Meet the Most VIOLENT Player in Hockey History

Philadelphia Flyers Defenseman Larry “The Rock” Zeidel was called the dirtiest player in hockey -- a vicious soulless maniac who instigated some of the most violent stick swinging attacks in hockey history.
His final act of on-ice mayhem, a gory bloodbath with Boston Bruins forward Eddie Shack, may be the event for which Zeidel is most remembered -- but it was hardly his most egregious offense. In fact, it wasn’t even his most brutal bout with Shack.
But the Larry Zeidel story is more complicated than just a rap sheet of his reckless assaults. By all accounts he was a quiet and well-spoken man off the ice. But what fueled the burning rage -- the unrelenting hatred -- that Zeidel unleashed on bloodied and maimed opponents in a savage 20-year professional hockey career?
Produced by Mark Willand www.prohockeyalumni.org
#larryzeidel #hockeyfights #philadelphiaflyers
Source of Larry's CTE info: www.washingtonpost.com/sports...

[@filippians413]

I give the guy props for playing hockey instead of becoming a serial killer.

[@skyluke9476]

I literally was thinking the same thing

[@Bollerkotze]

lol

[@Allan-et5ig]

He sure looks like one.

[@dirtycleansound]

Lol

[@johnmacneill7489]

It is a fine line

[@ericl20881]

Happy Gilmore holds the league record for being the only guy to ever take off his skate and try to stab a guy with it

[@v1oneshot69]

Lol facts Adam Sandler is so funny

[@rroR-lw4cy]

Hopefully it stays like that

[@smokeypotter5876]

I've played ice hockey all my life, a real player only uses his skate to glide across the ice and sometimes shave...the hidden shank in my glove does the rest. Happy Gilmore sounds like a children's book ,bring it Happy!!

[@altqq1755]

@@v1oneshot69 when its happy gilmore, billy madison or the waterboy yeah. everything else sucks doorframes

[@shaggydayvo704]

Weak....

[@phillyprice4460]

Larry actually lived in my neighborhood in Philly towards the later years of his life, a family took him in. He would show up occasionally to the bar me and friends went to during Flyer’s playoff games with a suit on. I ended up sitting next to him and introduced myself not really knowing his background except he was a former original Flyer. He immediately made a fist and put it near my face, he was just kidding though, he shook my hand (his hands were huge even for an old guy). We then had an awesome conversation about the Flyers of the 90’s, he was a really awesome guy.

[@shawnwright5332]

👍🇨🇦

[@TheAmericaninchina]

That has to be the most self serving and idiotic post I’ve ever read.

[@Malone4200]

flyers got cursed after the bat. Red Wings!!!!

[@ChristianStokes-nv7mh]

​@@Malone4200red wings are and have been the worst team in the league for some years now 🤡🤡 so really don't understand your point...and not even a flyers fan. But it's funny seeing fans of teams like you talk. Comment again when you actually have can make the playoffs on a consistent basis.

[@eddriver7815]

serial killers usually are

[@redram5150]

This is why there is a rule that anyone who breaks their stick has to drop it immediately for the officials to pick it up, otherwise they’re penalized for carrying a weapon

[@Speakertweaker-tp4em]

The officials never pick broken sticks up

[@redram5150]

@@Speakertweaker-tp4em then we must watch different leagues, because players aren't allowed to pick up broken sticks and have to drop theirs immediately or suffer a penalty. And the team doesn't have gofers they send onto the ice to gather them like a bat boy in baseball

[@Speakertweaker-tp4em]

@@redram5150 I’m talking about the referees the officials they can pick the broken pieces when the play is at the other end

[@redram5150]

@@Speakertweaker-tp4em six to one. Anyone who reads this knows the guy who hits the goal buzzer isn't gonna climb over the glass to get a broken stick

[@rick43pen]

@@redram5150 they've gotten real lazy or think they're too good to pick up sticks now. For at least the last season I've been annoyed at how broken sticks just lay on the ice and interfere with the game until they're finally picked up.

[@grl9917]

Larry had the classic signs of late onset CTE from too many concussions and blows to the skull. Most people think you can only get it in your 40’s but often it doesn’t exhibit symptoms, aggression being the major one, until the 60’s and 70’s. It can only be determined post mortem.

[@davido5058]

He sort of had a violent history long before he even reached his 20s, so if anything he had early-mid-late stage CTE, lol!

[@ag4allgood]

His own mother said he was born with CTE !

[@hugh2hoob668]

If you sign papers you can donate your brain to science and they'll pay your medical bills just when you die they get to have your brain and study it

[@a.s.4914]

Dear Lord, 100 concussions. No helmets, getting hit over the head with sticks.....I was born in 68', so by the time I got into hockey it was much more civilized. These guys were really warriors. As someone else mentioned, Gretzky wouldn't of finished one game in this era, just brutal. Thank you for this video.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

pretty incredible, isn't it? The level of mayhem in this era is hard to believe. you had to be super tough to survive. Thanks for watching!

[@kyletangen9446]

That's insane, I am surprised that he was able to live though 10 concussions, let alone a 100 of them. Amazing what some human bodies are able to withstand.

