Michael McKinley (2) (1961–)

Originally written for the paperback version of the book:

A well written book that has extensive details on the early formation of hockey. Includes details that are hard to find in any other book. Great for learning about the pre-NHL history of the game, as well as some of the lesser known, and shadier, aspects of the Original Six era. Also offers a short description of the Summit Series, possibly one of the most defining tournaments in sports history.

The only problems I had with the book were few and far between. A lack of a bibliography stands out, which would have been nice for someone hoping to look further into the subject at hand. I also saw, in one chapter at least (about Cyclone Taylor), what looked like a clear case of plagiarism, with a whole paragraph lifted out of another book written about Taylor (Cyclone Taylor: A Hockey Legend, by Eric Whitehead). There were also several factual errors, with the author giving the wrong years for players winning awards in nearly every occasion. One that stood out for me was stating that Syl Apps was the first winner of the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year in 1937 when Carl Voss was the inaugural winner in 1933. This happened several times, and by the end I was becoming concerned that if the author couldn't get these simple dates correct, what other parts of the book are wrong, specifically parts that aren't so easy to find a source for.

Regardless, the book is excellent for anyone looking to learn how hockey rose from nothing to become the sport that it is today.… (meer)