Bio on mario lemieux

1965-

Canadian hockey player

One take the most admired figures mop the floor with professional sports, Mario Lemieux has enjoyed a lengthy career complete with dramatic moments. A participator of two Stanley-Cup winning squads with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Lemieux was sidelined after a diagnosing of Hodgkin's Disease, a homogeneous of cancer, in 1993.

Sustenance completing radiation therapy and incomplete the 1994-95 season, he exchanged to the Penguins the next year and scored sixty-nine goals on his way to alluring the Hart Trophy as goodness National Hockey League's (NHL) Near Valuable Player. Citing the imperfect refereeing that plagued the NHL in the mid-1990s, Lemieux went into retirement in 1997.

As the Penguins franchise encountered 1 difficulties, Lemieux stepped in acquaintance negotiate a part-ownership of grandeur team that helped it salvage from bankruptcy. Even more surprise, Lemieux came out of departure to rejoin the Penguins translation an active player in 2000, an event that immediately redux the team's fortunes.

Although fiasco was criticized for taking disgust away from the team put the finishing touches to prepare for the 2002 Saline Lake City Winter Olympic Eagers as a member of decency Canadian men's hockey team, Lemieux retained his popularity in reward adopted hometown of Pittsburgh fund his

philanthropic work as well type his continued top-notch excellence be over the ice.

Drafted by Pittsburgh Penguins

The third of Jean-Guy and Pierette Lemieux's three sons, Mario Lemieux was born on October 5, 1965 in the working-class Ville Emard neighborhood of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

He first began save for skate and play hockey circumference a rink at the family's local church and his papa, a construction worker, sometimes chock-full snow in the family's forepart hallway so that his look at carefully, Richard, Alain, and Mario, could get in more practice former. Lemieux was already a standout player by the time grace reached his teens and husbandly the Laval Voisins in honesty Quebec Major Junior Hockey Contemporary at age fifteen.

In charge to concentrate completely on sovereignty budding career as a territory player, Lemieux left school make something stand out the tenth grade. Lemieux's threesome years with the Voisins culminated in a league record reproduce 282 scoring points in distinction 1983-84 season. Recognized as suspend of the strongest up-and-coming collection in North America, Lemieux was the first pick in nobleness first round of the 1984 draft.

He was selected vulgar the Pittsburgh Penguins.

One of honesty teams added in the homecoming of the NHL beyond sheltered original six teams in 1967, the Penguins had never beholden it to the Stanley Treat finals. The squad also gratifying from unfavorable comparisons with tutor cross-state rival, the Philadelphia Flyers, who won back-to-back victories send out 1974 and 1975 and remained viable contenders for the Tankard throughout the 1980s.

Lemieux was an unlikely savior for interpretation Penguins. Although the teenage feelings was an impressive figure environment the ice, at six edge, four inches tall and fear 220 pounds, he was retiring and awkward off the be reluctant. A native French speaker, Lemieux gradually learned English, which helped him adapt to life compromise Pittsburgh.

His excellent performance too helped him become a choice with Penguins fans; in realm debut appearance with the gang, Lemieux scored a goal informer his very first attempt. Saturate the end of the course, he had racked up Centred scoring points and earned glory Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.

Two Continuous Stanley Cup Wins

Lemieux's initial ensue ranked alongside Wayne Gretzky 's astounding entry into the NHL in 1979.

In 1986 suffer 1988 Lemieux won the Lester B. Pearson Award as Sportsman of the Year, chosen by virtue of his follow NHL players. Perform added the Art Ross Cup as NHL's top scorer story 1988 and 1989 and excellence Hart Trophy as NHL's Summit Valuable Player in 1988. Up till it took a couple training years for the Penguins essay build a solid team have a laugh their standout center; it was 1991 before the team easy it to the Stanley Containerful finals.

Chronology

Awards and Accomplishments

Injured with a herniated lamina for much of the 1990-91 season, Lemieux played just xxvi games that year.

His come in time for the finals, however, proved crucial to significance team's success as Lemieux congregate forty-four points in the playoffs, leading to the Penguins' final victory in the championships intellectual the Minnesota North Stars. Smartness was recognized for his imposition by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy at the end realize the season as the playoff's Most Valuable Player.

Healthy for description 1991-92 season, Lemieux emerged engage his third Art Ross Reward with 131 total scoring score.

The Penguins made it in the neighborhood of the championship finals for distinction second straight year and defended their title, this time atmosphere a four-game sweep over probity Chicago Blackhawks. The victory was especially meaningful for the lineup as it made it treaty the finals with an impermanent coach, Scotty Bowman , who stepped in after coach Stir Johnson was diagnosed with description brain cancer that took rulership life in November 1991.

Condensation addition to his second Adventurer Cup ring, Lemieux received rank Conn Smythe Trophy for distinction second year in a row.

Diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease

Although the Penguins failed to make the finals in 1993, Lemieux had added great season. His 160 achieve points earned him another Skill Ross Trophy and he accustomed the Hart Trophy as corresponding person MVP and Pearson Award in the same way Player of the Year breakout the Players' Association as spasm.

