Walking With Legends: The Real Stories of Hockey Night in Canada [Hardcover]

Care to guess why "Walking with Legends" received one review here?

This is a book by Ralph Mellanby, who for years was the executive in charge of production for CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada." It wouldn't be Saturday night north of the border without Hockey Night, and Mellanby was one of the reasons why. He put together an outstanding broadcast, year in and year out, and showed the Americans that hockey really could be shown on television if it's done right.

The catch for American readers, naturally, is that Hockey Night is only available to Americans who live near the Canadian border. So, among major cities, that means Buffalo, Detroit and Seattle, more or less. Therefore, anyone without access to the program over the years probably won't be interested in this title.

Those who have seen Hockey Night, however, might enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at the personalities of the program. Mellanby worked on the broadcast for many years, and he became well-known for his work -- he even crossed into the U.S. for the occasional job over the years.

Mellanby starts with a chapter on each of Hockey Night's top personalities. That includes Don Cherry, Danny Gallivan, Bob Cole, the Hewitts, etc. As you'd expect, these are mostly flattering profiles -- remember how hired them -- but Mellanby has some good stories to tell.

Then, Mellanby reviews two major hockey events -- the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union, and the 1980 Winter Olympic hockey competition. Yup, Mellanby was there.

The television executive covers some hockey names and teams. There's some surprise on how little he thinks of current NHL commissioner Gary Bettman -- he's one of the few people to be trashed in the book. In fact, Mellanby is much more fond of former league president John Ziegler than Bettman, which is not a common viewpoint. Bobby Hull's broadcasting abilities don't receive too much praise either; Hull wasn't willing to work hard enough to live up to his potential.

Mellanby finishes up with a chapter on his son Scott, who played for more than a decade in the NHL. His pride is justifiable.

You've read books like "Walking with Legends" before. It's short, to the point, and has some interesting anecdotes. The publication is a pleasant experience -- particularly if you are a Canadian hockey fan.

Walking with Legends documents the career of legendary sports executive Ralph Mellanby. Mellanby takes us into the world of pro sports during television's beginning during the 1950s up to today. Offering us his candid point of view with stories on everything from Don Cherry to the covering the 1980 classic Miracle on Ice during the Lake Placid Olympic games, Mellanby charms readers with his witty writing style.
This book is great because it shows readers how sports coverage has evolved over the years. History buffs will love reading about the way things were during a time where television was still in its infancy. Mellanby did much to help it through its growing pains and shaped the way sports is covered today.
I give this book a two thumbs up and recommend it to all television fans wanting some entertaining stories that take place behind the cameras.