Those who knew him say Wirtz will be missed

It's a story Denis Savard had never told publicly.But on the day Blackhawks owner William Wirtz died of cancer at 77, the Hawks' coach felt the need to share a side of the much-maligned Wirtz few ever saw."When I was a young boy, when I was 19 years old, I ran out of money," Savard said, choking up. "I called up Mr. Wirtz and said, 'I need money.' I needed to give some money to my parents and buy a house."I said, 'I need $10,000 and you can take it off my check.'"Guess what? He never took it off."He's done things like that not only for me but for a lot of people, and not only in the hockey business. That's the way he was and that's the way he should be remembered -- a class act and a great man." MORE COVERAGESTORIESWirtz had a good side that people never sawWho will run the team now?Those who knew him say Wirtz will be missedWirtz's ties to Lake CountyBarry Rozner: Let's hope Rocky Wirtz fights for what's rightMike Imrem: Sadly, Wirtz never did correct error of his waysAUDIOLegendary player Stan MikitaHead coach Denis SavardGeneral Manager Dale TallonPlayer Martin LapointeThose were the sentiments all around The Edge ice area in Bensenville on Wednesday, as those who knew Wirtz best talked about him in glowing terms. Terms like class act, loyal guy, family man, team player."He was always there in time of need," said Dale Tallon, who has worked for Wirtz for 31 years as a player, announcer and now as the team's general manager. "It's a sad day. He was a wonderful human being who was always there for everyone else. He was the ultimate team guy. You wanted to be in a foxhole with him."In all our times of need -- situations in my family life or other former players, the alumni -- everyone who's ever needed any help, he's always been there."Like Savard, Tallon shared a Wirtz moment that touched him deeply."My dad was given six months to live, and Bill was there," Tallon said. "He told me and my family not to worry, that he'd take care of things, and he did. He always did that for everybody. He did that for Keith (Magnuson) and his family."He was a player's owner who cared about you and your family."Yet in the eyes of some Hawks fans and some in the media, his old-school ways brought down the franchise."I think they're like that with most owners," Tallon said. "You didn't hear that when we went 29 straight years making the playoffs. But you hear it now, and that's their prerogative."But they don't know the real man."One guy who did was White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who together with Wirtz succeeded in constructing the United Center, home of the Blackhawks and the Bulls."Bill Wirtz was a giant of a man whose passing leaves a tremendous void in Chicago," Reinsdorf said in a statement. "It was an honor to have been his partner for over 25 years. He was a person of great integrity, loyalty and generosity."Under the guidance of Wirtz, Chicago Blackhawk Charities was established in 1993, and since then more than $7.5 million has been donated to a variety of causes from the Boys and Girls Club to the Chicago Blackhawk Alumni Association."No one did more for hockey on the professional and amateur levels than he did," Jeremy Jacobs, owner of the Boston Bruins and chairman of the NHL Board of Governors, said in a statement. "It's a sad day in hockey. We've lost a great owner and a great steward of the sport."NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman echoed those thoughts."His strength, intelligence, character and passion have been ingrained indelibly in the Blackhawks, in the league, and in me," Bettman said.But for some, Wirtz always will be remembered as the guy who let some big fish go -- from Bobby Hull to Chris Chelios -- before their time, and refused to broadcast home games on television for fear that he would lose his season-ticket base."When you believe in something and you back it up, I have no problem with that," veteran forward Martin Lapointe said. "He took a lot of heat in the media, but you know what? He never backed down."Wirtz is survived by his wife, Alice; five children, Rocky, Gail, Karey, Peter and Alyson; and seven grandchildren."Like I told some of our players who don't know him as well as I do, all he would ask for is an effort every night and make sure you were a class act on and off the ice," Savard said. "And take care of your family."He'll be missed big time."