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Don Cherry is a Canadian former Ice Hockey player, commentator, sportswriter and coach in National Hockey League as well as four times Superbowl winner. Don Cherry played a long career in minor league and won many cups as a player. He is famous for his quirky commentary.

Early life and Childhood

Don Cherry is 86 years old as of 2020. He was born on February 5, 1934, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada under the astrological sign Aquarius. His full name is Donald Stewart Cherry. His father’s name is Delmar Cherry and mother’s name is Maude Cherry. He has one sibling brother Dick Cherry. He belongs to White ethnicity and follows the Christian religion.

As of his education, he dropped out of high school in order to pursue a career in Ice Hockey. The name of his school is not known yet.

Professional Life

As a Hockey Player

Cherry started his career in Ontario Hockey League playing for Windsor Spitfires in 1951. He played many ice hockey games. He played in a junior league Ontario for teams Windsor Spitfires and Barrie Flyers. Where he won the best defender title. Later he played in an American hockey league, National Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Central Professional Hockey League, and Eastern Professional Hockey League. His playing career lasted two decades.

Caption: Don Cherry as coach (Sources: The Globe and Mail)

In American Hockey League he played 767 games with scoring 67 goals, assisting 192 goals, winning 259 points and winning 1,066 penalties. In American League playoff he played 69 games with 7 goals, 10 assists, 17 points, and 152 penalties. Then in EPHL, he played 148 games with 25 goals, 50 assists, 75 points, and 152 penalties. In EPHL playoff he played 19 games with 3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points, and 35 penalties. Then, in WHL he played 101 games where he scored 9 goals, 19 assists, 28 points, and 97 penalties. The same League in the playoff he played 8 games with 2 goals, 2 assists, with 4 points and 6 penalties.

As a Hockey Coach

After ending his playing career with he became the head coach of Rochester American in Minor Leagues in 191 games he won 91 goals, lost 70 games, the tilt of 77 games with 212 points. He has a win percentage of 0.564 percent. Likewise, soon he became famous for supporting his players to join in physical play in the field. He has reported saying that he accommodated the way his players were made to play, after his competitive bull terrier. Then he became the head coach in National Hockey League with Boston Bruins in 1971 and one season with Colorado Rockies playing 480 games he won 250 games, lost 153 games, the tilt of 30 games with 577 points and win percentage of 0.333 percent.

Likewise, he also won the “Jack Adams Award” as National Hockey League’s top coach. After the withdrawal of players like Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito from the team, he had to rearrange his strategies. Sadly in 1979, in the match against Canadiens, he decided to leave the team after committing a coaching mistake on his part. His choice was partially determined by the fact that he wasn’t getting along with Harry Sinden, the team’s general manager.

As a Tv host

Later, after quitting the playing and coaching he started the broadcasting career. He appeared on many radio, TV shows and commercials. He released his hockey highlight video and became part of “Coach’s Corner” in the corporation’s “Hockey Night in Canada” with Dave Hodge. Later, he started hosting his own show “Don Cherry’s Grapevine”. His son made the TV film “Keep Your Head Up, The Don Cherry Story” and “The Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II“.

At the beginning of his career, he won the best defender title at the beginning of his career. Then he won the Memorial as a defenseman with Barrie in 1953. Besides, he is a leading analyst for live games, where the sequence of his comic use of English Language and his urging players to fight whilst playing has made him one of the most fascinating and entertaining analysts. He also holds the habit to comment on players’ skills individually based on their nationality. All of this has connected to him being a remarkably controversial figure whereas his commentary style is concerned.

Other ventures

In 1992, he lent his voice to the charity song “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Techno” for Canadian techno group BKS.

As an actor, he has also branched out into some acting roles. He appeared as Jake Nelson in the television series Power Play. Also, he and Ron MacLean voiced for themselves in the animated television series Zeroman, which cast Leslie Nielsen. He even made an appearance on an episode of Goosebumps called “Don’t Go to Sleep!” where he performs a hockey coach.

