Slim and None: My Wild Ride from the WHA to the NHL and All the Way to Hollywood

From his start as an owner in the World Hockey Association at the age of 28 (“slim and none” was a Boston sportswriter’s assessment of Howard’s chances when he was first awarded the New England Whalers franchise), to winning the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and then on to Hollywood success, sports entrepreneur and film producer Howard Baldwin recounts his spirited and hugely entertaining life story.

H

oward Baldwin has lived his life according to his belief that the life best-lived is one in which we pursue our heart’s desire. He never met a challenge he couldn’t beat. Beginning with his move at the age of twenty-eight from an entry-level position in the ticket office of the Philadelphia Flyers to acquiring and building his own WHA franchise in New England, Howard has built an impressive reputation as a pioneer — and a maverick — in the world of professional hockey. As President of the WHA, Baldwin led the merger with the NHL, and then later became a key figure in the expansion of North American hockey into Russia. Topping his journey in hockey off with a stint as chairman of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he then moved successfully into the film industry, producing a number of outstanding films including the Academy-Award winning Ray.

Slim and None is a story of perseverance, persistence, and ultimately, personal fulfilment. Baldwin and Milton have crafted an intimate portrait of a life within hockey spanning from the rebellious 1970s to the tumultuous 1990s and beyond into the exciting world of the movies.

"1119185311"
Slim and None: My Wild Ride from the WHA to the NHL and All the Way to Hollywood

From his start as an owner in the World Hockey Association at the age of 28 (“slim and none” was a Boston sportswriter’s assessment of Howard’s chances when he was first awarded the New England Whalers franchise), to winning the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and then on to Hollywood success, sports entrepreneur and film producer Howard Baldwin recounts his spirited and hugely entertaining life story.

H

oward Baldwin has lived his life according to his belief that the life best-lived is one in which we pursue our heart’s desire. He never met a challenge he couldn’t beat. Beginning with his move at the age of twenty-eight from an entry-level position in the ticket office of the Philadelphia Flyers to acquiring and building his own WHA franchise in New England, Howard has built an impressive reputation as a pioneer — and a maverick — in the world of professional hockey. As President of the WHA, Baldwin led the merger with the NHL, and then later became a key figure in the expansion of North American hockey into Russia. Topping his journey in hockey off with a stint as chairman of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he then moved successfully into the film industry, producing a number of outstanding films including the Academy-Award winning Ray.

Slim and None is a story of perseverance, persistence, and ultimately, personal fulfilment. Baldwin and Milton have crafted an intimate portrait of a life within hockey spanning from the rebellious 1970s to the tumultuous 1990s and beyond into the exciting world of the movies.

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Slim and None: My Wild Ride from the WHA to the NHL and All the Way to Hollywood

Slim and None: My Wild Ride from the WHA to the NHL and All the Way to Hollywood

Slim and None: My Wild Ride from the WHA to the NHL and All the Way to Hollywood

Slim and None: My Wild Ride from the WHA to the NHL and All the Way to Hollywood

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Overview

From his start as an owner in the World Hockey Association at the age of 28 (“slim and none” was a Boston sportswriter’s assessment of Howard’s chances when he was first awarded the New England Whalers franchise), to winning the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and then on to Hollywood success, sports entrepreneur and film producer Howard Baldwin recounts his spirited and hugely entertaining life story.

H

oward Baldwin has lived his life according to his belief that the life best-lived is one in which we pursue our heart’s desire. He never met a challenge he couldn’t beat. Beginning with his move at the age of twenty-eight from an entry-level position in the ticket office of the Philadelphia Flyers to acquiring and building his own WHA franchise in New England, Howard has built an impressive reputation as a pioneer — and a maverick — in the world of professional hockey. As President of the WHA, Baldwin led the merger with the NHL, and then later became a key figure in the expansion of North American hockey into Russia. Topping his journey in hockey off with a stint as chairman of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he then moved successfully into the film industry, producing a number of outstanding films including the Academy-Award winning Ray.

Slim and None is a story of perseverance, persistence, and ultimately, personal fulfilment. Baldwin and Milton have crafted an intimate portrait of a life within hockey spanning from the rebellious 1970s to the tumultuous 1990s and beyond into the exciting world of the movies.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781770893641
Publisher: House of Anansi Press Inc
Publication date: 09/05/2014
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 224
File size: 7 MB

About the Author

Howard Baldwin is a sports entrepreneur and film producer. He was founder of the New England Whalers, president of the WHA, and chairman of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and is now CEO of Baldwin Entertainment. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Steve Milton has been a sports writer for thirty-five years. A National Newspaper Award finalist, multiple Ontario Newspaper Award winner, and Gemini Award finalist, Milton writes a daily column for The Spectator. He is the author of more than twenty books, including Tessa and Scott: Our Journey from Childhood Dream to Gold.

Table of Contents

Preface Howard Baldwin xi

Introduction Steve Milton xv

Part 1 From the Ground Up

"Howdy" 3

Parris Island: Basic Training 6

Boston University, Jack Kelley and My Baseball Career 9

New York Shenanigans, and a Big Break 13

Jersey: A Devil of a First Year 16

The Eastern Hockey League: The Real Slap Shot 20

In the Stands and on the Road 22

The Move to Philly 27

The Flyers Get off the Ground 32

The First of My Missing Roofs 36

End of the Apprenticeship 39

Part 2 The WHA Years: The 70s

Winging It 47

Game On 56

Finding a Rink, the Hard Way 62

Building the Whalers 66

The "W-Hull-A" and the Whalers First Season 74

The "W-Howes-A" and the Whalers' Second Season 80

Goodbye to Boston 84

Start-Up Fever 88

Hockey Comes to Hartford 90

The First Go at Pittsburgh 95

Letting Loose South of the Border 97

And Howe! (And Howe, and Howe) 100

Merge Ahead 104

The Roof Collapse 110

The Whalers and ESPN 114

The Final Six … and the Deal 115

Part 3 The NHL: The Prosperous '80s

Into the NHL at Last 127

The Whalers' Dark Ages 132

Francis and Francis and Co.: The Renaissance Begins 135

A Taste of Hollywood 139

Karen 141

Moving On 144

Part 4 The NHL: The Turbulent '90s

Back in the Game 153

The Penguins, Part II 162

Bumpy Road Back to the Stanley Cup 165

Embracing Change 170

Mario's Battle 176

The First NHL Lockout 178

Sudden Death 183

The Russian Penguins 184

Reluctant Bankruptcy and Leaving the Penguins 197

Postscript to Pittsburgh 205

Part 5 Hollywood: The Glittering '00s

A Taste for the Movies 211

The Kelley Connection 212

L.A.: The Early Days 213

Mystery, Alaska 215

Crusader Entertainment 219

Ray 221

Sahara 225

Mr. Hockey 231

Star Power 233

Part 6 Our Final Chapter in Hartford, and Beyond

The Connecticut Whale 237

The Guardian Project 244

Entertainment Value in Hockey - You Didn't Really Ask, But… 245

Honoring the Past 249

Epilogue 251

Index 261

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