Andy Frost's boy is gonna play in the big league
My boy's gonna play in the big league
My boy's gonna turn some heads
My boy's gonna play in the big league
My boy's gonna knock 'em dead
As one of this country's foremost classic rock deejays, Andy Frost can recognize a lifetime of lyrics, and he certainly knows the chorus to Canadian Tom Cochrane's 1988 hit Big League.
On Friday evening, Frost's 18-year-old son Morgan realized a big-league dream when he was selected 27th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers at the NHL draft in Chicago. It was a night to remember for the Frost family.
Many of us know Andy Frost for his knowledge of The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Guess Who, The Band and other famous rock acts. He has been a must-listen radio personality for his Psychedelic Sunday show on Toronto's Q-107 for more than three decades, and has gotten us through many sleepless nights as the FM station's longtime overnight radio personality and, more recently, as the evening voice.
But those who appreciate Frost for his musical prowess may not know his passion for hockey runs as deep as his rock-and-roll roots.
Andy and the Jets
Frost was born and raised in Winnipeg. While he became acquainted with the likes of Roger Daltrey, John Lennon, Mick Jagger and David Bowie in the 1970s, he also fell in love with Bobby Hull and the Winnipeg Jets in their first season in the World Hockey Association.
Frost can go on and on about the early days of the Jets. He can rattle off names from the team's early rosters and will tell you that Thomas Steen was one of his favourites.
As Frost established himself in the rock radio business in the late 1970s and early 1980s in Winnipeg, he jumped at the chance to split Jets season tickets with a friend.
He's now been a force on the Toronto radio scene for 32 years, and when the Maple Leafs moved to the Air Canada Centre in 1999 it was a seamless move for the NHL club to hire Frost as its public address announcer, a position he held until last year.
Morgan used to accompany his dad to games at the ACC. The youngster would take his seat in the press box with the media notes in front of him. He would take notes and then after the game put on a headset and listen to outlandish callers on the post-game show suggest to his father that, for example, Tie Domi should get more ice time or even be named the club captain.
The kid is alright
It was about the time Morgan, a forward, was seven and playing for the Aurora Tigers that his father realized this kid was a talent.
"He would make these plays and I would wonder how the heck did he see that player to make that pass," the older Frost recalls.
Did Morgan ever show signs of following in his dad's footsteps into the rock-and-roll business? Not really. All though there were a couple of recent occasions when dad caught Morgan listening to The Who with some friends in the garage that "warmed my heart," according to Andy. There also was another time he heard Morgan rocking out to Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love.
There were some bumps in the hockey road, however. Despite being a prolific offensive force, Morgan did not enjoy his time with the Triple-A York-Simcoe Express and decided to take a step back to rejoin his friends in Double-A.
But a friend of Andy's, Barrie Colts minor midget coach John MacArthur, called and told him his son was too talented to play Double-A. Andy hired a lawyer to obtain Morgan's release.
Morgan spent two seasons in the Colts system, was drafted by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and developed tremendously as a player in the OHL.
Frost and his son credit Greyhounds head coach Drew Bannister and Morgan's billets, Karen and Joe Brunetta, for his growth as a person and player.
Last week, Andy and Morgan spent some father-son time reminiscing about the kid's hockey journey and expectations for the draft.
"Morgan told me had a good feeling about Philadelphia," Andy said. "But Chicago also had some interest in him.
"We didn't know when he would be drafted, but we met with his agents on Friday morning and they said the word around the people they talked to was that he was a sleeper and he could be taken in the first round."
The Blackhawks traded down from the 26th pick to the 29th selection on Friday evening. Frost thought something was up. Maybe Chicago thought Frost would still be there.
But the Flyers traded Brayden Schenn to the St. Louis Blues in a package that provided Philadelphia with the 27th choice. The younger Frost was a Flyer.
It was a wild ride for Morgan and Andy. The latter had not been to Chicago since he was summoned to the Windy City to interview guitarist Charlie Sexton in the late 1980s.
Sexton would later join Bob Dylan's band. Little did Frost know he would spend a wonderful weekend in the Windy City all these years later. Maybe this is a stretch, but for me, it calls to mind the Dylan classic Mr. Tambourine Man.
Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship
My senses have been stripped
May hands can't feel to grip
My toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wandering
I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade
Into my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way, I promise to go under it.
