PHOTO: Bildbyrån
The TV series about Börje Salming has been praised by many.
Now the former teammate reveals his great irritation after the TV series was shown in Viaplay.
– It was really a disaster the way it was, he says to Expressen.
The deceased Börje Salming was one of the greatest sports heroes of our time in Sweden. He broke new ground in North America for Swedish hockey players and became a blue-yellow pioneer in the brutally tough NHL.
Salming’s life
Almost exactly one year after Salming’s death, the television series about the icon’s life and career came out, which was named “Börje – The Journey of a legend”. The TV channel Viaplay has been praised for the TV series and millions of Swedes sat down at home on the TV sofa to watch.
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One who was both with Börje Salming in North America in the 70s and also had a small role in the TV series was the former teammate Inge Hammarström. And of course he has noticed that the TV series has made him famous again.
– Yes, now young people come forward and want to take selfies and get autographs. At matches in Gävle, I see people wearing Brynäströjors with Salming and Hammarström on the back. 50 years later – it’s amazing, he says in an interview with Expressen.
– It is, of course, great fun that this will be alive for many generations afterwards. Many have now seen what an incredible journey we made.
“Terrible”
Hammarström also admits that it was strange to see himself and his life in a TV series.
– It’s a bit difficult, haha. I’ve been through all that in real life. Sometimes when I sat and watched, I got a tear in my eye, he says in the interview.
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But everyone who has seen the TV series about Börje Salming has also seen the back side of the NHL. And how the die-hard Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard mismanaged the team and was downright mean to the players, an action that arouses great irritation with Inge Hammarström to this day.
– It was terribly lousy leadership. We had a good team, but Ballard ruined it when he started clearing players. When we got there, he was in prison for tax crimes and other things. It was really unbelievable, he tells the evening newspaper and opens up about his feelings.
– Very annoyed. We had several good players, genuine hockey guys and very good people. Börje and I were very well looked after by the players in the team and that gave us security and confidence. When we asked the seasoned Canadians about Ballard, they just shook their heads and said, “He’s crazy.” It was truly a disaster the way it was.
What do you think of the TV series with Börje Salming? Share the article and have your say!
READ MORE: Peter Forsberg’s open-hearted confession about Mats Sundin and Börje Salming touches all hockey lovers: “Be just like me”
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