[@paulcadogan7153]

That's why the Oilers hired Semenko. Go after Gretzy, you got Dave and Wayne acknowledged it.

[@Calers-gu1ib]

@@paulcadogan7153 I was 15 when Eddie and Larry swung it out. I seem to recall that the Oilers were the first team to use a guy just to protect a star player with Semenko. In the past every team had tough team mates to protect people like LaFleur and Bobby Clark. I assume the idea came from playing against hack teams in the WHA

[@coreygavin9134]

@@kyletangen9446 i had that many by the age of fourteen with the first at two years old.

[@gregbatters1390]

Great video, met Larry on the bus while playing Junior with his son Jay. Larry joined us and graciously shared stories and knowledge about the game and his career. A real treat and the memory still fresh! Thanks for this, excellent job.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing that

[@mike62mcmanus]

Memories of years ago still fresh because he couldn't remember what he had for lunch... I almost guarantee it...

[@christianstokes7582]

Yea and I'm the president of the united states of america

[@markschlesinger]

@@christianstokes7582 I wish you were.

[@JoseVazquez-fu2iz]

@@christianstokes7582 right place right time. Rare but it happens. No one believes me when I tell them my first Florida neighbor was an electrician for high ticket celebrities. When I was 12 and really stupid, he invited me to Tracy McGrady's mansion without telling me where we were going, Tmac was away prolly on vacation or working. I can tell you all the vehicles he had in his mansion, the logos and colors, etc, how to get to his in home arcade and theater in the basement. I was such a shithead, I stole his jukebox from his bedroom as a souvenir. Back then a jukebox was Dell's version of the ipod. 20gb. Stopped working at one point and I got rid of it like most of our childhood possessions. Tracy McGrady's mansion will forever be ingrained in my memories like it was yesterday. But again, you're the President. I get that.

[@squatch545]

Half way through the video, I knew he suffered from undiagnosed concussions. He had all the classic symptoms. Wonderfully researched video, thank you.

[@robertdimarzio4490]

Nah. Probably just a side effect of zionism. It makes people extremely violent.

[@ThatDamnDoughboy]

@@robertdimarzio4490 I hear religion just does that.

[@ziggle5000]

It took you halfway through a KZbin video to realise old time hockey players weren't exactly taking great care of their noggins?

[@stpbasss3773]

Almost all the players in the NHL and NFL back then had many undiagnosed concussions.

[@Wetknees]

Utterly insane they weren’t wearing any sort of had protection. Even just the bit of leather that football players were using. And these guys were clubbing each other like barbarians.

[@matturner6890]

"... still anxious to drink the enemy's blood, preferrably at room temperature" Sports writers sure don't turn a phrase like *that* anymore.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

definitely ... imagine seeing that today?

[@kalebh8634]

@@ProHockeyAlumnigreat journalism died with character limits and Twitter feeds

[@coolmanjack1995]

What Im really getting is that in the 50s there were a hell of a lot of stick fights

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

it could be dangerous in those days ... especially in the minors

[@penguinuprighter6231]

@@ProHockeyAlumni My dad played semi pro all thru the 50s. He was never in a stick fight, but was in plenty of fights as a big hard hitting defenceman. He had a very low opinion of Zeidel.

[@donhuber9131]

Not much TV coverage to expose the violence. Only six teams, little national press.

[@penguinuprighter6231]

@@donhuber9131 Dunno about that. Hockey was well covered in 6 big cities. And all the dozens of farm teams were well covered locally.

[@penguinuprighter6231]

@@donhuber9131 Nationally..maybe so.

[@relic69]

Outstanding production, incredible research and vintage materials.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks so much ... one I got into the story it just kept adding layers.

[@RetroGamer8048]

@@ProHockeyAlumni Are you the one who did the narrating on this video?

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

yes

[@ronbaker3677]

@@ProHockeyAlumni Great job! 👍 love it (already sent it to 2 ex werewolves)

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

@@ronbaker3677 very funny! thx

[@mikekole]

I had the opportunity to speak with many Cleveland Barons 1950s & 60s alumni, and to a one, they cited Larry Zeidel as an opponent to be feared, wary of, hated, or respected. Also, admired. They understood the long toil in the AHL hoping for a shot at the NHL, and with expansion came the chance for many who could hold on that long. Zeidel did just that- not scoring goals, but giving and taking punishment. They respected his tenacity.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

great insights -- thanks!

[@BrytonBand]

The accusations of on ice anti-Semitism are disputed as you mentioned, it should be noted that his Grandparents did die in the Holocaust. A lot of people who come from traumatic backgrounds (i.e Natives and Residential Schools, the Irish and the Famine, Jews and the Holocaust, etc) gain that confrontational attitude from that generational trauma and take it out on people. I'm not condoning his behavior, obviously, but there's too many idiots out there that lack any psychological conscientiousness and think that some people are just born screwed up when that is obviously not the case 99% of the time. Larry was human like everybody else, it's just a shame that in his time mental health wasn't taken seriously. If anything, his brain being donated is a silver lining for future research on what we can do to move forward and help others to avoid a similar life to his by breaking the cycle.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

appreciate this intelligent comment. thx

[@GetBenched2010]

Don Cherry's stories about Larry are absolutely legendary.