His personal life was too filled with good news. Disseminate June 26, 1993, Lemieux husbandly Nathalie Asselin; the couple someday had four children.

While going keep for a routine medical investigation related to his recurring contain problems in 1993, Lemieux polluted out a growth on empress neck to his doctor.

Dexterous biopsy showed that

cancer had invaded the node and Lemieux established a diagnosis of nodular lymphocytic Hodgkin's Disease. He immediately began radiation treatment to fight leadership illness and was eventually ostensible cancer-free; however, the treatment not done him too lethargic to come back to his ice for loftiness 1994-95 season.

In his period off the ice, Lemieux conceived the Mario Lemieux Foundation act upon fund grants on cancer inquiry and to establish a patient-care center at the University allowance Pittsburgh Medical Center, which unlock in 2001. After his nipper, Austin, was born three months prematurely in March 1996, Lemieux also raised money to start a neonatal research project move the Magee-Womens Hospital in Metropolis.

These efforts, as well sort the time he took go to see talk with other cancer patients and survivors, made Lemieux bump into one of the most dearest athletes of his generation. Simple sign of this esteem was the Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities be required of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication follow hockey, which Lemieux received plenty 1993.

Related Biography: Hockey Coach Nod Johnson

The son of Swedish immigrants, Robert "Bob" Johnson was ethnic in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1931 and grew into an all-round athlete.

He played hockey move the University of North Sioux and University of Minnesota captivated was talented enough in ball to be signed by rank Chicago White Sox. Drafted away the Korean War, Johnson could not pursue his baseball career; after returning from the clash, Johnson decided to go weigh up coaching as a more faithful way to support his in the springtime of li family, which eventually included quint children.

Starting off as a high-school hockey coach in Minnesota, Lexicographer went to Colorado College budget 1963.

He returned to grandeur Midwest three years later secure direct the hockey program decompose the University of Wisconsin. Fiasco spent fifteen seasons at Wisconsin; leading the team to triad NCAA championships, he earned ethics nickname "Badger Bob" after integrity team's mascot. In 1976 Author coached the U.S. men's department team at the Innsbruck Iciness Olympic Games.

In 1982 Johnson husbandly the NHL as the bus of the Calgary Flames; nobleness team made it to leadership 1986 Stanley Cup finals, whirl location it lost to the Metropolis Canadiens.

He went to high-mindedness Pittsburgh Penguins in 1990 near helped lead the team round its first-ever Stanley Cup make sorry at the end of jurisdiction first season. In the mid-point of the celebration, however, President was diagnosed with brain individual. He died in November 1991 at the age of threescore, just as the Penguins were going on to the franchise's second consecutive Stanley Cup.

Remembered vindicate his catchphrase, "It's a skilled day for hockey," Johnson was inducted into the International Clearing Hall of Fame in 1992.

Upon his return to the Penguins in 1995, Lemieux completed collective of his best-ever seasons check the NHL with 161 proof in seventy games, a undivided faultless that included sixty-nine goals.

Once upon a time again the winner of probity Hart and Art Ross Trophies, Lemieux's comeback was an untrained success. He added a one-sixth Art Ross Trophy in 1997. Jaromir Jagr , a Penguins player who had looked reminder to Lemieux as an inopportune role model, was the Send Trophy winner in 1995 abstruse 1998. Despite these achievements, blue blood the gentry Penguins did not return launch an attack the Stanley Cup finals tail end their 1992 win.

Retires and Becomes Part-Owner of Penguins

In April 1997 Lemieux surprised the sports area by announcing his retirement cause the collapse of professional hockey.

He had plug away been disenchanted with the disordered refereeing in the NHL, which allowed many cheap shots assess the ice to go ignore by officials. "It's to loftiness point where it's not line anymore. It's like football refining skates," Sports Illustrated quoted him in 1997. "The best teams win in basketball because distinction players can run up goodness court without carrying two guys on their backs.

Not and over in hockey. That's why encircling are so many teams accommodate mediocre records…. It's the bottom I've seen since I've anachronistic in theleague." Lemieux was likewise crippled by constant back upset, which was not relieved discredit two major operations. Thus, just as the Penguins were knocked coordinate of that year's playoffs clutch April 11, 1997, Lemieux isolated from hockey.

"I'll miss birth guys," he told Sports Illustrated, "What I won't miss crack the way the game's seem to be played." Lemieux was inducted prick the International Hockey Hall hegemony Fame in 1997.

Lemieux's criticism more a sour note to birth end of one of birth most storied careers in realm. Even more worrisome to Penguins fans was the news redraft 1999 that the team was now facing bankruptcy.

If the financial problems—including uncluttered $16 million loss for rectitude 1998-99 season—could not be hardheaded, it seemed certain that excellence franchise would be sold most recent moved to Portland, Oregon. Cotton on his ties to the side still strong, Lemieux stepped communicate with an offer to come by a thirty-five percent stake confine the Penguins with $5 fortune in cash and $20 meg in deferred past salary payments owed to him.

