One of those opportunities came along Wednesday night when the Hall of Fame goaltender was presented his old retired No. 1 banner from the soon-to-be-demolished Spectrum.
In a pre-game ceremony, the 19,000-plus stood and cheered loud and long for Parent, the backbone of the franchise’s only two Stanley Cup championships in the early ‘70s.
It was a moving moment for everyone in attendance and one which Parent predicted would happen prior to the game against the San Jose Sharks.
“It’s with a little mixed feelings,’’ he said. “It’s reward but at the same time, it’s almost like you’re moving on to the next phase. It’s nice. This will probably be the last time you get on the ice and wave to the people who supported you, so it’s a beautiful thing.
“It brings back a lot of good memories.’’
Parent still can’t walk the streets of Philadelphia without being asked for an autograph and he’s been retired since 1979, when an errant stick to his eye ended his career prematurely.
“I’ve always said that the people, through the journey we went through, they’ve been very supportive. We’ve won two Stanley Cups in, what, 40 years. It’s not like we’ve won every year. And they’ve been supporting us all the time and it’s nice to be back with them.’’
In some cities, heroes can fade to the background. Not the Broad Street Bullies in Philly.
“Let’s face it -- out of sight, out of mind,’’ said Parent, the first Flyer elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. “But the Flyers, starting with (Ed) Snider, have done a great job as far as keeping us alive in front of the public as the years go by. It’s been 30-some years. Three different generations came along and, yet, 10-year-olds kids ask, ‘Can I have your autograph?’ When you look at this, you say it’s got to come from their parents, and the tradition goes on. It’s just a beautiful thing.”
A new biography of Parent’s life, “My Journey Through Fear and Risk,’’ is due on the bookshelves shortly.
“It’s not about hockey as much as helping you to overcome the ups and downs of life,'' he said. "I think it’s going to be beneficial to a lot of people.
“When you hit a slump (or) the valley -- a slump is worse than a valley. Sometimes, it can bring your greatest victory because than it pushes you to go in different directions and do different things. It could work out well.”
It’s no secret Parent struggled at times after his early retirement. He finally sought out professional help to get his life back on track.
And that life is never boring. Not when you live on a houseboat docked at Wildwood.
“I consider myself the wolf,’’ he said with a smile. “Not a dog but a wolf. If you look back at the dog, you make the comparison – the dog is well-fed, stays warm in a house, has a lot of friends. But he’s always on a leash, or inside a fence.
“Then you look at the wolf. You get the freedom, baby. You starve a few times, but it’s worth it.’’
Naturally, Parent is always asked about that memorable day in May, 1974 when the Flyers became the first expansion team to win the Cup. They did it with a 1-0 shutout of the mighty Boston Bruins.
“When you have a game 1-0, whether you win the Stanley Cup or not, when you look, it’s “wow’’ you have a lot to be grateful for.
“To be on that side that won, 1-0. The crowd was just incredible. I always said a good crowd will lift you to another level. It will make you perform even better and that’s what we had – have – in Philly.’’
reprint: Wayne Fish/phillyburbs.com
