It came in the form of a mustachioed figurine that stands about 3 inches tall. His name is Rene Rancourt — well, more accurately, this little guy is Rene Rancournament.
The B’s handed out 10,000 Rene’s prior to the game, giving fans at least something to be happy about on a night when the Ducks handed the Bruins a 3-0 loss.
Rancourt is a folk hero in Boston, though not much is known about him. He wears a tuxedo (complete with bow tie, of course), he rocks both the U.S. and Canadian National Anthems, he salutes the crowd, he pumps his fist, and then he disappears. Beyond that, he’s mysterious — his Wikipedia page doesn’t even have a confirmed date of birth.
Yet, he’s been belting out tunes at the Garden since the ’70s, originally getting the gig because his voice was powerful enough to be heard on the horrible sound system at the old barn. He’s kept it going for three decades, making the move to the new building, and he was actually the best Boston-based performer in the building on Monday.
Listen to the audio from the Rene Rancournament below, including what seems like a 40-minute rendition of the final line of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and a very Rancourtian rendition of “Let It Snow.”
Photo: BostonBruins.com