[@danfuller478]

As soon as they said he played for Hershey in the mid-50s I was hoping they talked to Cherry. Next thing I know I'm hearing Grapes' voice. Loved it!

[@Mo_Taser]

My uncle played with Zeidel on the Blackhawks. I once asked him about Zeidel and all he did was shake his head.

[@BobSoltis1]

Yep - a lot of players who played with him thought he was just an animal - and rightly so.

[@josehorse]

Who's your uncle?

[@blmrgtr]

@@josehorsehis uncle was a ne’er do well, for sure. If ya can’t say anything good about a teammate fighting with all he had just to stay on the team, you’re a piece of crap uncle.

[@thomaskline]

Larry helped at a summer hockey camp for a couple of weeks. He was a nice guy and great with the kids. The famous stick fight with Eddie Shack started when Shack

[@spooner1]

My father and I attended that stick swinging game in the 67-68 season. I believe Bob Probert also donated his brain to science for the same reason.

[@clearcreek69]

I think Bob Probert fighting Larry Zeidel would be entertaining, but I think it would end in a draw.

[@robbee23]

But Ziedel was a stick swinger, not a fighter. In a fight Probert would have cleaned his clock.

[@MrDan708]

It was a different era, a time when grit was an absolute necessity. He was just more vicious than most.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

accurate ... thx!

[@djquinn11]

No helmets...

[@redram5150]

I read a book about Rick Macleash, talking about his days with the Flyers. One story involved being injured so badly he needed stitches down his neck and shoulder. In the next game he fought so much that afterward he found that all the stitches has torn and his pads and sweater absorbed the blood. But rather than seek medical attention, he drank himself to sleep

[@redram5150]

My dad describes professional hockey teams in the Canada and USA before the mid 1980s as “A bunch of goobers who were there to protect the one guy on the team with loads of talent, two guys if they were lucky”. The goobers were there to block the puck and enforce against the opposition so their one guy could get to the goal and score, while the opposition were trying to block and enforce themselves

[@mykofreder1682]

I was part pro wrestling or boxing to attract fans. Today 1 or 2 of these incidents, suspended for the season for 1st and banned for the 2nd.

[@michaelpatitucci247]

Larry was my partner and Great friend at JMS where we worked together for I guess about 20years. Many great memories and unreal stories , many of which you covered very accurately! Knew his family who he cared about immensely fairly well. We miss him!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks for sharing excellent memories of your pal Larry.

[@jaybloomfield5082]

Why wasn't he living with his children instead of being semi-homeless?

[@scottobrien7965]

@@jaybloomfield5082 you would have never asked that question in real life

[@jaybloomfield5082]

@@scottobrien7965 It's a valid question.

[@sergiocalcio9481]

@@jaybloomfield5082 dude really ? Figure it out. Numerous homeless people find themselves up on the street not because they can’t find living accommodations and help through family and friends , but because they are highly dysfunctional mentally ( due to many causes ) and do not want to be helped even when people are willing to do so . Many of them want to be on the street because that is where they feel most at ease , alone and free to answer to no one else is how they see It . Even when others are able to provide help , many times is falls apart because dealing with such people is never an easy task and the burden sometimes is just too high . Especially when they often want to be on the street . Perhaps his children tried but the cost of their sanity and well being among the family was too much ….so they let him be.

[@jacknakash2677]

As much as you wanna hate and despise Larry Zeidel for being a "goon" it was what hockey was to have at least one "enforcer" on a team But you can't take away the fact he was on a Stanley Cup winning team and his name will always be in the Cup RIP Larry Zeidel

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

I'm with ya ... if there were 7 teams in the NHL he'd have had a long NHL career. ... THX!

[@sergiocalcio9481]

His name will be there until they either run out of room or they can’t add another silver coated ring cylinder due to the size of the cup being too big . They can’t be enlarging it forever .

[@pie189]

I guess, dunno if that's worth losing the love of your life and home over in your late years when your health and wits start to go...

[@stpbasss3773]

@@sergiocalcio9481 They'll just put the original somewhere and make a new one, eventually they have too. I don't know why I called it the original because it's not but you get what I'm saying 😂.

[@codyvandall7951]

@@ProHockeyAlumni i

[@whambamshang-a-lang6151]

Well, he overcame adversity, played for my Cleveland Barons, and lived a long ass life even with cte destroying his brain. All I got to say is Rest in Peace ya old Rock

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

God Bless, him ... If there were 7 teams in the NHL he'd have had a 15-year NHL career.

[@donjohns5112]

9ok99is or not 99999to 9olo loo of 9 OP 9o99the is 9o9

[@wjlintz]

1:10 Love that '73 Pontiac Le Mans.

[@twittliff2]

Made it to 86 with cte, that's impressive.

[@bjbhehir]

That's what I was thinking too!!

[@ME-xq8bg]

I’m going for a mri tomorrow, I have all these symptoms. I’m scared to death.

[@mike196212]

I grew up in the 70s and remember very well the way the NHL used to be. I don't know much about Zeidel,but I'm not surprised he ended up the way he did.

