Fred Shero - Personal Life

Personal Life

Shero was the son of Russian immigrants who moved to Winnipeg to avoid religious persecution. He was often bullied for being the son of an immigrant and went out of his way to avoid some of other children in his neighborhood. Shero credited his childhood experiences as a reason why he tended to be a loner. As a child Shero took up boxing and at age 13 he became a Canadian Bantamweight champion. His success gave him a chance to become a professional boxer, but he decided to play hockey instead. When he signed his first professional contract with the Rangers, his father cautioned him that "hockey players are looking for work when they are 30." When he left Winnipeg's Isaac Newton High School to go off to New York to play for the Rovers, he continued his education in his new surroundings.

In 1957, Shero was introduced to his future wife, Mariette, by his teammate Eddie Johnston in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec. Mariette was the sister of a woman Johnston was dating, at the time. Johnston recalled that Shero told him that he was going to marry Mariette after their first date, which he did shortly thereafter. Fred and Mariette had two sons, Rejean (Ray) and Jean-Paul. Ray Shero also pursued a career in hockey and is currently general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Fascinated by the law, Shero contemplated retiring from coaching to attend law school following the Flyers Stanley Cup victory, believing he had nothing left to prove in hockey. Although he remained in coaching he did take a correspondence course in law. Known to spend time at his local library, Shero enjoyed the works of Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, and prided himself for being "the very first New York Ranger ever to hold a New York Public Library card." Among other interests was playing the violin.