The summer of 2002 was one of sorrow in St. Louis with the deaths of Cardinals pitcher Darrell Kyle, broadcaster Jack Buck and 1946 World Series hero Enos "Country" Slaughter. The world's biggest small town holds its athletic heroes close to its heart. Buck and Slaughter led long lives, but Kyle died a young man, leaving a young family.
In darkness, we always look for the light and two remarkable St. Louis athletes from the 1980s provided it with their selections to their respective Halls of Fame, former Cardinals shortstop Ozzie Smith and Blues center Bernie Federko.
Federko, the first player ever to record 50 assists in 10 or more consecutive seasons is a deserving inductee, a man who was a driven player and a leader in keeping the Blues competitive during a period of ownership instability.
Federko, a Foam Lake, Saskatchewan native, chose to live in St. Louis with his wife, Bernadette and sons Jordy, Dusty and Drew following his retirement in 1990. He is a color analyst on team broadcasts and remains active in community and charity affairs. He reflected on his journey recently.
"It is a long way away from home," he agreed, "but I spent my entire adult life here. Our children were born here. I left Foam Lake after my last year of high school when I was 17. Life takes you where you make your living. We've been very fortunate.
2002 Hall of Fame Inductions
Editor's note: There's nothing more self-fulfilling to a hockey player than to be elected to the Hall of Fame. On Monday November 4th, three new members, Clark Gillies, Bernie Federko and Rod Langway, will be inducted into the Hall in the Player Category. Roger Neilson, will also enter the Hall, as he will be honored in the Builder Category.
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"This is a very small community in many ways," Federko said. "That's what is so wonderful. It's so much like being at home. I grew up on the prairie. These are the same kind of people. For a city of 2.5 million, it seems smaller than that.
"I've been involved with all kinds of charities here," he said. "When players come here, they get involved. We're in the limelight as athletes and get to meet the CEOs of all the big companies located here. We strike up friendships, see them at the same functions, at charities and out on the town. As a result, you become friends with people in all walks of life and meet the people who run the major companies."
Federko played the first 13 years of his NHL career in St. Louis before concluding with one last season with the Detroit Red Wings. He retired with 369 goals and 761 assists for 1,130 points in 1,000 NHL games. His 1.13 points per game might alone be enough for admission to the Hall of Fame, but Federko did so much more and meant so much more to the Blues and their fans.
"This is a spot where someone really believed in me," Federko said. "I was Emile "The Cat" Francis's first draft pick when he came here from the Rangers. He believed in me and had a lot of faith in me. My first Blues coach, Barclay Plager, also believed in me.
"For a guy to play most of his whole career on one team is something out of the past," Federko reflected. "I think that the game then was so different without free agency. Players had no say. Management had the decision if they were going to move you. It wasn't until (Wayne) Gretzky got traded, or maybe the Jean Ratelle for Phil Esposito trade, that you saw players of that caliber being moved. After Gretzky got traded, they worked out a new collective bargaining agreement and players now move where they want to go."
In 1986, Federko and teammate Doug Gilmour tied for the Stanley Cup Playoff scoring lead with 21 points, the first NHLers to top the postseason scoring list without appearing in the Finals. He led the Blues in scoring nine times, topped 90 points seven times and 100 points four times. He perfected the art setting up behind the opponent's goal while Gretzky was in junior-high school.
Federko helped lead a gritty Blues to the seventh game of the 1986 Campbell Conference Finals when most prognosticators thought they wouldn't make the playoffs.
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Federko led the Blues in scoring nine times, topped 90 points seven times and 100 points four times.
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Federko started with the Blues in 1976. Over the next decade, the team went through a series of owners, including a local firm that essentially abandoned the team after a change of corporate leadership. The company refused to send Blues management to the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, a decision that would hurt the team for years to come.
Federko and others, notably linemate Brian Sutter, refused to let front-office chaos affect their desire to win.
"For whatever reason, the Blues never made that next turn after appearing in the Stanley Cup Finals in their first three seasons," he said. "But the people fell in love with hockey from the beginning. Hockey got a good root here but like any city, they want a winner.
"With all the changes in management and ownership, the players felt like it was up to us to do the best we could with what we had. We might not have been the best team on paper but we were determined. We had a blue-collar attitude and people liked that. We took a lot of pride in it."
The 1986 playoff run included the famous "Monday Night Miracle," when the Blues, down three games to two in the conference final and trailing 5-1 at home in the third period, rallied to win 6-5 in overtime on the late Doug Wickenheiser's goal. Federko had the assist, on his 30th birthday. They lost Game 7 in Calgary, 2-1. It was heartbreaking then but Federko now considers it his career highlight. Not for his accomplishments but his associations.
"We were such a tight bunch. We went out together and we all had that same attitude: We're going to show up and surprise some people and beat them. For some reason, the favored teams, like the Edmonton Oilers, were eliminated early that year. Montreal won the Stanley Cup and they didn't have the best record.
"1986 was the year we didn't have a minor-league system," Federko recalled. "We had only 20 guys who could play and no depth. Brian Sutter was hurt most of that year but he was always in the locker room with that same attitude. Greg Paslawski and 'Wick' had great years as did our goalies, Greg Millen and Rick Walmsley. Plus, Barclay was sick that year and we were determined to win it all for him. Our coach, Jacques Demers, really had that attitude.
"That year will always stand out for me," Federko said. "Unfortunately, you look back and Barclay and 'Wick' have passed away. But it's a memory that will stay with us. There was a great feeling in that building. People still say it was one of the great moments in St. Louis' sports history.
"When you think of all the pennants and World Series the Cardinals have won and the Rams' Super Bowl win a couple of years ago, it's pretty nice that fans think that was one of the greatest games of all time."
