Tony Twist

Last updated
Tony Twist
Born (1968-05-09) May 9, 1968 (age 56)
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 265 lb (120 kg; 18 st 13 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Quebec Nordiques
St. Louis Blues
NHL draft 177th overall, 1988
St. Louis Blues
Playing career 1989–1999

Anthony Rory Twist (born May 9, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played left wing in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues and Quebec Nordiques between 1989 and 1999, and was a feared enforcer. Twist penned a foreword to the Ross Bernstein book The Code: The Unwritten Rules Of Fighting And Retaliation In The NHL. He also owned a chain of bars named Twister's Iron Bar Saloon, with locations in St. Charles and Imperial Missouri. Twist was co-host of the Smash and Twist show on 590 the Fan in St. Louis. Currently he owns and operates Missouri Windshield Repair and Replacement

Contents

Playing career

Twist was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the ninth round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, No. 177 overall. After skating with the Blues for the 1989–1990 season, he played four seasons with the Quebec Nordiques (later relocated to Colorado). Twist became a free agent in 1994 and returned to the Blues, playing there until July 1999, when he broke his pelvis in a motorcycle accident in St. Louis and was unable to resume his NHL career. [1] Known for his devastating punches, he battered many of the league's top enforcers during his career.

Lawsuit against Todd McFarlane

In the Spawn comic book series, Todd McFarlane created a mob enforcer character named Antonio "Tony Twist" Twistelli, [2] whom McFarlane acknowledged was named after Tony Twist. Twist learned about the character through his mother in British Columbia, who had a group of boys arrive to her house with Tony Twist-related Spawn items in 1997. [3] After this incident, Twist viewed the Spawn animated series that had earlier aired on HBO from May to June 1997, he subsequently remarked "I'm in pink thong underwear, smoking a cigar, ordering the kidnapping of a child while two women are naked on the couch making love to each other. I obviously didn't want any part of that. Even if I was a good guy I wouldn’t have participated. You’ve got kids being kidnapped, you’ve got nudity, you’ve got police raping women. It’s nothing I want to be affiliated with." [4] On October 31, 1997, Twist filed an anonymous John Doe lawsuit against Todd McFarlane Productions, and related parties such as HBO, for appropriation of his name without permission. [5] The lawsuit was filed anonymously in order to keep publicity surrounding it to a minimum.

He was initially awarded $24.5 million by a St. Louis, Missouri judge in 2000. Sean Phillips, a former executive of a sports nutrition company, testified for Twist, stating that he withdrew a $100,000 endorsement deal, only after learning about the despicable nature of the Tony Twist character. [6] However, the $24.5 million ruling would be reversed in November 2000, with McFarlane joking to journalists "He's got to return that yacht now." [7] The trial continued, and Twist later won $15 million in 2004 when a St. Louis jury found Todd McFarlane Productions had profited from Twist's likeness. [8] The verdict was upheld after two appeals in June 2006. [9] In 2007, Twist and McFarlane settled the lawsuit out of court for $5 million. [10] [11]

Twist reflected on the lawsuit in a 2020 interview, saying "I did not despise Todd in any way shape or form. Not at all. He thought this was a first amendment issue where he had the right to do whatever." [12]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1983–84 Prince George Spruce Kings PCJHL 54303565110—————
1984–85Prince George Spruce KingsPCJHL——————————
1985–86 Prince George Spruce Kings PCJHL 42322052162—————
1986–87 Saskatoon Blades WHL 64088181—————
1987–88 Saskatoon BladesWHL55189226101126
1988–89 Peoria Rivermen IHL 673811312—————
1989–90 St. Louis Blues NHL 28000124—————
1989–90 Peoria RivermenIHL3615620050228
1990–91 Quebec Nordiques NHL24000104—————
1990–91 Peoria RivermenIHL3821012244—————
1991–92 Quebec NordiquesNHL44011164—————
1992–93 Quebec NordiquesNHL3402264—————
1993–94 Quebec NordiquesNHL49044101—————
1994–95 St. Louis BluesNHL283038910006
1995–96 St. Louis BluesNHL513251001011216
1996–97 St. Louis BluesNHL6412312160000
1997–98 St. Louis BluesNHL60112105—————
1998–99 St. Louis BluesNHL6326814910000
NHL totals44510182811211811222
IHL totals33462329756501138

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spawn (character)</span> Comic book superhero

Albert Francis "Al" Simmons, better known as Spawn, is a fictional antihero appearing in a monthly comic book of the same name published by American company Image Comics, as well as in a number of films, television series, and video game adaptations set in the Image Universe. Created by Todd McFarlane, Spawn first appeared in Spawn #1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd McFarlane</span> Canadian comic book creator

Todd McFarlane is a Canadian comic book creator, best known for his work as the artist on The Amazing Spider-Man and as the creator, writer, and artist on the superhero horror-fantasy series Spawn, as well as being the current President and a co-founder of Image Comics.

The 1990–91 NHL season was the 74th season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the best of seven series 4–2 against the Minnesota North Stars to claim their first championship. This was the last NHL season to end in May.