[@grl9917]

He most likely had late onset CTE from so many concussions thanks to the NHL. You can’t tell until an autopsy and specifically looking for it. He had the classic symptoms.

[@Missditabomb]

@@grl9917 Could also have originated with his street fighting in Montreal as a kid. He showed signs of CTE very early in his career. His rage was not normal.

[@chipolmstead9220]

Larry had "likely suffered more than 100 concussions". OH. MY. GOODNESS.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

incredible -- imagine the effect this had on him

[@kenkur27]

And yet he lasted to his late 80s (though probably in poor health the final few years).

[@truthteller4442]

It was probably WAAAAAAAAAY more than that.

[@mannylevine962]

Probably because he was from Montreal, Zeidel was all wound up when he played the Habs. During one game at the Forum, he doled out a half-dozen big hits, including one on the Rocket. My father told me that there was an article in the Montreal Star following the game, discussing his big hits. When the two teams played in Chicago, Zeidel body-checked a Canadiens player near the Montreal bench. The Habs' Bert Olmstead, who was seated on the bench, pulled Zeidel's stick out of his hands. Zeidel dropped his gloves and began fighting several players who were seated on the Montreal bench.

[@daddy2jake]

My dad took boxing lessons to fight the local Nazi lovers in the Mile End. Zeidel is a fucking hero.

[@appalachianwoman561]

I'm a rural southern Appalachian mountains born and raised hockey fan, I love the game even thou everyone else around here is all about football, I never have cared for football and don't know the first thing about it. My love and loyalty lie with hockey, because it's a thrilling, skillful and beautiful game. To this day I'm surprised going back into history that the old timers that played in the days before helmets, and keep in mind for the longest time even goalies weren't given helmets; I'm surprised any of them survived except that perhaps aside from a few guys like Larry that most of the game was more civilized and they didn't go out of their way to injure other players. I don't even think Larry went out of his way, he simply put the tough guys giving his team or himself a hard time in their place. Still it's amazing to me that more weren't killed or injured in the days before helmets for all players including goalies by the flying pucks (those things are hard solid rubber and while with wood sticks didn't travel as fast still got up there in speed), sharp skate blades or by sticks.

[@sportsfix6975]

Very cool...I've seen alot of these players from my hockey card collections, but they were 10 years ahead of my time. Keep the stories coming, great job!

[@bobhiggins8814]

Enjoyed learning about the history of The Original "Rock". I played briefly against him after he retired at Radnor Rink (long gone) around 1969-70. He was a washed up defensemen, recently cut from the Flyers. He was a perfect gentlemen on the ice, but who, in their right mind, was going to challenge him. People just don't realize how skilled he was. I thought that I was a decent player that first evening, but a professional hockey player, even a retired old defensemen, really opened my eyes! RIP Larry

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

great post thx ... excellent insight.

[@robtwelve2589]

I can’t help but wonder in past decades if they could even keep up to the nhl pace today. I watch the seventies on KZbin and have come to the conclusion someone like Bobby Orr would just be another good defenceman today. Nothing special. Back then it was a slower beer league. The fighters made it even slower. It just seems a faster pace today. Mcdavid would’ve looked like an ultra superstar back then.

[@mumbles215]

Well today they have less guts and although very mentally tough (mentally toughest off all 4 major sports) the men had to be more mentally tough back then. They seemed scrappier back then as well. Better shape today, but tougher all around back then.

[@watcheroffools366]

@@robtwelve2589 McDavid would have been shitting his Pants if he played back then. He hasn’t showed the fortitude that was needed to be a scorer in that era. Red line closed down the game not goons.

[@howardsharpe2104]

@@watcheroffools366 I hope this is a joke. Any modern day player could skate circles around the guys back then

[@mrsuperbruce]

Larry Zeidel was like a father to me..........he taught me how to play hockey......he was like a father.....>I loved him and he had a heart of gold...........RIP Larry we love you

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Great thoughts -- and thank you for leaving them!

[@frustratedidealist]

Excellent quality in bringing history to life with your storytelling.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thank you, Scott. Greatly appreciated.

[@tomshaw6373]

This channel is pure hockey gold. Thank you for this story.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks for watching ... and for your kind thoughts! We'll keep goin'

[@atlantahawks98]

this is honestly kind of sad. he clearly had some mental health situations that were not addressed early in his life/career and the concussions made them abundantly worse as he went along

[@JohnB-mo4kq]

Back then, mental health care hardly existed. If anything, medical practices during that time only made them worse.

[@grl9917]

CTE for sure.

[@massform405]

Overly sensitive about his Jewish heritage.

[@idontgivetkachuk]

This was once again a great video man! Love your work!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks, my man ... greatly appreciated!

[@arthurnorton284]

Thank God the stick fights are extremely rare these days. Excellent video, thanks very much. I grew up watching the new Haven Blades, and new Haven Nighthawks of the AHL. Brawls on the ice and in the stands. Police involvement and blood everywhere. You could hear the players and coaches and referees on the ice ,what they said and yelled. A different era.

[@pg981]

I remember going to Boston Braves games at the old Garden.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

right... somebody I'll do a feature on Don Perry and John Brophy!

