The twin passions of a young Jean Béliveau,
In Blue Lines, Goal Lines & Bottom Lines, Greg Oliver tells hockey stories through the collection of Allan Stitt, who began chasing autographs as a kid and amassed a treasure trove of historical documents and quirky artifacts. Including a simple form by a
It’s interesting that Jean Béliveau filled out this player questionnaire on April 22, 1952. It’s not like he was an unknown to the Canadiens organization. He had played two games in 1950-51 while still a junior, and he was closely watched by the entire province while starring with senior hockey’s Quebec Aces. If anything, he was modest on the form, unusual for most young men who had received that level of notoriety.
On the personal side, Béliveau listed himself as single (with his interests being “golf and women”), though he had most definitely already met his future bride, Élise Couture, in Quebec City. They got engaged at Christmas in 1952, just after another three-game NHL trial, and they married June 27, 1953.
In his autobiography, Béliveau describes how Élise was his confidante and able ally through ever-growing media scrutiny.
“Élise and I had been prepared for the glare of the celebrity spotlight by our time in Quebec City,” wrote Béliveau. “We had learned to cope with media demands, although these intensified when we moved to Montreal. Every week, or so it seemed, a newspaper or magazine was knocking on the door, seeking fresh insight into the lives of the Béliveaus.
“We were posed in pictures of domestic bliss — cooking, eating, reading, enjoying music. Our fans expected this sort of coverage, and we were usually happy to oblige.”