Peter Zezel

Peter and I grew up on the same street in Scarborough. He was about six years older, which is a pretty wide gulf when you're a kid, but I have tremendously fond memories of Peter and his family.

From hockey in his driveway to huge street hockey games a few roads over on Valhalla Boulevard, Peter was a talented guy who always managed to keep it fun. He would get the younger kids to touch the ball before he'd go end to end and score, making sure to note the "assist" on the play.

His generosity went well beyond those helper assists. When he played for the Toronto Marlies, Peter would often show up at our door with strips of Marlies tickets in his hands. Thanks to his kindness I watched countless Marlie games up in the greens at MLG.

In his rookie year with Philadelphia, #25 Flyers jerseys suddenly appeared throughout our neighbourhood. The introduction of that brilliant Philly orange so startling in a sporting landscape traditionally coloured blue and white.

The Alpine bar at Victoria Park and Kingston Road used to put Peter's name up on the marquee alongside Rick Tochhet, another Scarborough boy who Peter broke-into the bigs with, to urge the Flyers on to success.

As a Leafs fan, it's difficult to believe how hard I cheered for the Flyers during their Cup runs back in '85 and '87 and how crushed I was when they lost.

A year or two later, Wendel Clark spent his rookie year billeting with the Zezels. Not long after that, I recall Peter being back home at his parents' place during Leafs training camp. It seemed so right for Peter to be with the Leafs and so natural for an actual Toronto Maple Leaf to be out talking with the neighbours and kids on the street.

And that's how I'll remember Peter. A great guy who always made time for us kids, even when we grew up and remained big fans of his and the game he played.

Peter's family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his name to the James Birrell Fund at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. The cheques should be made payable to "The James Fund" and can be mailed to:
The James Fund
625 Whitaker Street
#4Peterborough, ON
K9H 7L5
Canada