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Don Cherry's 1st coach turns 90: Cherry says he learned a lot as a player and a coach from former mentor Murray Henderson

Tim Wharnsby, CBC Sports, September 12, 2011

The Boston Bruins summer of celebration is far from over. They still have a championship banner to hang next month and there is little doubt that when training camp opens later this week, plenty of stories will be traded from their title run last spring.

The Bruins were front and centre again at a North York restaurant on Monday. But instead of celebrating a Stanley Cup, more than 100 friends, family and former NHLers assembled for lunch to toast ex-Bruins defenceman Murray Henderson, who turned 90 on Sept. 5.

"A lot of people have asked me how it feels to be 90," Henderson said, sitting beside a cake decorated in Bruins black and gold. "Well, I feel pretty good. I move around little slower. But I don't feel that much different than I did a few years ago."

Henderson remarked the secret to his longevity has been to keep himself active.

"I like to stay on the go and keep busy, even if it's as simple as puttering around the house for the day," he said.

Dozens of former NHLers gather at this eatery the first non-holiday Monday of every month to trade stories and get updates on how former teammates and opponents have been coping. There wasn't a vacant chair for this special lunch.

"Hello, Dick. Thanks for coming," Henderson said, recognizing former Toronto Maple Leaf Dick Duff, who came over to wish Henderson well.

Henderson is still sharp. As Duff, Jim Morrison, Bob Nevin and other hockey friends came to bestow their personal best wishes to Henderson, the 90-year-old recognized them all.

The second most popular guy in the room was Hockey Night in Canada's Don Cherry. Henderson was Cherry's first coach with the 1954-55 Hershey Bears of the AHL.

"He was a player-coach, and the problem was he was a better player than any of the players we had," Cherry said. "He was a good coach and a good guy, just as he is now."

Henderson, who was named to the AHL all-star team in Cherry's first season, left an impression on Cherry. When it was his turn to step behind the bench 17 seasons later, Cherry felt it was best to be a players' coach.

"I could see how good he was with the players and that helped me," Cherry said. "All the players liked him. You don't have to be a bad guy with the players. We played hard for him and wanted to win for him because he was such a good guy. He taught me a lot."

Having played eight seasons with the Bruins before becoming the head coach in Hershey, Henderson felt that Cherry had enough talent to play in the NHL. But because he entered his rookie pro season coming off a summer in which he broke his ankle playing baseball, Cherry was "pigeon-holed as an American Leaguer."

"Don has been a good friend for a long time," Henderson said. "It was so nice for him to take the time to be here."

Another surprise attendee was Henderson's friend 88-year-old Jim McGovern. The two spent time together in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Henderson patrolled the British Columbia coastline for RCAF before he received an early discharge because his father passed away late in 1944. Because World War II had depleted NHL rosters, the Bruins came calling a few months later on advice from scout Harold (Baldy) Cotton, who received a tip from Henderson's uncle, Charlie Conacher. Henderson's mother, Catherine, was the eldest of 10 Conacher children.

"It seems so long since I played and retired from my working days after hockey," said Henderson, who watches the occasional game on television but doesn't follow the NHL that closely. "I went into the liquor and wine business after hockey for 35-40 years, but I've been retired a long time now."

Former Bruins scout Bob Tindall was the master of ceremonies for Henderson's party. Among the many gifts presented and congratulatory letters read, Henderson was presented with a replica Bruins sweater with his No. 8 from his days in Boston that was accompanied along with a message from another famous No. 8 in Bruins history, Cam Neely.