[@pete2091]

Nighthawk games were great. Guaranteed fights on the ice and in the stands. Grew up 5 minutes away from the coliseum

[@arthurnorton284]

@@pete2091 hey Pete, me too . Maybe 12 minutes from the Coliseum. Branford. It would be great to have a Coliseum and a AHL team back these days. The good old days.

[@ronaldbridgman4469]

Nice to see one of the photos I had taken some years back in Park Ex , looking down Querbes street from Ogilvy

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Very cool!

[@whiskeyrebellion4390]

My pops told me great stories of the 50s. Cigar smoke was hanging over the ice. Fans punching players as they skated by. Not a woman in sight. I'd give five years of my life to have seen that.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

you and me both ... Thanks for watching!

[@andjunglepunkthirteen760]

Ha!

[@joelwexler]

I remember the haze in Convention Hall. We'd be near the court as the players came on. Wilt would bonk us on the head as we mobbed him.

[@telnek]

Former hockey fan. I went to many games in Montreal in the 70's. I love tough hockey. I said tough, not armed. Fighting with a hockey stick is not fighting in my opinion. Anyway, the way I see it is, he was definately a loose canon. Some of the cleanest fights I saw was Montreal vs Philadelphia or Boston. For me, fights are part of hockey. Clean fights that is. Goon against goons only. That is why I didn't watch a single minute of hockey since 30 years. Players I scared to injure their hands and not being able to sign their contracts!!! Great video by the way! Cheers

[@CSIS25]

Man would love to see more story's of the old days

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

many more on the way ... thx!

[@mr.blackhawk142]

Which man???

[@57Jimmy]

Makes ol’ #8 Shultz of the flyers seem like a kindergarten teacher!🤣

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

iMO Shultz was legit tough ... he fought everyone straight up and wasn't a stick swinging idiot ... That said, the Flyers feasted on the Pack mentality and few of them had the same bravo who they were dispersed around the league. hammer did create kind of a cartoonish persona but in reality he handled himself pretty well.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

@Brian Bennett I see Terry a lot and he’s sharp as ever ... I think he has a head like Domi! The Rolfe incident was sickening and the Rangers response was just as bad ... always loved Nicky - saw him last year and he’s doing well.

[@greenman7612]

Bob Probert suffered many demons. One may have been the result of concussions.

[@appletile2887]

To be English, to be Jewish in Parc extension in Montreal he had to learn how to fight. He was a nasty piece of work.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Interestingly, a kind and quiet man once the game was over ... no doubt his background was a factor in his on-ice demeanor

[@mikedaberg6675]

I think being English more than Jewish, I know I grew up that way too.

[@rainers.2080]

Reg Fleming was another English speaking Montreal native. And we know what he was like.

[@kenkur27]

@@ProHockeyAlumni 'Kind and quiet' off the ice. That seems to be true of many (not all) of the 'enforcers'.

[@appletile2887]

I think Reggie grew up in Point St. Charles.....a real tough neighbourhood

[@larryoconnor8678]

Excellent production, kudos to Pro Hockey Alumni!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks, Larry!

[@shoelessjoe1905]

Thanx for the post I thoroughly enjoyed that! Well done 👍

[@shoelessjoe1905]

Yeah you show great research and we're still able to get a great rhythm giving clear and concise narrative covering many subplots in a condensed amount of time... nicely done 👍

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Glad you enjoyed it ... and thanks for your feedback!

[@RockyMtnAdam]

I knew Larry until the end through my dad, being only 20 now I was quite young. He almost left his Stanley Cup ring in our car once, when we were going to a Flyers game with him. He was always a great guy in his later years. Miss him and his wit.

[@kbckj]

screaming and crying after a loss, but also willing to almost kill a player during a game. what a wild hypocritical man.

[@sergiocalcio9481]

Actually his behavior borders on the sociopathic .

[@richbaker8211]

Those behaviours make total sense, he was furious to have been demoted to the minors, and felt that winning would raise his stock so he could return to the NHL. His fury was what drove him, and the concussions spurred that. Keep in mind, too, that this happened at a time VERY close to the events of WW2, so Jewish people were going through massive trauma. All in all, it's a tragic story that really needs to be examined for the effects of CTE and mental health.

[@holymoly8848]

@@richbaker8211 all those concussions probably didn’t help too much either

[@richbaker8211]

@@holymoly8848 exactly, that's what I alluded to in the last sentence 🙂

[@nyrmike9841]

Thanks for sharing. I have followed the NHL for over 50 years and now learn about Larry Zeidel.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks for watching!

[@mr.blackhawk142]

NYRmike, I'm an old time player and fan too! Zeidel was a 'fringe' player, and only made the NHL because of expansion. I followed the Flyers then bc they had 2 ex-Black Hawks on their NEW team!

[@JessCatlessi]

You did a great job with this video. I loved it all and it was clear thst a lot of work went into making it. Thank you. I enjoyed it very much. ❤

[@s.benedetto2147]

Excellent research was done for this video. Nice job.

[@twwtjohns]

It's a shame we're only now coming to realize the cumulative damage multiple concussions cause in the human brain.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

really makes you wonder about the erratic behavior of some former athletes, who suffered numerous concussions

[@danrode104]

Zeidel is a player I've never heard of? With a rep like that Its amazing. Great research. Thank you...

