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www.durhamregion.com THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, JULY 2,2003 PAGE 13 From Summit Series hero to hard times Paul Henderson reflects on going from highest high to lowest low BY BRIAN McNAIR Staff Writer OSHAWA - Red-blooded Red-blooded Canadians with a pulse can't help but have it quicken quicken when recalling Paul Henderson's series-winning series-winning goal in the 1972 Summit Summit Series. But, while Henderson's goal past Russian Vladislav Tretiak is as well known and documented as any in the history of hockey, few may realize how quickly his hockey career went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. "I think the low point was when Harold Ballard got a hold of the Toronto Maple Leafs and it became obvious that we would not be able to put a winning team on the ice," says Henderson, Henderson, who was the feature speaker at the 28th Annual Mayor's Breakfast sponsored sponsored by the Christian Business Ministries Canada of Oshawa District recently. recently. "Especially after coming coming back in '72, and realizing realizing that we do not have a chance in the world of winning winning the Stanley Cup, that to me was just the low point of everything," continues Henderson, who never did win a Cup. "I had the high and then to come back and look at our team and what he was doing to it... He decimated decimated our team. That was definitely the low point." Fortunately for Henderson, Henderson, his life at the time was on the verge of a major transformation, one that would help him deal better with ups and downs, not only in hockey but life in general. Within three years, Henderson Henderson was a born-again Christian and a star player in the new World Hockey Association, where he had jumped from the Leafs to escape the oppressive Ballard Ballard era. "In 1972, I had everything everything you'd ever want. I had a great marriage, a family, I was the toast of the country and the future even looked better because the WHA offered me a great contract," Henderson recalls. "But I was really honest with myself. I had a lot of fears, a lot of doubts, a lot of worries, stress got to me and I was a pretty frustrated guy in a lot of ways." It was during that period that Henderson met a man who convinced him to look into Christianity. Now 60 and married to wife Eleanor for 40 years, Henderson says he spent "hundreds of hours" researching researching before finally embracing Christianity on March 12, 1975. "In 1972,1 had no spiritual spiritual dimension to my life, so when things were good I Warriors clinch playoff spot; Merchants fall into fourth MISSISSAUGA - The Whitby Warriors have qualified qualified for the playoffs. The Warriors rode two goals and five assists from captain Stephen Hoar en route to a 13-8 win over Mississauga in Ontario Lacrosse Association Junior Junior A play. The win improves Whitby's Whitby's record to 9-9-1 with one game left in the regular season, Friday in Kitchener. Kitchener. Ironically, the Warriors, currently in fifth place, could face the fourth-place Braves (11-8-0) in the opening round of the playoffs. playoffs. Matt Tayloi added two goals and two assists for Whitby, with Eric Howe adding two goals and an assist. assist. Nate Andres also had two goals. Single markers went to Ryan Sharp, Nick Carson, Kyle O'Brien, Bryan Riddell Riddell and Matt Savoie. In OLA Senior B play over the weekend, the Brooklin Merchants fell 8- 5 to league-leading Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener-Waterloo ( 12-1 -1 ) Saturday. Saturday. With the loss, Brooklin fell to 9-4, fourth in the nine-team league. The Merchants host Burlington Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Luther Vipond Memorial Arena. The Brooklin Redmen (3-3) were idle in OLA Major Series play over the weekend. Strawberry Season IS HERE! For Orders and Crop Conditional Call (905) 786-2153 ISIKMA'S ORCI -Hürlilll On Hwy. 2, 5 km east of Newcastle Village Open 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday - Saturday Closed on Sundays SUMMER CLEARANCE Save Up To Men's & Women's Seasonal Mereliandisc KAMEKA FOOTWEAR INC 1615 Dundas St. E., Whitby Mall 728-4197 Boarding • Daycare • Grooming • Training Register NOW lor Doggy Day / Overnight Camp! •Jê 2836 Holt Road Bowmanville 905-623-3940 www.nuperdogi.com/edcentnil j»l# was higher than a kite and when things were bad I was lower than a snake's belly," says Henderson. "But today, because of the spiritual dimension of my life, I understand what life is all about," he continued. "There's going to be good times, there's going to be bad times. That's a reality in life, but I have a mechanism, an inner strength now, a relationship with the Lord, that allows me to handle handle the situation." Henderson says he has spoken about The Goal "literally thousands upon thousands of times" and virtually virtually every day since he scored it, but never tires of doing so. As for the Leafs, he is once again living iri Toronto and rooting for his former club, now run by Ken Dryden, a Team Canada goalie in 1972, and Pat Quinn, a former Leaf teammate. "I thought this might be the year," he says of the Leafs' attempt to end a 36-year Stanley Cup drought. "Of course, crushed again." SUMMER CAMPS HOCKEY CAMPS j MULTI-SPORT CAMP JULY 7 T011 \ JULY 7 T011 ONIY • 4 hours of ice daily . arrival 7:30 to 8 a.m. • arrival 7:30 to 8 a,m. • depart 4:30 to 5:30 pm • depart 4:30 to 5:30 pm • FUN FUN FUN BRIAN McNAIR/ Statesman photo Hockey legend Paul Henderson takes some time to sign copies of his 'Shooting For Glory' book following following a talk in Oshawa recently. 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