But when I turned pro I learned that it was virtually impossible to play without fighting. I got just as many headlines - and cheers - for pummeling an opponent as for scoring.

After that, I set penalty records in the Eastern League and then the American League and, before I knew it, both the Flyers and New York Raiders of the World Hockey Association were pursuing me. The rest is history, and not very pleasant history. Sure, I helped the Flyers win a pair of Stanley Cups, but in the process I left the N.H.L. with a permanent wound that has been reopened by the Mulvey and Mann incidents.

I have certain regrets over my position as the hit man of hockey. I became a role model for young players such as yourself. Kids would watch me, on network TV, knock out a player like John van Boxmeer with one punch and figure that this was the way to succeed. Pretty soon there were juniors and peewees emulating Dave Schultz rather than Bobby Orr. I'd hate to see you react that way to Jimmy Mann breaking Paul Gardner's jaw.

It has been suggested by Eddie Johnston, the Pittsburgh Penguin coach, that Mann was sent out to ''get'' Gardner by his coach, Tom Watt. I would hate to believe that was the case but, based on other incidents in hockey, it wouldn't at all surprise me. Just a few days after that the very same Jimmy Mann punched Mike Allison of the New York Rangers, although Allison was wearing a mask protecting his broken nose. Herb Brooks, coach of the Rangers, was so mad he wanted to go a round with Watt.

What does it all prove? The league continues to suffer embarrassments, Chad, despite all the proclamations from N.H.L. headquarters about cleaning up the game. Sure the league has taken steps to improve hockey but these, obviously, have been mere token gestures and, judging by the Mulvey and Mann incidents, of absolutely no consequence.

The brand of hockey played by your dad, by Jimmy Mann and other so-called enforcers is not the kind of hockey I want you to play. If playing hockey means fighting, then take up golf, tennis - anything that stresses skill over simple violence. I didn't come to this conclusion overnight. As my professional hockey career began winding down, I began to examine it more closely. I wanted desperately to be a good, clean player just as I had been in junior hockey, but it just wasn't to be. I was branded a goon the same as Paul Mulvey, and there was no turning back.

After my 20-goal year with the Flyers, I prayed that Freddie Shero would acknowledge my value as a scorer and allow me to forsake the fighting, but he wouldn't have any part of it. The Flyers were winning with an accent on bullyism so why should they tamper with success? Perhaps if I had had the inner fortitude of a Paul Mulvey I would have turned my back on fighting for the sake of fisticuffs and called it a career. But I wasn't that strong-willed, at least not at that time.