Beliveau legend with Canadiens launched at 1953 All-Star Game

The 1953 NHL All-Star Game almost became a footnote to the activity of earlier that day in the Montreal Forum office of Canadiens general manager Frank Selke.

It was at Selke's desk that the Canadiens' long, often agonizing courtship of future Hall of Famer Jean Beliveau drew to a close with the big center's signature on a five-year, $105,000 contract, the richest pact in NHL history finally bringing him to the League. Hours later, on Oct. 3, 1953, he was suited up for his new team, playing in the NHL's seventh All-Star Game.
RELATED: [Complete All-Star Game coverage]
Beliveau hadn't been playing hard to get, he was simply being loyal to the people of Quebec City. The provincial capital was laid at his feet by a city that worshipped him while he starred with the junior Quebec Citadels, then paid him handsomely with the semi-pro Aces of the Quebec Senior League. In resisting the Canadiens' overtures, Beliveau was showing respect and consideration for the people who cared deeply for him, traits that had been engrained in him since his youth.

In fact, Beliveau had played five games with the Canadiens in the early 1950s before the 1953 All-Star Game, on three separate call-ups from the Aces. He scored six goals during these so-called tryout stints, including a hat trick against the New York Rangers in 1952-53.
But on the eve of the 1953-54 season's curtain-raiser, the all-stars in Montreal to face the Canadiens, Beliveau was conspicuous by his absence. He wasn't in attendance at what was called the NHL's first "million-dollar banquet," a glittering function held at the Windsor Hotel, where the League had been founded in 1917.
NHL President Clarence Campbell announced between courses, as gifts of leather shaving kits were distributed to players, that the League's Pension Society fund stood at $973,397.18, about to top the million-dollar mark with proceeds from the next night's game that was attended by a crowd of 14,153.

The media stakeout of Beliveau, instantly adored by Montreal fans who would deluge his kitchen table with their mail, began at the Forum on the Saturday morning of Oct. 3. The player and Selke were holed up for three hours in the latter's second-floor office, Beliveau accompanied by a financial adviser to counsel him on tax matters.
Shortly after 1 p.m., Selke finally emerged and told reporters and photographers, "Well, you haven't waited in vain."
All stampeded into the office to witness Beliveau joining the Canadiens with a few strokes of his pen, in the company of a beaming Selke and the joyful victory sign-flashing coach Dick Irvin.
"This is the highest contract ever given any player - - highest by a city block," Selke said.
He added that the lengthy courtship was never bitter, never contentious.
"Neither of us has ever made a crack about the other and Beliveau has always been courteous and considerate," he said of negotiations that spanned almost five years.

It capped a remarkable stretch for Beliveau, who the previous Christmas in Quebec had become engaged to Elise Couture, his first sweetheart whom he would marry three months before signing in Montreal.
The 22-year-old native of Victoriaville, Quebec raised the roof of the Forum that night when he stepped onto the ice with his new teammates, the defending Stanley Cup champions who would lose a 3-1 decision to an all-star team led by Boston Bruins coach Lynn Patrick.
Rangers forward Wally Hergeshimer scored two first-period power-play goals, the second with a two-man advantage. Maurice Richard pulled the home team within one on the power play early in the third period, Beliveau earning an assist.
But Detroit Red Wings center Alex Delvecchio scored into an empty Montreal net with 33 seconds on the clock to salt away the victory in a game notable for the third-period fight between Detroit's Red Kelly and Montreal's Bert Olmstead, Kelly saying he'd had enough after absorbing three elbows to the head from Olmstead that were uncalled by referee Red Storey.

Beliveau remembered the momentous day in "My Life in Hockey," his 1994 autobiography. Among other NHL greats, he'd face Gordie Howe, who would become one of his best friends.
"I found myself on the ice with Gordie, Ted Lindsay, Red Kelly, Alex Delvecchio, and Terry Sawchuk of Detroit; Fleming Mackell and Bill Quackenbush of Boston; and Bill Gadsby of Chicago, among other intimidating hockey greats," he wrote. "We had our own all-stars in our lineup, of course, including Doug Harvey (a First Team selection), and Second-Teamers Gerry McNeil, Maurice Richard and Bert Olmstead. We lost 3-1 but, to be honest, I didn't feel out of place."
Never would he be, in fact. Beliveau didn't exactly light up the scoreboard in his 13 All-Star Games between 1953-69; he had four goals and three assists.
"But I always enjoyed the game," the Canadiens captain from 1961-71 said years after retirement. "There was nothing more fun than having an opportunity to play with and against the best in the game. That's what always made the All-Star Game special."