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks very much for watching ... luckily for Larry, he played well before the internet!

[@jamesewanchook2276]

Wow... great series... thanks, cheers from Vancouver!!

[@chrispraz5198]

"Belicose behavior"....love it👍🏼

[@jamesstuart3346]

Fantastic video -- very enlightening. I'd never heard of the guy but what a great story

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Many thanks! greatly appreciated

[@zeitxgeist]

Thanks PHA. Always great content. One of those rare Australian 🇦🇺 hockey folks here checking in

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

great to see that ... I'm amazed at how many countries are represented in the viewing stats ... Thanks for checking in, Mate!

[@jerrym.5237]

Very well done video. Subscribed and looking forward to watching more.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thank you -- we'll keep working!

[@captainskeletor7783]

Figures that he played for Filthidelphia.

[@d.chiasson3307]

And now.....from mile 41 Saskatchewan.. ..... I was a young cop pulling overtime at a new Mexico scorpions game. They started fighting..... someone in the crowd turned to me and said. "Shouldnt you be arresting them right now"? You got a point there... but I grew up playing hockey in Massachusetts....so I'll let em go.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Classic comment, bruthah!

[@d.chiasson3307]

Hockey is finesse and violence, rolled into

[@billybobking200]

Wow! What a good production! Congraulation.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thank you very much!

[@chrisparsons6686]

Love your stuff man always learn something new👊

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

I appreciate that! Thanks very much.

[@mode1charlie170]

6:08 just as I was wonder if Don Cherry had any stories about him! Great job Pro Hockey Alumni.

[@sheeplehunter9651]

I played for the Hershey Junior Bears as a teenager, Hershey has a lot of hockey history for a small town. Bob Hartley was the bears coach before being promoted to head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, where he won a cup in 2001 (this was Ray Bourque's final season and his first and only cup win). During the summer Hartley still held a hockey camp for youth players in Hershey and brought the cup to camp that summer, which meant a lot for a small town kid. *In a note completely unrelated to hockey but sports related, Hersheypark arena was once the venue for a historic NBA game. The NBA used to hold regular season games in smaller towns to bring more attraction to the still growing league, and the then Philadelphia Warriors would play 3 games in Hershey during the 1962 season. In their third game in Hershey that season Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 pts against the New York Knicks for a record that still stands to this day and is one of the most iconic of all sports records. This was prior television deals and most games were only broadcast on the radio, and as was standard practice at the time the original radio recordings were eventually recorded over by the broadcasters. It wasn't until 1990 that someone discovered a full recording of the 4th quarter and postgame show, which the owner had made during a 3AM re-broadcast while they were a college student at UMASS, otherwise there wouldn't be anything but a wide variety of accounts about how the game ended from different players interviewed over the years. It is now part of the national recording registry.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

That is fascinating ... and I'm grateful you shared such as amazing story!

[@sheeplehunter9651]

@@ProHockeyAlumni Thank you for taking the time to read my comment. I stumbled upon this video and it turned into a binge session of your content. Definitely earned my subscription and I will recommend to a few of my former teammates that I still keep in contact with; one of them is now a rink manager/zamboni driver for the Hershey Bears AHL team.

[@pumpkinking5174]

Met the Rock when I was a kid at a Flyers carnival. Dudes hands were like oven mits! Great guy in my book.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

most would agree that The Rock was a gentleman off the ice. THX

[@RawheadRex22]

Great vid and story! I rarely stick around for the whole thing but this was superb.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Awesome, thank you for your feedback!

[@davet3703]

I got to see Larry play in a game in Philly where the Flyers were playing the Leafs in 1968. The Leafs were Stanley cup champions. Larry was a blue liner and had a shoulder shrug as he stood on the blue line. You couldn't miss it. I played a lot of hockey in the Philly area and Larry actually reffed a game I played in. The shoulder shrug was gone and he was so relaxed on the ice. Old time hockey.

[@dangerbronco]

Quakers is one of the the most ironic team names ever heard for a Goon, I love it.

[@teesandersonn7885]

and my partner was Larry Zeidel, we called him the rock, you never knew what was going to happen next! - Keep your head up kid the don cherry story

[@mjhout]

Thanks for the knowledge!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

You bet!

[@bonefishboards]

Made it to 86 with severe CTE. Amazing.

[@kenadams9376]

Happy Gilmore tried to stab a man with his skate.

[@toritease6132]

😂😂😂 classic

[@YeezusGhoul]

12:08 Single flashing frame reads: "The Rock" "Larry Zeidel" "The RAGE That" "Fueled Hockey's" "Most Violent" "Stickman" I have no idea if it's in the description or if someone has already commented it. But if you wanted to know like me and is scowering the comments, here it is :) (Edit: It's the bloody picture as well)

[@aspalovin]

I have a copy of Pro Hockey magazine from 68/69. Complete round up of all 12 Teams!! 60 Cents. The cover features Hull shooting on Gumper with the caption 'Will Bobby Hull Hang Up his Skates. There is an epic feature covering the stick swinging fight and more called 'Blood on the Ice' and an article showing a dying Bill Masterson calling for helmets. Amazing time piece.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

loved those old mags!

