TBC: The Final Call

As I stated in my most recent entry in Teebz's Book Club, I seem to be finding more time to get back to something I enjoy doing in reading. There are a pile of books sitting on the shelves of my bookcase that need to be explored from cover to cover, and I'm crossing another of those books off that list today! Teebz's Book Club is proud to review The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes, written by Kerry Fraser and published by Fenn/McLelland & Stewart. Kerry Fraser is one of the game's most memorable officials due to his longevity, his involvement in some of the biggest moments in history, and his perfectly-coiffed hair, so there's no doub that The Final Call likely has some good stories on its pages. But the bigger question might be who is Kerry Fraser? What is the man in stripes like when he's off the ice? I hoped to find out on the pages of The Final Call!

I'm not certain that people in Toronto need an introduction to Kerry Fraser - they'll get the inside joke there - but Kerry's biography from the book reads, "Kerry Fraser was born in 1952 in Sarnia. He joined the National Hockey League Officials Association in 1973, and refereed his first game in the 1980-81 season. He retired after the 2010-11 season as the most senior referee in the NHL, having officiated more than two thousand games. Fraser now lives in New Jersey with his wife, Kathy, and their seven children." Fraser has also been seen on TV on TSN in his "C'Mon Ref!" segments and in the blog of the same name on the TSN website.

The Final Call will take you through Kerry Fraser's journey from player to young official, finding his path thanks to a few veteran NHL officials giving him his shot, and some of the more memorable moments from Fraser's career that lasted 30 years and crossed paths with some of the greatest players to ever play the game. That part should be pretty obvious, but Kerry Fraser also pulls the curtain back a little to show a different side of him as a family man, a deeply-religious man, and a guy who worked hard to make things better for himself, his colleagues, and people he encountered along the way.

Throughout The Final Call, Fraser weaves family in with his experiences whether it be his dad coming with him to specific games, his wife joining him on the road for games where his career was celebrated, or his kids joining him for experiences such as the Winter Classic. Fraser also spoke of moving from Ontario to New Jersey where there are a handful of teams nearer to his home so he could spend more time at home. It becomes very apparent that The Final Call is a tribute to all the experiences hockey has given to Fraser to include his family and be with his family as much as it is a collection of stories from the game of hockey.

There are, though, a number of great hockey stories from Kerry Fraser's perspective in The Final Call that should be read. He does address the "high-stick" incident between Gretzky and Gilmour in 1993, and he actually explains what he saw fairly clearly. No, I won't tell you what his final analysis on the incident is, but let's keep things in perspective here by saying that it happened in 1993 and it's 2022 today. Whatever you think of the missed call by Fraser, the issue is dead. Don't make it a thing any longer. Looking at you, Leafs fans.

All joking aside, Fraser's recounting of some of the history of the NHL is rather fascinating from an official's perspective. There are so many negotiations that he was witness to thanks to his involvement with the NHLOA. There were player discipline meetings he was required to attend. There were countless stories of things that happened on the ice. All of these situations are told on the pages of The Final Call from Kerry Fraser's point-of-view.

One such situation that is documented is an encounter with former Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom who was constantly standing in front of the opposing team's net. As such, he got whistled for penalties on more than one occasion, and Fraser tells the story about what happened on one particular night against Nashville in The Final Call.

"Prior to the start of the second period, I was standing near the penalty box when Holmstrom skated over to occupy the real estate I had rented him for the next 64 seconds. Again flashing that confused look, Tomas asked me what I'd seen - notice, not what he had done! I explained that I'd seen him engage the Nashville defenceman at the edge of the crease, grab his stick, and pull him down, while trying to make it look as though he was one being fouled. A wide grin broke out across Holmstrom's face, as he smiled and said, 'That's why you're the best!' and then stepped into the penalty box."

Stories like this are found throughout The Final Call, particularly later in the book when he's recounting stories from his officiating days with each of the Original Six teams. I found myself laughing at a number of the stories such as the one above, and that's always a good sign when looking for an entertaining book to read!

Overall, there's a lot of information packed into the 300 pages of the updated paperback version of The Final Call, but Fraser's writing will keep you involved in the story if you like hockey history and some of the players with whom he crosses paths. It's very clear throughout the book that Fraser's family plays a major role in his life while his team of officials with whom he works are held in high esteem as well. The Final Call doesn't see Fraser wax poetic about his life as official, though, as there were injuries and hard times that he experienced, but I don't think that Kerry Fraser would change one call or one thing about his life based on what he included in The Final Call. In knowing that, it's very easy to understand why The Final Call is deserving of the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval!

There is some colourful language used on the pages of The Final Call as Fraser's encounters with players aren't always done with parliamentary rules, so I would recommend this book to be PG-rated for teenagers and older if parents are ok with that language being used for literary purposes. Older hockey fans will likely enjoy the stories told by Kerry Fraser in The Final Call, so look for it at your local bookstore or library if you need a good read!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!