In twelve distinct chapters, Larry Clay, a seasoned hockey lover and administrator, gives the reader a front-row seat into the hockey world and his experience with the Philadelphia Flyers and the National Hockey League. From his personal journey as a team coach and sports businessman, he has many things to pass on in his first book, Behind The Orange Curtain. This memoir aims to shed light on the parts of the beloved hockey team that were hidden from the world: ugly fights, under-the-table schemes, deaths, and leadership changes—the good and bad decisions that led the Philadelphia Flyers to where they are, as well as the powerful people that made them.
The memoir starts on a light note with a gentle story about how Clay developed a love for sports in his childhood with help from his father. It quickly delves into the discovery of an illegitimate hockey retail business by David Settlemyre. Later on, Clay talks about the Philadelphia Bullies, a team made up of veteran Philadelphia Flyers players, and their exciting games against amateur players, going into detail about the January 1998 game that almost ended in their defeat. He dives deeper into his relationship with his friend Chuck Worthington and the shared experiences in their industry. Not only does Larry Clay tell the stories of key events, but he also describes the roles he plays in them.
Larry Clay makes it clear that he is no professional writer from the early pages of the book. He has no time for flowery sentences, but gets straight to the point, almost as if he was someone who was telling a secret with his last words. However, his simple style suits his work, and it makes his book easy to digest for those unfamiliar with hockey. The book’s easy language can be understood by virtually anyone and has a deeply personal tone that conveys Larry’s emotions on events that happened decades ago. When he talks about personal betrayals and injustices, Larry’s stance on them is very clear, leaving no room to assume that he supported these actions. He says, “I don’t like cover-ups, corruption or celebrities who think they can buy their own brand of justice.”
I particularly liked that each chapter included letters, documents, and receipts, backing up the claims that Larry made. Not only did these additional statements in the Appendix verify the events in the book, but they also made them easier to follow. Additionally, I found the careful sectioning of the book to be very helpful, as I could easily hop from the first chapter to the eighth, and back again, without feeling the need to go back to previous ones.
Overall, Behind The Orange Curtain goes beyond the sport of hockey and delves into the nature of human beings to build, to steal, to tear down, and to create an amazing legacy from small ideas. I finished the book feeling more knowledgeable about hockey, and knowledgeable enough to recognize the terminologies in the real world. With words of wisdom from a man that has spent decades in the field, the lessons he shares can be applied to situations both inside and outside the ice rink. This book has persuaded me to learn more about the sport, and I recommend it to any college student who might be thinking of developing a long-term career in sports.
Behind The Orange Curtain
By Larry Clay
Published June 18, 2021
215 Pages
Sope Lartey is a junior at Drexel University pursuing a Writing and Publishing certificate. She enjoys writing essays and poetry that revolve around the lives of women. She is an avid reader of West African literature.