PHOTO: TT News Agency
Stig Salming vs Phil Esposito – a great rivalry in its day.
Once there was almost a fight in a hotel.
– He probably thought that I would have more respect for him, Stig Salming tells Sportbibeln.
Börje Salming was tough, but big brother Stig Salming was at least as tough. Stig spent his entire professional career in Brynäs, where he became a club icon. Backen also played several years in Tre Kronor and participated in several championships.
Salming vs. Esposito
Because Stig was such a tough player, he made more enemies than friends on the ice. A rivalry that got a lot of talk was the one with the Canadian Phil Esposito, who was one of his national team’s big stars. Esposito came to be called a “Sweden hater”, but later explained that it was not Swedes he hated, but only Stig Salming.
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An incident between the players before the upcoming World Cup in 1977 received particular attention. Sweden and Canada stayed in the same hotel, where there was a confrontation between Salming and Esposito, and the teammates got in between. This after they met on the ice in a training match, where the Canadian thought that Stig played anything but nice.
Rewritten in book
The Canadian wrote about the event in his book.
“In the middle of the match, Stig Salming hit me on the scrotum with his club. I wanted revenge, but I didn’t get a chance until after the game, when I met him at the hotel,” writes Esposito.
Stig had no idea that his name was mentioned in the book.
– No, I haven’t seen any of it. I know that he has spoken at some point about this meeting, but I don’t know anything about how it looks in the book, says Salming to Sportbibeln.
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What do you remember about the event?
– It was probably just that he thought that I would have more respect for him during the match, but I kind of didn’t think there was any possibility of that, but of course he wouldn’t come to us, I thought. And we actually managed to do that, so that… no, I think he was probably more disappointed that we didn’t show him enough respect.
READ MORE: Stig Salming nods Wayne Gretzky, then names the very best he’s played with – heartwarming response that touches everyone
The perception today
In his book, Esposito writes that he hit Stig in the face, but Stig himself downplays the circumstances.
– It is a strange situation that arose, but at the same time, in retrospect, nothing remarkable happened. We didn’t have to hit each other in any way, so it all made sense anyway, says Salming and laughs.
What’s your take on Phil Esposito today?
– Yes you, I have none, I was about to say. What happens on the field I put behind me, I have no views on it other than that… We with the national team, we managed the situation in a good way in any case. Beyond that I have nothing to remember about that, says Stig.
READ MORE: Stig Salming’s beautiful words to Bianca Salming – opening up about their relationship today: “Trying to support her”
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