MONTREAL – The definition of class and grace for decades, Jean Beliveau has finally made it official.
The legendary Habs centerman will make his dictionary debut on p.1,247 of the 2013 edition of the “Petit Larousse illustré” between “Belitung”, a small Indonesian island and “Belize”, the Central American country.
“It’s an honor I certainly wasn’t expecting,” shared Beliveau. “I was already thrilled that my name was in the NHL record books, but to be added to the dictionary among some of the great people who have shaped our world’s history is an honor. I’m incredibly flattered and I’d like to thank the authors who thought to include me.”
The 80-year-old Hall-of-Famer spent 20 years with the Canadiens, including a team-record 10 seasons as captain, amassing 1,219 points in 1,125 games during his two decades in the NHL. “Le Gros Bill” has also had an impact reaching far beyond the ice as an involved member of the community and an ambassador of the game, earning him the distinction of being one of the most respected gentlemen in the sport.
Adding to his illustrious honors since retiring that include being inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 and being named a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1998, among others, Beliveau becomes just the third NHLer to ever appear in the dictionary, following in the footsteps of the league’s all-time leading scorer, Wayne Gretzky, and former Habs teammate, Maurice “Rocket” Richard.
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Béliveau (Jean), surnommé le Gros Bill, Trois-Rivières, 1931, joueur de hockey sur glace canadien. Centre à la fois puissant et rapide, grand marqueur de buts, il a, au cours de sa longue carrière, aux Canadiens de Montréal (1953-1971; capitaine à partir de 1961), remporté dix fois la coupe Stanley.
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