Where were you in ’72? If you ask any Canadian who was around that year, they’ll have an instant answer – joining in a nationwide cardiac event. The  Summit Series was a Cold War hockey showdown between the best hockey players from Canada and the Soviet Union. To mark the 50th anniversary of the epic 8 game series, Canada Post issued a stamp and First Day Cover.  

Canada-Soviet Summit Series 1972 face off! 2022 stamp from Canada Post.

Booklet cover for the Summit stamps.

Summit series 50 years – Canada 2022 booklet sheet

 Jim Ryce designed the set and Gary Alphonso provided the artwork.  The FDC captures the excitement of gathering around the old tube tv for the games. I looked over the stamp a few times and have begun to notice some interesting little details, easy to miss. The determination on the players faces as they size up each other is great example of how Alphonso captured the tension of those games.

Summit series 50 years – Canada 2022 FDC

Backside of the FDC with details of the games.

Alphonso is an illustrator based here in Toronto. His style rang a few bells in my head so I dug around and was actually delighted to find I did indeed recognise his artwork. Digital Scratchboard Illustrator Gary Alphonso | Represented by i2i Art Inc. <- that’s him. I had a chuckle when I realised he designed the can for local brewed Great Organic Cider. Alphonso is a product of the Sheridan College illustration program, which produces some of the best designers around. 

How many hockey stamps has Canada issued?

The Canada and the Soviet Union match was serious business, on both the political side and for Canadian pride. It was about hockey and nothing is so deeply ingrained in the Canadian psyche than our national past time. How important is hockey here? Well, we’ve issued a few stamps over the years: 

• 1956 saw the first hockey stamp issued
• 1986, 1992, 2002, 2009 for the Winter Olympics
• 1992 Hockey League 75th Anniversary
• 1993 100th Anniversary of Stanley Cup
• 1999 Hockey Night in Canada
• 2000 (6 stamps) 50th National All-Star Game,
• 2001, 2003, 2004 & 2005 (6 stamps each) National Hockey League stars
• 2001 Postal Hockey Tournament (graphic cover only)
• 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation
• 2009 Montreal Canadians
• 2013 Hockey Pucks with team emblems
• 2014 Zamboni (hey! Don’t diss our Zambonis)
• 2014 (6 stamps each) Defensemen
• 2015 (6 stamps each) Goaltenders
• 2016 (6 stamps each) Hockey Forwards
• 2017 (6 stamps each) Hockey Legends
• 2017  hockey players past and present (2 stamps)
• 2017 Toronto Maple Leafs at 100
• 2018 Memorial Cup

Okay, more than a few. In 1997, Canada Post issued a stamp  to celebrate the 25th Anniversary showing the famous Paul Henderson goal celebration:

Paul Henderson & Yvan Cournoyer 1997 release for 25th Anniversary of the Summit.

Charles Vinh worked with Pierre Rousseau to create the 1997 stamp. They used Frank Lennon’s famous photograph of Henderson and Cournoyer celebrating the last minute goal that gave Canada the win. I suspect, this is why the 50th Anniversary stamp didn’t use this iconic image. Ryce and Alphonso didn’t want to recycle the shot and opted for a different perspective. 

The Cold War Summit Series

The Canadian team was composed of players who were already household names. Esposito, Orr, Hull, Hadfield, Mikita, Cashman, Henderson, Cournoyer, Dryden, Savard, Lapointe, Clarke, Mahovlich … names that rang out in homes across Canada every Saturday night and in every street hockey game. 

“Cournoyer has it on that wing. Here’s a shot. Henderson made a wild stab for it and fell. Here’s another shot. Right in front, they score! Henderson has scored for Canada!
— Foster Hewitt, the voice of hockey in Canada
Image courtesy Archives Canada photographer Frank Lennon
http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=fonandcol&id=4169306&lang=eng

We were brought up in the shadow of Iron Curtain politics and saw the Soviet players as representatives of the “evil” Soviet Bloc.  The games were an extension of  Cold War politics played out on ice and on small tv sets across Canada with political gamesmanship occurring on and off the ice.  Ever single moment was a heart stopper, much of it courtesy of a relatively unknown (outside the Soviet Union) goaltender,  Vladislav Tretiak. He quickly became a known, admired and feared opponent.  

Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak
Toronto Star Photograph Archive, Courtesy of Toronto Public Library

Lined up waiting for the 4th game to start
Image courtesy Archives Canada Frank Lennon / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, e010933352

It wasn’t long before Canadians were rattling off Soviet player names and discussing their failings and merits, just as they did with NHL players. They may have been the opposing team, but damn, they were still hockey players. 

Class is out and the puck drops

So, where was I? I was only 12 and not really a hockey fan. I preferred praying mantises and books to be honest, but I was acutely aware of how important this series was. It was in the newspapers, on tv, on the radio – everywhere. For Canadians, it was our chance to shine on the international stage.  With each game, the country came to a stand still. 

The series rocked back and forth – Soviets in lead, then Canada, then back to the Soviets until it all came down to the last game. You couldn’t write a believable screen play that included sports, high tension and a soggy sandwich (I’ll come to this part  in a bit). When the last game was announced, the entire country held it’s breath. Everyone fretted about being able to watch the game on September 28, and would our hearts be shattered. 

300 persons watched three dozen TV sets on sixth floor of Simpsons Queen St. store Sept. 28, 1972
Ron Bull, photographer. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, Courtesy of Toronto Public Library

TVs were set up at work and schools and the country stopped at 1pm Eastern time.  According to the Toronto Star, “Everything paused for the game. Crimes; accidents and fire calls were reduced through out the game; but resumed their normal pace as soon as it finished.” Hockey is serious business to a country that grew up playing it on street corners, ponds and ice rinks. 

I remember bits and pieces prior to the game. I wasn’t a big hockey fan, then or now, but the excitement, hand wringing and angst was hard to miss – “how could Canada let it get to the 8th game”? The Soviets proved to be formidable opponents. 

For the last game, we were trotted down to the boy’s lunch room where a tv was setup at the front. We pulled up our chairs to watch with the rest of the country. All was fine until the first goal by Canada. We jumped to our feet to join in the collective ROAR that spread across the country … and I discovered a soggy sandwich crushed into the floor. I sat for the rest of the game trying scrapping peanut butter off my runners and feeling mildly mutinous. And no, I wasn’t allowed to move.  But it was a good game, despite the sandwich. Best of all? We were allowed to talk among ourselves  and make noise. I didn’t have much to contribute, but it was fun listening to everyone go over each move taking place on the ice. 

How many heartbeats in 34 seconds?

After 8 heart stopping games, Canada’s national team did it. They won – with 34 seconds remaining in the game. A seismic explosion spread across the country when Henderson scored the miracle goal. The entire country was on it’s feet (even me and the peanut butter sandwich), yelling and cheering. Even our teachers were screaming in excitement.  

Team Canada 1972
Frank Lennon, photographer. Toronto Star Photograph Archive, Courtesy of Toronto Public Library

So those are my memories – roaring cheers, tears of joy and that damned peanut butter sandwich squished into my shoe treads. 

Where were you?

Were you in school? At work? Maybe one of the people who found a tv setup at a local store?  Share your stories below, I’d love to hear your memories of both the series and that last game.

And if you’d like to read more about hockey stamps drop a comment. I’d enjoy reading tory suggestions.  

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