Entertaining CFCW

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Wes Montgomery, who along with Jackie Rae, brings the highly entertaining CFCW morning show to a ton of Albertans, also writes a column in the Edmonton Sun Sports every week.

Wes wrote an article recently about Chuck Rayner, a mutual friend of ours who passed away from heart failure last month. I thought it was a terrific write-up with some great stories about the former New York Ranger and Hall of Fame Goaltender, Chuck (Prince) Rayner. Here are a couple more stories.

Chuck Rayner at one time was the only person in professional hockey that had a personal bartender. This was while he was Coach and Manager of the Edmonton Flyers of the old WHL. It was Syd Abel, General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings that hired Chuck to run the Edmonton franchise.

When Syd and Chuck first came to town to start getting things organized, they both spent a little time together at Warwick’s Bar on 109^th Street. They enjoyed it a lot and Syd told his new GM that if he sent any restaurant/bar tabs from anywhere other than Billy’s place, the Red Wings wouldn’t pay them. Chuck didn’t need to be told twice and he became one of our best customers.

One of his favourite maneuvers was to ask the bartender to add another’s tab to his before tallying up for the night. He would say, “The Norris family (owners of both the Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks at the time) have lots of dough, they won’t miss a beat.”

Chuck also liked to hold his press conferences in Warwick’s Bar. One week night during the 1962-63 season he held a presser regarding the Flyers. It was scheduled for 7pm, and just about every sports media personality attended. Chuck had been in the bar for a few hours that evening before the press conference started. Once it got going, he proceeded to talk for over half an hour straight and the gallery never stopped writing. When it ended, most of the assembled media left at the same time. I walked over to say hello to one of the few left behind, long time CFRN-TV sportscaster Al Shaver. We chatted, and before he said good-bye, Al gave me a puzzled look and while holding up his notes from the presser said, “You know Billy, Rayner talked for a half hour, and I really have no story.”

Chuck Rayner was one of the finest people I’ve ever had the privilege of associating with and one of the best goaltenders ever to play in the NHL. He didn’t get tagged with the nickname of “Prince” for no good reason. And as for the identity of Chuck’s personal bartender during his days in Edmonton … I’m far too modest to tell.