"Rocket" Richard Hits the Ice
at the Canadian Museum of Civilization
Gatineau, Quebec, April 8, 2004 — On April 9, 2004 an exciting new exhibition on the life and career of one of Canada’s greatest sports heroes, Maurice “The Rocket” Richard, will open at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. "Rocket" Richard: The Legend — The Legacy will display the Maurice Richard Collection the Museum acquired in 2002, pay tribute to The Rocket and give visitors a sense of his life and times.
The exhibition will present over 100 remarkable objects, more than half of which were once owned by Maurice Richard. Objects on display include the last Number 9 hockey sweater Richard wore as a playing member of the Montreal Canadiens, hockey sticks used by Richard to score landmark goals, trophies, pucks, skates, sweaters, his Hall of Fame induction ring and the original copy of his retirement speech.
Tribute songs and personal stories told by team mates and opponents round out this portrait of a player whose memory draws Canadians together in celebration of our national sport. To many sports fans, these objects are among the most important items of sports memorabilia in existence — marking milestones in the career of one of the most illustrious players in the history of hockey.
“Rocket” Richard: The Legend — The Legacy includes a timeline of Richard’s goal-scoring career, scrapbooks, press clippings, photographs, video footage, significant historical documents and accounts of the 1955 “Richard Riot.” Objects ranging from a Maurice Richard lamp to a Rocket bread wrapper are also on display, and visitors can even record a story about The Rocket at a speaker’s corner and hear similar memorable stories.
“Maurice Richard was a hero to legions of hockey fans in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. In addition to his importance as a sports hero, he was a significant symbol in building the spirit and confidence of so many people in the 1950s and 1960s,” notes Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, President of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation.
The exhibition has been designed to appeal not only to hockey fans, but to anyone who either lived through The Rocket’s heyday or wants to understand his significance to Canadian history.
As the unrivalled star of the Montreal Canadiens, Maurice Richard became a symbol of strength and talent to an entire country. To French-Canadians, in particular, he was a champion and a source of pride. Fans identified so strongly with Richard that they rioted in the streets of Montreal in 1955 when they believed that he was unfairly suspended from playing in the playoffs after a late season brawl.
Richard remained a hero in his home province for the rest of his life and his memory is revered to this day. As a cultural symbol, he has become part of the social fabric of this country. The exhibition “Rocket” Richard: The Legend — The Legacy is produced in partnership with Canada Post and is presented at the Canadian Museum of Civilization until February 20, 2005.
FACT SHEETS
Media Information:
Media Relations Officer
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7169
Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7167
Fax: (819) 776-7187
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