SPORTS FLASHBACK 1999: Jean Beliveau thrills audience at Habs 50th

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This article was published 24/12/2023 (555 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Sports Flashback June 7, 1999

One of the most respected figures in Canadian hockey history, the legendary Jean Beliveau, thrilled an audience of 450, mostly Montreal Canadiens fans, as the guest speaker at the La Broquerie Habs 50th anniversary celebrations.

The distinguished 68-year-old Beliveau won 10 Stanley Cups in his 18-year career with the Canadiens and was the captain of the team for many of those years.

Retiring from the National Hockey League in 1971, Beliveau touched on a number of issues that are on the minds of hockey fans today, including the less than stellar performances of the Canadiens of late.

Beliveau told the crowd he was genuinely impressed by the evening he witnessed in La Broquerie. He started out by congratulating all the women for the hundreds of volunteer hours they put in “to make it such a beautiful evening.”

Beliveau was truly amazed by the pioneers of the game in La Broquerie nearly 50 years ago, who went into the bush to cut wood for the town’s first covered arena, which opened in 1953.

“In the 50 years I have been travelling this country, I have never seen anything like it.”

Beliveau ended his 20 minute speech to a standing ovation, assuring Canadiens’ fans the franchise will once again be successful.

Although Beliveau’s presence as the guest speaker at the banquet was the highlight for many, it was an evening full of tributes to the hockey and arena pioneers in the community.

Receiving special recognition were the surviving members of the La Broquerie Habs team in 1948, which included: Georges Boily, Marcien Boily, Denis Nadeau, Alphonse Boily, Gerard Pelletier and Gerard Tetrault.

The La Broquerie Habs had officially launched their 50th season celebrations with the six original players on hand to drop the puck for a ceremonial faceoff before a Hanover-Tache Hockey League game against St Jean in January.

At that time, the “original six” stuck around to reminisce at a social following La Broquerie’s victory over their rivals from St Jean.

The players recalled they were part of a group of 10 who formed a team in 1948, when the Carillon Hockey League was organized.

The team, which finished their first eight game season in March of 1949, won the championship in the second season, and moved from an outdoor rink to an indoor arena in December of 1953.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first senior hockey game in La Broquerie, the sports club invited back members of the original team to launch celebrations, which culminated with 450 guests, including Montreal Canadiens great Jean Beliveau, at the Habs reunion a week ago.

Throughout the season, old hockey photos and other memorabilia were displayed in an expanded trophy case at the La Broquerie Arena. Many of the photos are included in the Habs souvenir book, published in time for last week’s gala.

with files from Terry Frey