[@orbyfan]

To quote Mr. Cherry from another broadcast, "Boy, hockey was great back in those days!" I didn't know that he and Shack had an earlier incident; it's too bad video doesn't exist of either. According to newspaper accounts of the 1968 duel, Eddie the Entertainer was the one who was booed by the fans, which sounds surprising. The Bruins won the game 2-1.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Good post, Jack!

[@kaivrock]

That the NHL condoned attempted manslaughter is shameful. That said, John Ferguson of the Canadiens was the scariest player I've ever seen. No one was safe. You'd have to be nuts to swing a stick at him.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Fergie -- ruled the 60s.

[@gordonhuskin7337]

lay off the soy

[@JohnJohn-do2oj]

Do you think he could kick Reeves ass?

[@peterjeffery8495]

Kudos Mark Willand, this is an exceptionally good video. Well written and presented.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thank you -- greatly appreciated!

[@josephqhanh2413]

Did he ever have a confrontation with one Gordon (elbows) Howe. Howe made mincemeat of Eddie (clear the track) Shack. The uncontrolled urge to win was out of control with hockey's less elite players. I scored a goal on Turk Broda in an oldtimers game and he was so pissed off he nearly took my head off with his goal stick. Great video production - thanks.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks, man ... he probably didn't face Gordie much in his career.

[@mannylevine962]

Howe and Zeidel were teammates with Detroit in the early 50's and played against each other for two years afterward. It appears there were no altercations between them, unless something occurred in practice. In 1981, though, Howe and Zeidel were on the same team in an old timer's game. Zeidel was body checking opponents, diving to block shots, etc. When he got to the bench after one shift, Howe said to him: "You know Larry, you're not 23 years old any more."

[@PieEater]

Great video, ive always had a massive problem with people who used sticks as weapons, if you have a problem throw punches not slashes, but then again i didnt play in the 50s

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

agreed ... have an issue -- drop the gloves like a man.

[@coachbrandon01]

I have a huge problem with people committing a crime, and calling it sports. Sorry, I broke your leg, BUT it was in an arena so that's ok.

[@richardthethird4034]

@@coachbrandon01 So I guess boxing and MMA shouldn't even exist?

[@coachbrandon01]

@@richardthethird4034 Two consenting parties exist in MMA and boxing.

[@Buddycoop1]

I find the whole thing sad. Bullied as a kid, then over does the getting even and carries it into the NHL. Head injury after injury, CTE, his family dysfunctional because of it. Makes the saying "turn the other cheek" apply in this. I know hockey is a violent sport but it's sad he couldn't control his temper.

[@dmac7403]

Going have to get some of his sports cards to add to my collection.

[@keithmacpherson6216]

Enjoyed this Story ,well done

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you!

[@paulkhrooger3556]

Hockey was brutally violent right until the late 90s really. When I was a kid my father would take me and my brother to Le Colisee in Laval where we grew up to watch Les Voisins de Laval and Mario Lemieux. The Quebec Major Hockey League (the Q as it was called) was infamous for its violent play as noted in the video. Going to hockey games during the 70s-90s era was like going to some sort of Roman gladiator ritual that happened to be a sport. It was wild. Part of me misses the sheer energy and visceral rage of the rivalries. Adams Division. For hockey fans who remember. Amirite?

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

excellent ... I enjoyed reading this ... THX!

[@williamluck3885]

Thank you for this, I learned a lot. Rest in Peace

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thank you for watching.

[@herokillerinc]

I just discovered your channel and I'm binge-watching, subscribed, and thumbs upping every video! If you ever cast about for a video idea I would love to see you do something on the brief Colorado Rockies franchise. I played youth hockey as a kid and we used to stuff envelopes beneath the stands for the Rockies to advertise season ticket packages and box seats in exchange for tickets to that night's game. One of the games was the first Boston Bruins matchup with Don Cherry coaching the rockies. They stopped the game with 2 minutes left on the clock because there were so many ejections due to the pandemonium and fights that neither side could field enough players for a 3 on 3 finish. It's a little known and totally crazy little piece of NHL history. Although the Rockies stint in Colorado was a short one, it was a very cool story, and having it all happen in my backyard as a young 12-year-old player.. I was on cloud nine!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Awesome …. Former Rockie Freddie Ahern is a good friend …. Lots of good stories about a franchise that was about a decade ahead of its time … thx!

[@rogerpr364]

wow! I've bin watching hockey since the late 50's and I had never heard of him, what a story!

[@christrudell7966]

Great stuff

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks, Chris!

[@Boxingbear]

First time I ever heard of this guy. Crazy.

[@trevorlambert4226]

Me too. Definitely deserves his place in the dustbin of history.

[@Mdrobile]

Hey guys I love ur channel I love hockey but I don't know anything's pre 1988 so thanks for keeping the flame going

[@guycalabrese4040]

Super, super, super good video! Thanks!!!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thank you ... appreciate the feedback!

[@altfactor]

Now I know the inspiration for the "Broad Street Bullies": Larry Zeidel!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

HA .. maybe you're right!

