Maple Leafs greats carry Kelly’s casket

As Red Kelly’s casket emerged from Holy Rosary Church with an honour guard of Maple Leafs alumni, a small patch of blue and white broke through the overcast sky.

A fitting end to a service that highlighted Kelly’s 91 years; the devout Catholic, family man and among the city’s most beloved hockey players.

“He was just a great guy, one of the all-timers,” said Leaf teammate Eddie Shack. “He played defence, he came here (from winning four Stanley Cups in Detroit), played centre and won four more with the Leafs. And I never heard him swear.”

Shack was joined by honorary pallbearers Frank Mahovlich, Bob Baun, Dave Keon, Dick Duff, Ron Ellis, Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald and Jim Gregory. Also in attendance in the packed church were Leaf president Brendan Shanahan, general manager Kyle Dubas, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, new Detroit GM Steve Yzerman and Wings president Chris Ilitch.

“We were really lucky, just having our (team) 100th birthday that stories of all of our alumni came to the surface,” Shanahan said. “A new generation of fans got to know Red.”

Baun marvelled at Kelly’s championship pedigree.

“Eight Cups is a pretty good number,” Baun said. “As an athlete, no one ever challenged him. I heard he was a great fighter, too, but we never saw any of that.

“Red never changed, always thoughtful and caring. He’d never telegraph that, but one thing you knew, he was as honest as the day is long, the friend of a lifetime,” Baun added. “He and (wife) Andra, the two of them were so wonderful. Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay gave them a couple of Siamese cats as a wedding present. They bred them and I wound up with two. He used to chase those cats around the house with an umbrella, a playful side of Red you never saw.”