade Gene or the Eagles will never play the Forum again香蕉视频直播�.香蕉视频直播�

Five games into the new season Carr wound up playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

香蕉视频直播淚 was thrilled. All I wanted was a chance to prove myself.香蕉视频直播� Carr scored 56 points including 19 goals, silencing the critics.

But the pain drain was getting too much. A free agent Gene signed on with the Atlanta Flames - a move he now questions.

香蕉视频直播淚 probably never should have tried to play but it is hard to quit the game you love. It is hard to admit the body just cannot take the abuse any longer.香蕉视频直播�

When he was done with the game 香蕉视频直播楪eno香蕉视频直播� returned to living in the Hollywood area.

香蕉视频直播淚 love LA it is great, but I must admit I sure do miss Kelowna. I am looking forward to seeing some old buddies like Deadmarsh at the reunion. It香蕉视频直播檚 a very special place to me. A big hunk of my heart is still there.香蕉视频直播�

Former players have until June 14 to register before event tickets will be offered to old time fans who may want to attend.