“Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and the days of auld lang syne?”
Written by Robert Burns, “Auld Lang Syne” translates to “Long Time Since” or “Times Gone By”. It’s become the anthem of our annual celebration of the year gone by and memories of those we lost. Recalling sports figures who passed in 2022, one has more emotional impact on me than all others.
Emile “The Cat” Francis was 95 years old when he died February 18th. A goaltender whose reflexes earned him his nickname, Francis was a player, coach and general manager in the NHL. As Rangers GM he’s remembered as the man who engineered the trade that sent Rod Gilbert to Boston and Phil Esposito to New York.
Here in Connecticut he’s most remembered as the man who built the greatest Hartford Whalers team ever, the team that won the 1986 Adams Division title and lost to Montreal in overtime in game seven of round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, one of four playoff appearances during his tenure.
In May, 1989 – one of the most ominous months in the Whalers far-too-short history – Emile was replaced by Ed Johnston who infamously dispatched Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins, laying the foundation for the demise of Hartford’s major league hockey experience. I remember the press conference introducing Johnston and announcing Francis’ new position as team president. Sports columnist Randy Smith of the Journal Inquirer asked Emile if he could be happy “riding in the back seat” to which Francis famously replied: “A lot of people get killed riding in the front seat.” Point taken.
Early in his Hartford tenure I was teamed with Emile in a celebrity golf tournament in Hartford. We became fast friends and great golf buddies. We had dinner that night with former Whalers coach Don Blackburn. I refereed as they argued over the virtues of a wise guy reporter from Manchester. “Blackie” was a Randy Smith fan, Emile not so much.
One time he and I played with New London Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro and former East Catholic and Fordham basketball star Mark Murphy at Tallwood in Hebron. We all put our tee shots on the par 3 sixth hole within ten feet of the pin just as it started to pour. We took up a position under a tree where we could stay somewhat dry and keep close watch over our balls. Forty-five laughter-filled minutes later we finally putted. We all missed.
When my good friend Gordie Howe argued with Francis over the virtues of center Ray Ferraro, who had a remarkable ability for tipping passes from mid-air into the net, Francis argued that Ferraro didn’t go to the corners enough.
“I’d worry more about that if they put the net in the corners”, Gordie responded.
Into the later stages of his life, Emile and I maintained a mutual admiration and friendship I treasured greatly. Of the sports figures we lost in 2022, it’s his memory I cherish most. For Auld Lang Syne.