The 1988–89 NHL season was the 72nd season of the National Hockey League. The Calgary Flames won an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens four games to two. This remains the last time two Canadian teams faced each other for the Stanley Cup.

The 1983–84 NHL season was the 67th season of the National Hockey League. The Edmonton Oilers de-throned the four-time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders four games to one in the Cup finals.

The 1980–81 NHL season was the 64th season of the National Hockey League. The Flames relocated from Atlanta to Calgary. The New York Islanders were the top regular season team and the top playoff team, winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup by defeating the Minnesota North Stars in five games.

The 1983 NHL entry draft was the 21st NHL entry draft. It was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, on June 8, 1983. The NHL entry draft is the primary means by which players arrive in the National Hockey League. The St. Louis Blues did not participate in this draft, shortly after the league blocked the franchise's relocation to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. This was the only time in National Hockey League history that a franchise did not participate in an entry draft. This was also the last time a playoff team picked first overall until 2020, when the New York Rangers won the first selection.

Gregory Stephen "Mud" Paslawski is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, Quebec Nordiques, Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames.

<i>Todd McFarlanes Spawn</i> American adult animated superhero television series

Todd McFarlane's Spawn, also known as Spawn: The Animated Series or simply Spawn, is an American adult animated superhero television series that aired on HBO from 1997 through 1999 and reran on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block in Japan. It has also been released on DVD as a film series. The show is based on the character Spawn from Image Comics, and won an Emmy Award in 1999 for Outstanding Animation Program.

Basil Paul McRae is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is a part owner and alternate governor of the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League and he is the director of pro scouting for the Columbus Blue Jackets. McRae was known as an enforcer with over 2,000 penalty minutes in his career.

Jeff Randall Brown is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from the mid-1980s to late 1990s. During his career, Brown was considered to be in the upper echelon of NHL defencemen. He was selected to play in the 1992 NHL All-Star Game and still holds many offensive records for the St. Louis Blues.

James Corsi is a Canadian-Italian former professional ice hockey goaltender and the current goaltending coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was previously the goaltender coach of the St. Louis Blues and the Buffalo Sabres. Before beginning his hockey career, Corsi also played soccer at the professional level as a forward in the North American Soccer League for the Montreal Olympique. The following season he played in the National Soccer League with the Quebec Selects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tremor (character)</span> Character in "Spawn"

Tremor is a character from the comic book series, Spawn. He is a former Mafia enforcer and associate of Antonio "Tony Twist" Twistelli, the Don of New York, and is now a vigilante seeking revenge on The Family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Hrkac</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Anthony John Hrkac is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player of Croatian and Ukrainian ancestry who played eighteen seasons of professional hockey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Peluso (ice hockey, born 1965)</span> American ice hockey player

Michael David Peluso, is an American former professional ice hockey player. Peluso was known primarily as an enforcer throughout his National Hockey League (NHL) career. Peluso played in the NHL from 1990 until 1998 with the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, and Calgary Flames. He won the Stanley Cup in 1995 with New Jersey as part of the "Crash Line". He also won the 1990 Turner Cup with the Indianapolis Ice of the International Hockey League. He is one of three players in NHL history to have over 400 penalty minutes in one season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Wensink</span> Canadian ice hockey player

John Wensink is a Dutch–Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played over 400 games in the National Hockey League (NHL), most prominently with the Boston Bruins. Wensink played in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals with the Bruins in 1977 and 1978.

The 1990–91 Quebec Nordiques season was the Nordiques 12th season in the National Hockey League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the National Hockey League (1967–1992)</span>

The expansion era of the National Hockey League (NHL) began when six new teams were added for the 1967–68 season, ending the Original Six era. The six existing teams were grouped into the newly created East Division, and the expansion teams—the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars, Oakland Seals, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues—formed the West Division.

The 1979–80 Chicago Black Hawks season was the 54th season of operation of the Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey League. The club was coming off a first-place finish in the Smythe Division in the 1978–79, despite finishing with a 29–36–15 record. In the 1979 playoffs, the Black Hawks were swept by the New York Islanders in the quarter-finals.

References

  1. ↑ Legends of Hockey - Tony Twist
  2. ↑ Antonio "Tony Twist" Twistelli comic book profile
  3. ↑ Fields, Sarah K. (2016). Game Faces: Sport Celebrity and the Laws of Reputation. University of Illinois Press.
  4. ↑ Calgary Herald, July 8, 2000, page 58
  5. ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 26, 1998, page 116
  6. ↑ Welkowitz, David S.; Ochoa, Tyler T. (2010). Celebrity Rights: Rights of Publicity and Related Rights in the United States and Abroad. Carolina Academic Press.
  7. ↑ "McFarlane need not pay Twist | CBC Sports".
  8. ↑ Todd McFarlane Productions files for bankruptcy
  9. ↑ Appeals court upholds $15M verdict for Twist
  10. ↑ Tony Twist and Todd McFarlane Settle Archived 2011-02-11 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ Tony Twist and McFarlance: Over and Done With Archived February 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ Twist, Tony (February 2020), Spittin' Chiclets Podcast Retrieved 14 March 2020
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.