When Bobby Hull truly was the Golden Jet

Black Hawk great Bobby Hull’s death at 84 brought me back to his second season of 1958-59.

All eyes followed Bobby at my first Hawks game at the old Stadium on a Saturday afternoon against the Rangers. Tho not yet a scoring star, garnering just 13 goals in his rookie season, Bobby became an instant hero among Hawks fans as he symbolized the Hawks ascent from their long stay at the bottom of the 6 team NHL.

We weren’t disappointed as Bobby made several of his end to end dashes down the ice with his then golden locks flying straight back in the days before helmets. That is how he earned his lifelong moniker the Golden Jet. Even better, Bobby scored one of his 18 sophomore season goals that wonderful day.

A year later he became a goal machine, netting 573 more Hawk goals over 13 more seasons before owner Bill Wirtz dumped him to save money. That after a 50 goal season with his 4th highest point total in 15 seasons.

Hull had serious personal issues with domestic violence and white nationalist views that would have ended his career early on had he been playing this century. But for 15 seasons and seven more in the WHL, which paid him what the Hawks should have, Hull’s 913 goals and end to end rushes were worth the price of admission.