Inside NHL Hall-Of-Famer Bobby Hull's Costly Divorce
Bobby Hull died on January 30 leaving behind a lasting legacy in the NHL and the game of hockey as a whole. Known as "The Golden Jet" in his playing days, he signed a then-unprecedented contract with the Winnipeg Jets in 1972 — who were part of the World Hockey Association.
Hull inked a 10-year contract for $2.75 million plus he was given a $1 million signing bonus, per ESPN Classic. The money was so lucrative that the explosive wing player was incredulous. "I thought it was a joke. I pretended to go along with it, just to scare Chicago," he told Sports Illustrated in 1998, as he was with the Chicago Blackhawks before joining the WHA. According to Hull, the whole league ponied up money to bring him over. "It wasn't the Winnipeg Jets. It was the World Hockey Association ... And the million came from all nine teams," he told the National Post in 2010.
Over the years, disturbing secrets about Hull's personal life surfaced which tarnished his legacy for many hockey fans. "At the start of the '70s, it was unthinkable that Bobby Hull was going to end up being the player no one wanted to be," author Gare Joyce wrote in his book "The Devil and Bobby Hull" which was published in 2011, via Sports Illustrated. Joyce claimed that the Hall of Famer struggled after divorcing his wife Joanne McKay. The former couple had a well-publicized and bitter divorce battle in the 1970s.
Bobby Hull's infamous divorce quote
The following article includes allegations of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
Bobby Hull married figure skater Joanne McKay in 1960, and although they were legally married until 1980, the couple had separated in 1970. The two went to court over finances while divorcing which made headlines at the time. "Both of them were spending money like drunken sailors," court justice Joseph O'Sullivan told the press, per UPI. The court had awarded McKay $640,000 — which was believed to be half of Hull's net worth — plus they ordered the hockey star to pay $4,000 a month to his ex. Hull appealed this ruling, and his lawyer argued that the Winnipeg Jets star should only pay $356,000 to his ex-wife, as his net worth was much lower than the $1.1 million the court believed it to be. The public divorce led to a memorable quote from Hull. "My wife made me a millionaire. I used to have $3 million," he said, via The Oklahoman.
Allegations of abuse had been levied by Hull's ex-wife. Speaking to ESPN Classic, McKay detailed an especially harrowing encounter where she claimed Hull assaulted her during a trip to Hawaii in 1966.
In 2010, while discussing his messy divorce, Hull tried to remain diplomatic. "Put it behind me. It happens. We're two people who tried to make a go of it, and it doesn't work," he told the National Post when asked about his infamous break up. Hull added that he was bothered that McKay kept "Hull" as her middle name. "You don't f***ing like me, what are you doing using my name."