[@gregwasserman2635]

Minor League hockey was legendary for being violent and full of fights. When I was growing up, they advertized the local hockey team with footage of fights! I'll never forget those commercials. Minor League hockey could be quite competitive back then. There weren't as many NHL times back then, and it was hard to break into the league. As a result, there were some very good hockey players in the minors. I wonder if Zeidel ever played "Goldie" Goldthorpe, the inspiration behind the character Ogie Oglethorpe in "Slap Shot", who was legendary for his penalty minutes.

[@gwhite4818]

Hockey needs more Larry Zeidels 💪😁

[@davekatz299]

I remenber him when he played for the Flyers. I believe he played for the Philadelphia Ramblers too

[@lisalee2885]

Ending was WOW!!! Great info. 😁🙏🇺🇸👍

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks for watching all the way through!

[@ChiefSpookyFish]

I never knew there was a connection from the old Edmonton Flyers minor league team to the Philadelphia Flyers that we know today. Cool video.

[@alartandy]

One season (1971-72) Larry Zeidel did color commentary for the Flyers radio broadcasts (WCAU-AM 1210) and his commentary was indeed colorful.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

worked with Gene Hart ... I'd love to find a tape of that.

[@alartandy]

@@ProHockeyAlumni I'll never forget one game in particular that featured a multi-player brawl centered around Rick Foley and Glen Sather at MSG. I was listening to WNBC-AM with Marv Albert doing the play by play. The lift to the Flyers broadcast booth stalled, leaving a stranded Larry Zeidel surrounded by hostile Rangers fans as the fight on the ice ensued. Albert said to Bill Chadwick, "I don't think the fans know who they are dealing with!"

[@insertnamehere313]

He taught Brad Marchand everything he knows 😂🤔🤣🤣

[@nickb3510]

Marchand is sneaky. Wouldn't call him violent, nor would I say anyone fears him

[@MetalDetroit]

@@nickb3510 Slew foot is pretty damn violent

[@nickb3510]

@@MetalDetroit I suppose it is subjective. Slewfoot to me is the sneakiest of the sneakys but I guess the outcome means just as much

[@insertnamehere313]

@@nickb3510 😆👍

[@insertnamehere313]

@@MetalDetroit let's not forget his batting average swinging his stick at people or the famous "hidden high sticks to the nuts"all can be defined as "The Marchand"🤣

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

I never minded fighting but you’ve gotta leave sticks out of it. The flyers ruined hockey for a time and now the game is really great.

[@stanleymasterson1135]

The game is GARBAGE now. Its as boring as baseball very often. Youre obviously too young to remember the 70's through 90's. THAT was real hockey. It was ultra physical, not like the lame, overregulated pansy hockey of today

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

@@stanleymasterson1135 LOL! I’ve been watching hockey since the 1960’s. AAA Buffalo Bisons. Montreal was my favorite team in the 1970’s. My favorite three rule changes are no two line pass, limiting icing and no whistles when the puck is at the boards. Just keep skating.

[@jakestewart6024]

@@stanleymasterson1135 just watch fighting

[@brendouhtredo425]

@@jamesdellaneve9005 completely agree with you on those rule amendments. I'm also grateful that teams no longer use the "trap defense" strategy. It made games so damn boring!

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

@@brendouhtredo425 My dad to my and my brother to the AHL Buffalo Bison games and since I was 6 years old hated watching players give up in the corners. It was so stupid and benefited neither team.

[@demilishing]

Fantastic reporting, great job.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Many thanks! Greatly appreciate ... it's story that seems to have resonated with many ... appreciate the feedback!

[@demilishing]

@@ProHockeyAlumni No problem! Some more feedback to reinforce what I assume you already know haha. I have watched some of your other videos but when I watched this one I thought it was particularly good and as a result have your channel open in another tab to watch your videos later! Quality over quantity, this is in my opinion likely one of the reasons your channel is doing so well now and growing quite quickly! Congratulations on the success and goodluck in the future!

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

@@demilishing Thanks again ... I greatly appreciate that ... I have an intelligent audience so these videos have to be accurate as well as entertaining! ... I'm glad you are with us and thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts.

[@immanuelcan3310]

Brain trauma. He was probably so concussed that his synapses were dying, and he was experiencing instinctive outburst of uncontrollable rage.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

I think you've got it right. THX!

[@hellinterface6721]

6:01 Cherry says here he's the most violent person ASIDE from "Mad Dog" Madigan though. Great vid btw.

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Thanks ... Mad Dog was nasty but the Rock wins based on sheer volume of atrocities.

[@Boxingbear]

Another name that you hear from that era was a guy named Sprague Cleghorn. But he wasn't an idiot like this guy. He was perhaps the first true enforcer.

[@mr.blackhawk142]

SM, Connie Madigan played for the Portland Buckaroos in the WHL. He and Ted McCasKILL used to duke it out in Vancouver a lot. That was GREAT hockey from the 60s! The LAST year WHL Canucks were STACKED because they amalgamated with ex-Rochester players when they folded in late 60s.

[@mr.blackhawk142]

@@Boxingbear Cleghorn was BEFORE electricity!!! L0L

[@darcydomanko6396]

Great video, thanks

[@ProHockeyAlumni]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for your comment!