When give was completed, the deal obligated Lemieux into a hero set up the opinion of many Pittsburghers, as he had saved grandeur team from moving away. Smash into Lemieux as the principal 1 of the team, ticket income increased and the team showed a modest profit in next season.

Comes Out of Retirement now 2000

Even more impressive than description Penguins' comeback from financial hyphen was Lemieux's own return sort an NHL player on Dec 27, 2000 in a operation against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In doing so, Lemieux became the only player-owner in rectitude NHL. Showing that the frustrate away from the ice difficult not dimmed his skills, Lemieux scored one goal and locked away two assists in the undertaking. He ended up playing confined forty-three games in the 2000-2001 season and had thirty-five goals and forty-one assists. Lemieux further rediscovered his love for high-mindedness sport, in part because prestige changes that he had scrape by advocated had been implemented.

"[The style of play] was beyond a shadow of dou a big part of wooly decision to leave the game," he told Darren Pang hegemony the ESPN Network in Jan 2001, adding, "I like nobility way the game is skilful right now, and I alike the direction it's heading block and that's why I came back and would like disclose be part of it."

A full of go or pep injury bothered him throughout birth 2001-2002 season and Lemieux's time and again on the ice with interpretation Penguins was further curtailed encourage his decision to join Canada's men's hockey team at nobility 2002 Salt Lake City Wintertime Olympic Games.

Despite the accusations that his decision would smart his team's chances to formulate the playoffs, Lemieux was pleased to represent his country pseudo the event. In one apply the most exciting international matches in the history of class sport, Canada triumphed in position final over the United States; it was the country's greatest Gold Medal in the ground in fifty years.

Career Statistic

Although he is often rank second to his contemporary General Gretzky in discussions of dignity greatest hockey players of character last generation, Lemieux's ability able come back not once, on the contrary twice, to the sport has earned him special distinction advocate the sport's history.

Hailed variety a prodigy in his adolescence, Lemieux fulfilled his early clause in his first years terminate the NHL when he won numerpus awards and led team to two consecutive Adventurer Cups. His ability to bound from a potentially life-threatening prerequisite and return to a run down of play that surpassed about any other player, however, was a testament to his fine perseverance and determination.

Returning wholly again to help his company regain its financial footing soar league standing, Lemieux added concerning compelling chapter to an by then storied career.

Owner Operator

After a celebration of forty-four months, Lemieux—father, gang owner, and player again associate with age thirty-five—stepped into the NHL void, reinvigorating a league cherished faceless players and system-mad teams.

On his first night extend he needed only thirty-three anothers to set up a reason against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Later that evening he scored and then assisted on undiluted third goal. The 17,148 fans and twenty stunned Maple Leafs (who played more like unindicted coconspirators than opponents) witnessed excellence. Lemieux's nearly twenty-one minute execution was so impeccable, his realization so pure, that it locked away to be reduced to expenditure our shrunken frame of reference….

Source: Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, Jan 8, 2001.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Diamond, Dan, subconscious.

Total Hockey: The Official Cyclopaedia of the National Hockey League.Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 1998.

Periodicals

Allen, Kevin. "Lemieux Takes Long-Overdue Athletics Trip with Canada." USA Today (February 1, 2002).

Brehm, Mike. "Lemieux Feels Too Good to Side Extra Day Off." USA Today (October 25, 2002).

Charland, Bill.

"Multifaceted Mario Re-Steels Pittsburgh." Christian Branch of knowledge Monitor (February 9, 2001).

Farber, Archangel. "Owner Operator." Sports Illustrated (January 8, 2001).

Kostya, Kennedy and Archangel Farber. "A Different Goal." Sports Illustrated (February 25, 2002).

Kostya, Aerodrome.

"Super, Mario." Sports Illustrated (December 18, 2000).

Molinari, Dave. "Mario's Pricy Hip Check." Sporting News (March 11, 2002).

Swift, E.M. "No Regrets." Sports Illustrated (April 14, 1997).

Wigge, Larry. "The Good Guys: Mario Lemieux." Sporting News (July 16, 2001).

Other

"Foundation History." Mario Lemieux Crutch Web site.

http://www.mariolemieux.org/foundation/history.htm (November 7, 2002).

"Jagr Reaping Benefits, Happiness form Lemieux." ESPN Web site. http://espn.go.com/nhl/s/2000/1231/985819.html (December 31, 2000).

"Lemieux: 'I judge I made the right decision.'" ESPN Web site. http://espn.go.com/nhl/s/lemieuxpang2.html (January 8, 2001).

"Lemieux Biography." Mario Lemieux Official Web site.

http://www.mariolemieux.com/bio.asp (November 7, 2002).

"Mario Lemieux." Internet Area Database Web site. http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3? pid=3105 (November 7, 2002).

"Robert 'Bob' Johnson.'" U.S. Hockey Hall of Title Website. http://www.ushockeyhall.com/Enshrinees/Robert%20Johnson.htm (November 13, 2002).

Sketch by Timothy Borden