He also lent his voice to Disney’s animated feature The Wild, like a penguin curling broadcaster. He portrayed alongside the Trailer Park Boys in The Tragically Hip’s video “The Darkest One”. Further, he lent voice in the Mickey Mouse episode “Bad Ear Day”, as an ice hockey game announcer. In 2008, he also acted on an episode of Holmes on Homes, the widely famous home improvement show.

Business and charitable work

In 1985, he opened the first of a chain of franchised sports bars/restaurants bearing his name in Hamilton. He began as a partner in the operation and has more recently authorized his name to the chain without enduring a significant ownership stake in the company.

Cherry is also an advocate of options for pet owners to keep their pets healthy, and has partnered with companion animal organization Pethealth Inc. to allow Canadians the hockey-inspired CherryBlue Pet Insurance program. He is portrayed on cherryblue.ca with his popular bull terrier Blue.

Likewise, he created the Don Cherry Pet Rescue Foundation and distributes all profits from his Simply Pets snacks line to animal charities. During the 42nd Canadian Parliament, he typically a supporter of the Conservatives made a video encouraging Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith’s eventually unsuccessful private member’s bill that attempted to toughen animal cruelty laws.

He has also lent his considerable persona to many charitable causes, most significantly, organ donation awareness.

Accolades

On November 14, 2005, Don Cherry earned granted honorary membership of the Police Association of Ontario. Once an aspiring police officer, he has been a longtime supporter of the police services. In June 2007, he became a Dominion Command Honorary Life Member of the Royal Canadian Legion in recognition of “his longstanding and unswerving support of … Canadians in uniform”. In February 2008, Cherry won the Canadian Forces Medallion for Distinguished Service for ‘unwavering support to men and women of the Canadian Forces, honoring fallen soldiers on his CBC broadcast during ‘Coach’s Corner’ a segment of Hockey Night in Canada’.

In 2004, he ranked at number 7 on the CBC’s miniseries The Greatest Canadian. Further, he remarked that he was “a good Canadian”, but not the greatest Canadian. In 2016, he, along with his Coach’s Corner co-host Ron MacLean, received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Net Worth

Cherry has an estimated Net Worth of around $14 million. But his salary is still not known. Sources of his income came from being a hockey player, Tv host, actor, and hockey coach. He played and coach in a league like Major and minor league. Likewise, he is living a lavish lifestyle through his good fortune from his long journey of hockey career as well as being a commentator.

Caption: Don Cherry capture during hosting a show (Sources: Yahoo! Sports)

Relationship status

Reflecting on Don Cherry’s relationship status, he is a married man. He is married to Luba Cherry in 1999, after the death of his first wife Rose who died of liver cancer on June 1, 1997. He was first married to Rosemarie Cherry in 1935. Together they have two children name, Cindy Cherry and Tim Cherry. They first met in his first year with Hershey Bears and later she became manager and accountant of Cherry.

Scandal

Cherry involved in controversy after his statement in the TV show that those who believe are immigrants for not using the poppies to honor fallen Canadian soldiers. He openly talks about how Canada has changed. Later it is rumored that his wife Rose has moved 53 times due to his hockey lifestyle. However, he is currently not linked with any kind of controversial acts and is controversy-free. Nonetheless, he has maintained a reputable position throughout his professional life.

Caption: Don Cherry talking about his controversy
(Sources: Philadelphia Inquirer)

Body Measurement and Social Media

Smith has a height of 5 feet 11 inches (1.80m) tall. But his weight is 82 kg (180 lbs). He has a well-maintained athletics body. Well, to enhance his feature he has brown eyes and white hair color. He has a body measurement of 43-33-36.

He is active in social media. His Twitter account @CoachsCornerDC has more than 811k followers and his Instagram account name Don Cherry has more than 5.5k followers.

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