Incredible But True Rangers Stories

"Nobody wanted Camille Henry," Rangers 1953-54 general manager Frank Boucher remembered. "Back in the early 1950's if a player was under 160 pounds, he was considered too frail for the NHL."

Camille Henry had been one of the most gifted players to emerge from the Quebec amateur leagues. When he skated for the Junior Quebec Citadelles, he was regarded as the scoring equal of Hall of Famer Jean Beliveau.

"Cammy's trouble was that he weighed around 135 pounds," added Boucher, "and that scared five other NHL teams off." Then, a pause, "But not us."

Henry signed on with the Rangers for 1953-54 seasiband because he looked so frail, Cammy was mostly limited to power play work with Hall of Famer Max Bentley

"Henry won the rookie of the year award and scored 24 goals," Boucher added. "In one game he actually scored four goals against Detroit's great goalie, Terry Sawchuk."

The New York brass figured that if Heny could put on a few pounds – maybe even ten – in the off-season, he'd produce even bigger numbers on the scoresheet.

"The idea" said Rangers publicist Herb Goren, "was to have Cammy go home to Quebec City and drink two chocolate milkshakes – or malteds – a day until training camp.

"We figured that it would fatten him up but good."

Henry fulfilled his end of the bargain but, alas. the malted milks and milkshakes did not.

"When Cammy came to camp and got on the scale," chuckled Goren, "he still registered 135 pounds!"