Jean Beliveau (years of life 1931-2014) was one of those rare athletes whose personal reputation exceeded popularity and sporting achievements. Thanks to his amazing playing technique and professionalism, he has become a true legend and role model for millions of people.
Jean resigned at the end of the 1970-1971 season, winning almost every individual and collective prize. More than four decades later, his strong character and generous moral spirit still inspired many novice players.
Together with Maurice Richard (Rocket), he is one of the two most iconic hockey players who have ever worn the Montreal Canadiens uniform.
Jean Beliveau: biography
Jean Arthur Beliveau was born in the early 1930s in Trois-Riviera (Canada). He was the eldest of eight brothers and sisters. He started playing hockey from the age of 6 in the courtyard of his house in the city of Victoriaaville. Not a member of an organized team until 12 years old. His athletic ability caught the attention of the Montreal Canadiens in 1947 (when he was 15). Even then, the famous club tried to sign a contract with him, but the deal was postponed until coming of age.
At 16, Jean was offered a place in the baseball team that took part in the junior league. It is important to note that Jean Beliveau was a rather tall guy for his age - his height was 190 cm. However, he was quite dexterous, bold and strong. Thanks to such qualities, he began to play baseball superbly.
Soon he got into the youth hockey team “Quebec Citadels” and immediately became a real sensation. He attracted so much attention: when the Quebec Coliseum werena was built, it became known as the “house that Beliveau built.” In total, the athlete played four years in the junior league with the Quebec Citadels.
And finally, a significant day comes in 1953, when Jean Beliveau becomes a member of the Montreal Canadiens team.
Career in the NHL
Before the start of the 1953-1954 season. Jean signs a contract with Montreal Canadiens in the amount of 105 thousand dollars. At that time it was considered a huge amount.
Over the next 18 seasons, including 10 as captain, he scored 507 goals, gaining 1219 points. He was considered the best player of the team, even was the leading playoff scorer of the National Hockey League when he retired.
Jean Beliveau is a legend hockey player. He won the Stanley Cup 17 times : 10 of them as a team player and 7 as vice president (1971-1993). Among his many awards and titles are: the NHL champion, the Hart Trophy award as the most valuable player in the league, the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs, and was included in the list of 10 best NHL players.
Grace and humility
Belivo was such an experienced and wonderful hockey player that even his opponents admired him. Superstar Chicago Black Hawks Bobby Hull said that Jean could describe the game like this: "Goes where your instinct tells you." He added that every hockey player respected him for his strong disposition and self-confidence.
He became an idol for his compatriots and a public figure whose contribution to hockey was hard to overestimate. Jean Beliveau is a sports hero who was widely regarded as the ambassador of Canadian hockey.
Retirement
After retiring, his name was put on the honorary plaque in the Hockey Hall of Fame at number 4. He soon joined the Montreal Canadiens front office as vice president. He held this position until 1993, after which he retired.
While working on this post, Jean mainly advised young hockey players. In 1971, he founded a charity fund to help Canadian children with disabilities. It is noteworthy that most of the money came into the account from his salary.
Despite his fame, he always easily communicated with fans and never refused them, he gladly left an autograph. Former NHL player Bob Gainey noted that Beliveau masterfully combines “royal dignity” and “accessibility”. Not all famous people can do it!
Awards
After retirement, the collection of prizes and awards of Jean Beliveau continued to grow. In 1994, Prime Minister Jean Crestien offered him the post of Governor General, but Jean refused for family reasons.
Among his many achievements, it is worth highlighting:
- Knight of the Order of Canada (1998);
- in 2001, his name appeared on the Walk of Fame and on postage stamps;
- in 2009, the National Hockey League presented him with the Lifetime Echimance Award;
- The title of Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec (2010).
Death and Heritage
Jean Beliveau died on December 2, 2014 in Montreal. His body was brought to the Bell Center arena so that everyone could say goodbye to the legendary athlete. His wife Elise Belivo (nee Couture) personally thanked all the visitors.
Jean's funeral was broadcast on the national Canadian channel. They were attended even by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his two predecessors - Jean Crestien and Brian Mulroney. Beliveau and many hockey celebrities spent the last journey, including his teammates: Guy Lefler, Phil Goyette, Serge Savard, Bobby Russo and Jean-Guy Talbot. Despite the deep-rooted rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs, former goalkeeper opponents Johnny Bauer also expressed condolences to the family of the great hockey player.
Jean Beliveau (photos of the athlete are presented in the article), playing for his famous team, always wore a sweater with number four. At the end of the 2014–2015 season, during the Montreal Canadiens match against Vancouver Canucks, the team put Jean's sweater in the place where he always sat and a spotlight was pointed at him. So, every hockey player felt that their mentor and main fan was next to them.