Hockey Hall of Fame center Bob Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers after his last ever competitive hockey game, the Flyers 50th Anniversary Alumni Game against the Pittsburgh Penguins alumni played at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on January 14, 2017. Photo by Centpacrr at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
He shoots, he scoooores! Radio legend Foster Hewitt’s famous phrase never fails to evoke images of amazing goals. That would certainly include those of Bobby Clarke, celebrated Canadian hockey superstar (with a sometimes controversially aggressive style of play). Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987, he contributed to Canada’s dramatic victory in the 1972 Summit Series and had his name twice inscribed on the holy grail of hockey, the revered Stanley Cup. But behind his many celebrated game-winning goals was another type of goal – to be able to play hockey at an elite level as an individual living with diabetes.
Born in 1949, Robert Earle Clarke was diagnosed with type I diabetes as a pre-teen athlete in Flin Flon, Manitoba. Despite his evident prowess on the ice, his future in professional hockey was cast under doubt by the likes of National Hockey League (NHL) scouts due to his diabetes. Others before him likely lost the chance to reach higher levels of play, but Clarke was one of those who was able to succeed.
One of his early coaches had the perspicacity to arrange for a doctor to provide written clearance for Clarke to continue playing, as long as he took care of his health condition. This likely opened up more options for him as an athlete seeking to play at the professional level. However, it was not that simple – there was a belief and even a stigma around athletes with type I diabetes that they would not be able to perform. Clarke was scouted by NHL teams and might have otherwise been a top draft pick but did not end up being drafted in the first round despite his skills. One scout representing the Philadelphia Flyers establishment did feel that Clarke could perform well regardless of his illness, and that team ultimately drafted him in the second round in 1969 - launching an incredible career for a player who would become their captain and the NHL’s first superstar with diabetes.
Nevertheless, it was critical that Clarke took care of his health. In the rare circumstances that he did not do so, very early in his career, he suffered seizures. He worked diligently with team staff to identify a nutritional approach that would enable him to play healthy: taking insulin injections in the morning and trying to balance that with enough glucose especially before and during a hockey game. This included pop or juice with lots of sugar added, and chocolate. Finding the perfect balance between too much and too little blood sugar was critical for him to be able to perform and stay healthy.
Maintaining his health and taking care of his body was something Clarke did relatively well, and he was lucky not to experience any major injuries during his career despite his style of play. In an era when it was not necessarily the norm, he was known to keep in better shape in the hockey off-season. Nowadays, it would be more of a surprise for an NHLer not to follow some type of fitness regime throughout the year – including off-season conditioning, but Clarke was one of the early ones! Whether or not you are a fan, it is no secret that Clarke has been a shining example of what is athletically possible while living with type 1 diabetes.
Diabetes is a difficult but manageable condition for an athlete. Clarke did not let it define his life – as he puts it, he was a hockey player with diabetes rather than a diabetic hockey player.
— Written by Sandhya Mylabathula