The Complete World Hockey Association
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Ken Block Kenneth Ritchard Block

Height: 5-10
Weight: 185
Shoot: L
Born: 18 May 1944, Steinbach MB

 

Regular Season & Playoff Scoring Record (key)

year team
gp
g
a
pts
pim
gp
g
a
pts
pim
1972-73 New York
78
5
53
58
43
1973-74 New York-Jersey
74
3
43
46
22
1974-75 San Diego
36
1
11
12
12
Indianapolis
37
0
17
17
18
Totals (2 teams)
73
1
28
29
30
1975-76 Indianapolis
79
1
25
26
28
1976-77 Indianapolis
52
3
10
13
25
9
0
2
2
6
1977-78 Indianapolis
77
1
25
26
34
1978-79 Indianapolis
22
2
3
5
10
Totals:
455
16
187
203
192
9
0
2
2
6

 

Excerpts from Pro Hockey, WHA 1975-76 (by Dan Proudfoot)

Mobility is a quality all teams look for in defencemen, but seldom find. Racer GM Jim Browitt feels the 31-year-old Block has that essential mobility, allowing him to lug the puck out of the defensive zone.

"We're counting heavily on Kenny to make our defence one of the best in the league," said Browitt.

Goaltender Andy Brown hopes so, too, because Racers' original squad of defenders had a startling tendency to grow tangle-footed when trying to clear the puck.

 

Excerpts from Zander Hollander Complete Hockey Handbook, 1975-76 (by Reyn Davis)

Valued highly by Indianapolis general manager Jim Browitt, who came to know him while troubleshooting for the WHA in New York when the Raiders were languishing there ... Considered by many to be the Racers best all around defenseman ... Obtained from San Diego Mariners in exchange for rugged Jim Hargreaves ... Racers renegotiated his contract, listing him as one of their priority players for the future ... Has a knack for breaking up two-on-one rushes.

 

Excerpts from Pro Hockey, WHA 1976-77 (by Dan Proudfoot)

When Racer coach Jacques Demers talks about his ideas of what a defenseman should do, Ken Block provides the perfect example. Block, 32, goes unnoticed most of the time. He seldom rushes the puck out of the Racer zone, for instance, and that's in perfect accordance with what the coach wants.

"If the defenseman has to carry the puck out, sooner or later he's going to get in trouble," says Demers. "I want the play made in our own zone. Now, Kenny isn't the flashy type. He's not offensively minded and he doesn't get many points. But I'll tell you that he gets a lot of those 'third assists.' Know what I mean? Block starts the play that leads to the goal, but they only give two assists so his role goes unnoticed.

"He's the most underrated defenseman in the WHA because he's among the top few defensively and nobody notices. One-on-one against an attacker, there's nobody better in the league."

 

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