100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters [Hardcover]

Russ Cohen (Author), John Halligan (Author), Adam Raider (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2009

In 1926, hockey fans welcomed the New York Rangers to the NHL. Since then, more than 900 players have worn the colors of the Rangers and won the devotion of fans in New York and beyond. 100 Ranger Greats is about the best of the best of these players—the legends of yesteryear and the heroes of today, the men whose accomplishments on the ice have thrilled fans for over eight decades.

But who are the best? Of the 900-plus players, who are the ones that stand out in the team’s storied history? Many are easily recognizable by even the most casual of hockey fans—Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Jaromir Jagr are just a few of these superstars – but no team is made up of its stars alone. There are always the players who aren’t as well known in the public eye but who bring skills and character that make the whole team buzz and help to win championships. They might have played in the earliest days of media coverage—no websites, blogs or internet radio to raise their profiles to household names. Players like Andy Aitkenhead, Arnie Brown or Lorne Chabot to name just three.

Through research and personal interviews, and with the addition of over 200 color and black and white photos, 100 Ranger Greats presents personal profiles that combine statistics with personal and often humorous stories so that the reader gets a real understanding of that man’s life as a player in the National Hockey League and with the New York Rangers.

A richly illustrated history and a fascinating and entertaining look at a cast of colorful characters, 100 Ranger Greats is for the young fan who wants to learn about the New York Rangers history and the veteran looking for stories about the players they grew up with. For every Rangers fan who wants to know their team and its history better, this is the book.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

WHO ARE THE GREATEST PLAYERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK RANGERS?

From the uppermost reaches of Madison Square Garden to the subway platforms below, in living rooms and in taxicabs, it's a debate that's been raging for over eight decades and now continues on the pages of 100 Ranger Greats.

Authors Russ Cohen, John Halligan and Adam Raider scoured the Rangers' all-time roster to bring you the 100 men who each left an indelible mark on the game as a member of New York's "Original Six" hockey club.

From Bill Cook and Lorne (Gump) Worsley to Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist, the players who have best exemplified the club motto "pride, passion and tradition" are profiled and ranked in this very special publication created just for Rangers fans, perhaps the most fiercely loyal (and opinionated) fans in all of sports.

Lavishly illustrated and full of colorful anecdotes and compelling facts, 100 Ranger Greats will provoke, entertain, and enlighten Rangers fans of all ages. This could be the most complete history of the Broadway Blueshirts ever written.

About the Author

Russ Cohen is a die-hard sports fan and co-host of two hockey programs on XM Satellite Radio. He is one of the founders of a highly visited network of websites at www.sportsology.net and has hosted live webcasts from the NHL All-Star Game, the NHL Entry Draft, the Heritage Classic, and the Hockey Hall of Fame. He has also contributed to NHL.com and Goalie News magazine. Cohen lives in Glassboro, New Jersey.

The author of three previous books about the Rangers and a 2007 recipient of the prestigious Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States, John Halligan spent 24 years with the New York Rangers as Public Relations Director, Business Manager and Vice President of Communications. He lives in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

Adam Raider's career as a journalist began in 1997 at The Winsted Journal newspaper. Since then, he has covered the NHL for numerous publications including The Hockey News, Hockey Business News, Hockey Digest and Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal. Raider is also a former columnist and contributing editor at the New England Hockey Journal. He lives in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470736194
• ISBN-13: 978-0470736197
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #841,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book. Great Names. Great Nostalgia, October 7, 2009

By 

Matt (Suffern NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters (Hardcover)

Just purchased 100 Ranger Greats and have gone through it. Obviously, I'm a big Rangers fan. If you have any interest whatsoever in hockey and The Rangers, I highly recommend it. A lot of great names from the past. Admittedly, I am not as familiar with some of the older players but have certainly enjoyed learning about the history. As with all lists and ranking, I tend to disagree with where certain players were ranked but isn't that the fun of it all? My buddy thinks Brad Park deserved to be even higher; I thought lower. Overall though, I thought the players were ranked quite fairly and I appreciate there was a formal process and criteria that the authors used to come up with their list. Good stuff.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rangers Fans -- and True Hockey Fans -- Will Love This One!!, October 18, 2009

By 

Valerie J. Wood "Author and Sports Journalist" (Maryland) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters (Hardcover)

100 Ranger Greats is a beautifully produced, well-written paean to the New York Rangers' NHL franchise. One of the Original Six, the Rangers are one of the most storied teams in NHL and sports history. This gorgeous, over-sized hard-cover book pays tribute to the players that the three authors deemed the 'top 100' players in franchise history. Loaded with both color and black & white photos, it is lavishly illustrated and beautifully written. The authors cheerfully note that other fans--especially Rangers fans--may not totally agree with their choices, but they present an excellent case for their selections and their rankings.

This book is a delight to peruse and brings back fond and exciting memories for older fans, as well as serves to educate younger fans who are still learning about the sport and the great players, and characters, of the game. Written by fans, for fans, the trio of writers have brought their knowledge and love of the sport to the foreground to create a truly remarkable book. As a hockey fan, I found this book to be a comprehensive, thorough look at the best and the brightest of the NY Rangers over the years and it brought back many memories of some of the all-time heroes of the game. The narrative is detailed and entertaining, and the authors have done a fantastic job in putting this book together. 100 Ranger Greats is one of the finest books to come out on a hockey franchise--or any sports franchise--in many a year. One only wishes that the other teams, particularly of the original six--would also have that kind of care dedicated to their teams in a companion type book.

Truly a 5-Star production, this is an exceptional book that the authors should be justifiably proud of.

Just one question...oh, Ranger aficionados...Where's Darius Kasparaitis?

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Look Back At New York Ranger History!, October 8, 2009

By 

Anthony Accordino (Massapequa Park, New York United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters (Hardcover)

Author John Halligan has done it again. The former public relations director of the NY Rangers[also authored the fabulous 75th anniversary Ranger book], and co-authors, Russ Cohen, and Adam Raider, have written what amounts to a NY Ranger history book, that profiles all the best players from 1923 to present day. The great thing about this book, is the young Ranger fan, will be able to read up on many vintage stars from the past, like goalie Davey Kerr[who deserves HOF consideration in my opinion], Bill and Bun Cook, Ching Johnson, Frank Boucher, Gump Worsley, Chuck Rayner, Harry Howell, and Andy Bathgate to name a few from the old school. I won't give the book away, but #100 on the list was New York's Nick Fotiu, and #1 was Brian Leetch[no argument here]. Two goalie's made the top 10, with Mike Richter and of course fast Eddie Giacomin. I think the layout of the book is just fine, and the photography along with the written narrative on each player will give any Ranger or hockey fan many hours of enjoyment. John Halligan rates right at the top of the list, along with Stan Fischler, as the best NY Ranger hockey historian. This is a must book for Ranger fans of all ages, and especially for those young novice fans who would like to learn about all the players who wore the Ranger blue with pride and passion.