Biography for
Don Cherry (II) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

5 February 1934, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Birth Name

Donald Stewart Cherry

Nickname

Grapes

Height

5' 11" (1.80 m)

Spouse

Rosemarie Martini

(1957 - 1 June 1997) (her death) 2 children

Trade Mark

Wearing a loud tartan blazer, tie and tall-collared dress shirt

Thumbs Up

He wears a rose in honor of his wife Rosemarie

Trivia

Played one NHL playoff game with the Boston Bruins in 1955

Won Jack Adams award as NHL coach of the year in 1976

Coached the Boston Bruins and Colorado Rockies

Coached the Boston Bruins to 2 straight Stanley Cup Final appearances (1977 - 1978)

Founded the Mississauga Ice Dogs junior hockey franchise in which he banned European players from playing on his team, he coached the Ice Dogs in the final year he owned the club

Has a son Tim and a daughter Cindy

Has an English Bull Terrier dog named Blue

Sparked a controversy in Canada with parents for his part in promoting the Molson Canadian BUBBA keg. Parents say that it's influencing kids to collect beer cans with his sports coat on there

During his 16 years in the minor leagues, he had to move his family 53 times.

Rose Cherry's Home for Kids, named after his late wife Rose and located outside Milton, Ontario, will open its doors in 2004, and offer a holistic approach to children's hospice care.

A Patriotic person, proud to be Canadian

Sparked numerous controversies with the CBC with his views on certain issues such as in the 2002-2003 season on his Coach's Corner segment, he spoke out in support of Canada joining the Iraq War while Ron MacLean was opposed to Canada participating. In the 2003-2004 season, he made some derogatory comments about the number of French and European players who wear visors. As a result the CBC put his Coach's Corner segment on 7 second delay.

Founded the Winnwell Hockey Company which specializes in making hockey equipment

Owns a bunch of "Don Cherry Restaurants" in Ontario and Atlantic Canada

In 2004 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) asked the people of Canada to vote for the Greatest Canadian. In what was widely seen as a public reaction to CBC's reluctance to renew Cherry's contract for the Coaches Corner segment of Hockey Night in Canada, the people of Canada voted him number 7, beating out Wayne Gretzky who only made number 10 on the list. Following this massive public endorsement for Don, CBC promptly renewed his contract.

Considers Bobby Orr as the greatest hockey player of all time.

Personal Quotes

If they want me, they haven't approached me on that, one way or the other, and if the CBC doesn't want me, I've had a good ride. I have no regrets and I wouldn't change anything. - About his contract status with CBC

After a while it gets to you. I don't care how thick your skin is.

I was a plugger, I could fight.

Where Are They Now

(2001) Hockey Night in Canada

(February 2006) Continues with Ron MacLean to co-host the Coaches Corner segment on Hockey Night in Canada. Cherry now in his 26th year on Coaches Corner.