Don Cherry recalls his starstruck moment meeting 'Mike Tyson’s hero'
Former NHL coach and legendary analyst Don Cherry recalled one of the only times he has been starstruck in his career. At 90 years old, Cherry has encountered countless celebrities and NHL greats. However, when asked if he'd ever been starstruck, his response came quickly.
On Sunday's episode of "The Don Cherry's Grapevine Podcast," he said:
"I already had a beer with Bobby Orr, so that doesn't count. That didn't count. Jack Dempsey. We were at this function in the American Hockey League. We were with Joe Crozier, the general manager and coach. He saw all the speech engagements. It was a celebrity of the year award, and he said, 'You're going to speak tonight.’ I didn't even know the guy's name.
"I was nervous, tore up my notes, stood in the back. All of a sudden, a big hand comes on my shoulder, and he says, 'What's this, son?' I looked up. It was Jack Dempsey. I said, 'Mr. Dempsey, this is for you,' and they were going to give him diamond cufflinks.
Then, Cherry's co-host added that Dempsey was "Mike Tyson's hero" and he was "the star of his time."
Dempsey was a boxer who reigned as the heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. He is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the Boxing Hall of Fame. Dempsey finished his career with a 63-6-9 record.
Don Cherry has no 'regrets' over comments that got him fired
Don Cherry hosted "Coach's Corner" on CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" for decades. He became an icon for Canadians. In 2019, Cherry criticized immigrants, commenting that Canadians no longer wore poppies to support veterans. This led to his firing.
Five years after his firing, Cherry said he still stands by his comment.
"I don’t see any change,” Cherry told the Toronto Sun on Nov. 9. “You go downtown. You don’t see any poppies,” he said in part, to which the reporter asked if he had any regrets about what he said.
“I have no regrets about the poppy. I have regrets when I see guys on television and I think I could’ve gone on for another couple of years but it was time to go.”
Cherry coached the Boston Bruins in the NHL.