The Deadly Demons of an NHL All Star

Bill Goldsworthy was the first big star of the Minnesota North Stars franchise. An aggressive winger with a blistering shot, Goldsworthy was a four-time NHL All Star, who danced his way into fans' hearts with his patented “Goldy Shuffle”, which he performed after each of his goals scored on home ice. But Goldy’s celebrations and aggressiveness didn’t end at the final buzzer. Away from the arena, Goldsworthy’s undisciplined and impulsive behaviour would eventually fracture his family, destroy his career and, ultimately, end his life. Somewhere between being the celebrated face of a franchise and the unlikely face of a deadly illness, Bill Goldsworthy’s tormented Jekyl and Hyde existence is a cautionary tale of a life lived well over the edge. This is the untold story of Bill Goldsworthy. His legendary career, his undeniable legacy -- and his deadly demons Numerous sources were used for this mini documentary, including: The Minnesota Star Tribune archives Vintage MN Hockey, which curates Minnesota hockey history The "Goldy Shuffle" a 1971 biography of Bill Goldsworthy The National Hockey League The LA Times and many more. #billgoldsworthy #MinnesotaNorthStars #TeamCanada72 Contact: [email protected] WILLIAM ALFRED Goldsworthy was born Aug 24 1944 in Waterloo, ONT the youngest of two sons of Art and Mannetta Goldsworthy. Despite his angelic face, young Goldy would gain a reputation as a tough street kid and spent his teenage years causing mischief and mayhem in a gang called the Falcons. As a young hockey player, Goldsworthy was a poor skater but his size (6-0, 175lbs) and his often over-the-top combative style attracted him to junior scouts. In 1962, he was signed by the Boston Bruins organization and assigned to the fabled Niagara Falls Flyers, a powerful junior squad coached by Hap Emms and featuring future NHL stars Derek Sanderson, Bernie Parent and Jean Pronovost among numerous others. In 1964-65 Goldsworthy scored 28 goals and piled up 165 penalty minutes as the Flyers won the 1965 Memorial Cup championship in a bloody series marked by numerous brawls and suspensions . With big league jobs tight in the six-team NHL, Goldsworthy served a minor league apprenticeship the next two seasons, playing with the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League and the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League between occasional callups to the NHL Bruins. During this stretch, Goldsworthy impressed as a possible NHL prospect but, as one writer later noted, “His temper was vile, his judgement atrocious. Goldy agreed stating: “I lacked confidence and tried to cover up with aggressiveness. Stupidity really. I took all the stupid penatlies, made all the mistakes.” In 1967, Goldsworthy was the beneficiary of expansion when the NHL grew from 6 to 12 teams. On June 6, 1967, he was chosen in round 9 by the Minnesota North Stars in the expansion draft. Looking back, with the exception of Bernie Parent, Goldy may have had the best career of any player chosen in the draft. In the summer and fall of 1994, Goldsworthy began suffering from a series of physical maladies, and he was briefly hospitalized with a blood clot in his leg. On November 11, 1994 his health would take a life-altering turn. By this point the blood clots had moved from his leg to his lung. Gasping for breath during a game in Memphis, he insisted on finishing the game. His face now purple in hue by game’s end, he was rushed to the hospital, straight to ER and on to intensive care where he was initially diagnosed with pneumonia On November 14, three days after admittance, Goldy’s doctor delivered shocking news: BILL GOLDSWORTHY HAD CONTRACTED THE HIV VIRUS AND NOW HAD FULL BLOWN AIDS. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for Fair Use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and more. No copyright infringement intended.