As Red Kelly’s casket emerged from Holy Rosary Church with an honour guard of Maple Leafs alumni, a small patch of blue and white broke through the overcast sky.
A fitting end to a service that highlighted Kelly’s 91 years: The devout Catholic, family man and among the city’s most beloved hockey players.
“He was just a great guy, one of the all-timers,” said Leaf teammate Eddie Shack. “He played defence, he came here (from winning four Stanley Cups in Detroit), played centre and won four more with the Leafs. And I never heard him swear.”
Shack was joined by honorary pallbearers Frank Mahovlich, Bob Baun, Dave Keon, Dick Duff, Ron Ellis Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald and Jim Gregory. Also in attendance in the packed church was Leaf president Brendan Shanahan, general manager Kyle Dubas, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, new Detroit GM Steve Yzerman and the Wings president Chris Ilitch.
This St. Clair Ave. West church, next to his alma mater, St. Michael’s College, was Kelly’s parish. A homily was delivered by good friend Monsignor Robert Nusca and final commendation from Cardinal Thomas Collins, archbishop of Toronto. Family members led by daughter Casey gave readings.
“We give thanks for the example of a very gifted man,” Nusca said, “an illustrious professional athlete, a coach, a Member of Parliament (Kelly served in Ottawa while maintaining his Leaf playing career) about whom so much has been written. I will always remember a real gentleman with a wonderful sense of humour.”
Nusca joked he was so excited when Kelly’s statue was announced for Legends Row at Scotiabank Arena a few years ago that he playfully suggested it first be brought to the church and Kelly, unsure if he was serious, tried to talk him out of it.
“We were really lucky, just having our (team) 100th birthday that stories of all of our alumni came to the surface,” said Shanahan. “A new generation of fans got to know Red. As great as his hockey career was, you just think about what a man, a husband and father.”
People who are that successful in sports and set such a humble example in everyday life aren’t common in the modern athletic landscape.
“If you ever wanted to have an idol to model yourself after, you couldn’t go wrong with Red,” said Gregory, who was GM of the Leafs when the retired Kelly coached the team in the mid 1970s.
Baun marvelled at Kelly’s championship pedigree.
“Eight Cups is a pretty good number,” Baun said. “As an athlete, no one ever challenged him. I heard he was a great fighter, too, but we never saw any of that.
“My memory of him was as a Silent Sam. We had a lot in common, both farmers, me from Saskatchewan, him from the tobacco country in Simcoe (Ont.) and Dehli and we were both very quiet. Red never changed, always thoughtful and caring. He’d never telegraph that, but one thing you knew, he was as honest as the day is long, the friend of a lifetime.
“He and (wife) Andra, the two of them were so wonderful. Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay gave them a couple of Siamese cats as a wedding present. They bred them and I wound up with two. He used to chase those cats around the house with an umbrella, a playful side of Red you never saw.”
At Legends Row all day until 6 p.m. Friday, a book of condolences for the family is available for fans to sign. The trophys won by Kelly: The Norris and Lady Byng, his ‘67 Leaf jersey from Toronto’s last title team and his championship rings were all on display.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019