Bill Wirtz Is Dead

by Brad Lee on Sep 26, 2007 10:27 AM CDT

By Brad Lee

When the season rolls around and the Blackhawks play their first game in St. Louis, we won't have Hawks owner Bill Wirtz to kick around. He died early this morning from cancer.

We'll refrain from taking any potshots in the main post (the comments could get a little interesting) because Wirtz indirectly led to the birth of St. Louis Game Time. We started after Jeffio folded up Game Night Review after a 10-year run. He was inspired by a lunatic in Chicago who started his own fan-run newspaper and sold it outside the old Chicago Stadium to tell people how much he hated "Dollar" Bill Wirtz. Without him, we'd be spending quality time with our family during the winter.

By the way, our friends at Deadspin have a sampling of blogger reaction that leans much more jubilent than mournful as you might imagine.

Tweet Comment 6 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Blackhawks fans must be rejoicing. The guy actually revelled in being called “Dollar” Bill Wirtz.

I’ll see if I can scan and post anything from the old Blueline magazine that spawned Game Night Revue which spawned Game Time….

by gallagher on Sep 26, 2007 5:32 PM CDT reply actions

Wirtz was such an inflammatory character, even that rumor-mongering Web site run by the fake guy played it safe. The post announcing Wirtz’s passing was closed for comments. What a pussy move.

by Brad Lee on Sep 26, 2007 7:00 PM CDT reply actions

here’s an article by a internet hockey blogger. pretty much sums everything up
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AgPZgZTwV1VTuGVNk97m8O17vLYF?slug=wirtzsdeathisablackhawks&prov=tsn&type=lgns

by Dooks on Sep 26, 2007 8:46 PM CDT reply actions

I’m sorry to hear that Bill Wirtz has passed away, but I’m rejoicing for the Blackhawks and their fans… maybe now they can make hockey a happening thing in Chicago again, and with the Hawks and the Blues both building very strong stables of young talent, maybe the old rivalry can be re-started again, better than it was before.

Just remember, Bill… there is no vodka in heaven. That’s why we drink it here… ;-)

“If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil.”

— Otto von Bismarck, 1851

by GT Prospect Department on Sep 27, 2007 1:02 AM CDT reply actions