George Grimm On The New York Rangers, Emile Francis & The “We Did Everything But Win” Book
Some sports franchises are much easier to be a fan of than others. In the case of the NHL’s New York Rangers, there have not been many Stanley Cup victories; zero of them to be exact between 1941 and 1993. In We Did Everything But Win: Former New York Rangers Remember The Emile Francis Era, author George Grimm chronicles each season of the Francis era when “The Cat” transformed them from perennial league doormats to a team that made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs for nine consecutive seasons. Grimm not only did his homework as a well-read diehard fan of the Rangers for most of his life, but in interviewing as many Rangers legends as he could get access to.
I had the pleasure of doing Q&A with Grimm — who writes the Retro Rangers column for Insidehockey.com — for The Hype Magazine. More We Did Everything But Win can be found online on the Skyhorse Publishing website, while Grimm himself is on Twitter as @GGrimm231.
I liked #GerogeGrimm's book, "We Did Everything But Win" so much, I couldn't put it down. Many revelations by and about #EmileFrancis.
— Stan Fischler (@StanFischler) January 21, 2018
How long have you been a fan of the New York Rangers?
George Grimm: My father took me to my first game at the old Madison Square Garden in the early 1960’s when I was 9 or 10 years old. After the game he took me down by the ice and showed me the team benches and penalty boxes and pointed out the press box and cameras. All the while imparting on me that this is OUR TEAM.
Over the years the Rangers have brought me a lot of heartache, except for 1994. But they have also been very good to me. They gave me that important link to my father, they gave me something to write about and I even met my wife Theresa in an old AOL Ranger chat room.
How would you describe your book to someone who hasn’t yet read it?
George Grimm: The book is about the Rangers that I grew up watching, the Emile Francis New York Rangers. These guys were my idols and to be able to interview them all these years later was a real thrill.
What was the most difficult part of writing your book?
George Grimm: Getting contact information for the players. I had to go through the NHL Alumni Association And I often was able to get contact info from some of the other players. And then transcribing their comments. It was a very slow process.
Do you have a favorite part or feature of your book?
George Grimm: My many conversations with Emile Francis. He’s 91 years old, still sharp as a tack and was very generous with his time. I still call him regularly, just to hear his stories.
Book aside, what is coming up for you work-wise?
George Grimm: I’m retired, so my next project is a book about the history of Ranger goaltenders, all 87 of them.
When not busy with work, how do you like to spend your free time?
George Grimm: Reading, walking, spending time with my wife and our dog Sherman.
Do you have a favorite Ranger?
George Grimm: Favorite Rangers of the Francis era — Giacomin, Park and Teddy Irvine. All-time favorite, Adam Graves. I always said that if I had a son, I’d want him to grow up to be like Adam Graves.
Finally, George, any last words for the kids?
George Grimm: Find your passion and follow your dreams.
About the Author
Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
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