Chicago Tonight | Blackhawks Owner Rocky Wirtz Dies at 70 | Season 2023

HAS A PRIZES UP ASLEEP.
THE TODAY BLOCK PARTY WILL TAKE PLACE ON JULY 29 AND JULY 30 AT OAKWOOD BEACH.
YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.
>>> ALWAYS A FUN EVENT.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS ORDER ROCKY WIRTZ PRESIDED OVER THE TEAM AS IT WON THREE STANLEY CUP >> DIED YESTERDAY AT THE AGE OF 70.
HE TRANSFORMED WHAT HAD BEEN CALLED THE WORST ORGANIZATION IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS INTO A MODEL ON THE ICE AND ON THE BALANCE SHEET.
HIS LEGACY IS PROPAGATED BY THE BLACKHAWKS FAILURE TO ACT REGARDING THE ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A PLAYER BY A MEMBER OF THE COACHING STAFF.
INVESTIGATION SHOWED HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE COVER.
2001 YEAR BEFORE THE FIRST OF THE STANLEY CUPS, HE WAS HAILED AS A HERO BY THE FANS IN THE MEDIA.
HERE IS A LOOK.
>> HOW IS THIS FOR YOU, PERSONALLY?
IS IT FAIR TO SAY YOU ARE NOT A SHOWBOAT, YOU ARE NOT A PR GUY .
YOU'RE KIND OF SHY, I AM TOLD.
WHAT IS THIS LIKE NOW BEING A ROCKSTAR?
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I AM A ROCKSTAR, BUT I PUT THE TEAM FIRST.
YOU WALK A FINE LINE BETWEEN SELF-PROMOTING AND PROMOTING YOUR TEAM.
I NEVER WANT TO WALK OVER THAT LINE WERE SELF-PROMOTING DON'T PROMOTE THE TEAM.
THE ONLY REASON I DO ANY OF THE STUFF, INCLUDING TONIGHT, IS FOR THE TEAM.
IF WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE IN, WE CAN KEEP SPONSORS HAPPY AND ACTUALLY BRING A WINNING FRANCHISE TO CHICAGO PEOPLE AND THIS GREAT CITY.
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
>> WHAT KIND OF A FATHER WAS YOUR FATHER?
>> HE IS A TERRIFIC MAN.
I AM THE OLDEST OF FIVE CHILDREN.
MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY IN 1983.
GROWING UP, THERE WAS NEVER WEEKEND THEY WEREN'T DOING SOMETHING WITH THE KIDS.
I FINALLY REMEMBER TIMES WHEN HE WOULD BUNDLE US UP WITH OUR PAJAMAS ON AND WE BEGIN THE CAR AND GO TO THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATER.
>> I READ SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU MIGHT TAGALONG AT THE AGE OF SEVEN AND FIND YOURSELF FALLING ASLEEP ON HIS SHOULDER AT THE PUMP ROOM OR SOMETHING WHILE HE WAS WORKING HIS CONTACT.
>> THEY WOULD GO TO THE PUMP ROOM.
AT THAT TIME, THEY HAD THESE SMALL HAMBURGERS.
HE WOULD WAKE ME UP ENOUGH TO EAT SOMETHING.
I WOULD FALL ASLEEP.
I CAN ABOUT A, BECAUSE THE DEAL WAS, AS LONG AS I WOULD GO TO THE GAMES AND WENT TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY, IT WAS FINE.
BUT THE SCHOOL CALLED AND SAID THEY THOUGHT I HAD A LEARNING DISABILITY BECAUSE I KEPT FALLING ASLEEP IN CLASS.
MY MOTHER COULDN'T SAY BECAUSE HE WAS WITH HIS FATHER THE NIGHT
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