Through their love of hockey and golf, Mike Eruzione has become close friends with Mario Lemieux over the years.
One night not long ago, Eruzione, his wife, Donna, and their 6-year-old grandson, Michael, attended a Boston University game with Lemieux, his wife, Nathalie, and their daughters.
Lemieux’s son, Austin, was playing that night for Arizona State.
While the families were entering the Agganis Arena on the BU campus, people immediately recognized Eruzione, a BU graduate and captain of the 1980 U.S. gold-medal winning hockey team.
“People are stopping me to take my picture and sign something,” Eruzione said. “My grandson looks at my wife and says, ‘Nana, how come people want to take Papa’s picture?’ ”
“Well, he’s pretty popular around here,” Donna answered. “Because he went to school here and played hockey here.”
After the game, people recognized Lemieux and were stopping him for a picture.
“My grandson looks at my wife and says, ‘Nana, him, too?’
She answered, “I think he was a little better than Papa.”
“Maybe the greatest player ever to play the game, and he wants to know if he’s the same as me,” Eruzione said.
“I don’t think so.”
