tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30639516887062408812024-03-05T11:19:40.346-06:00Judy's Hockey HistoryA place for my hockey memories - written for Ann.Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-3724118291894162252023-01-05T15:52:00.000-06:002023-01-05T15:52:47.421-06:00List of all the hockey arenas the I have visited - 1980 - 2022 AHL, CHL, ECHL HOCKEY ARENAS <div> Wichita KS – 1 Kansas Coliseum (Wichita Wind), </div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span></span>2 Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita Thunder) </div><div> Topeka KS - Topeka/Shawnee Co. Expo Center</div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> (Scarecrows, Roadrunners, Tarantulas, Pilots) </div><div> Cedar Park TX - Cedar Park Event Center (Texas Stars) </div><div> Austin TX - Travis County Fairgrounds Arena (Bat Cave – Austin Ice Bats) </div><div> Traverse City MI – Centre Ice Arena (2011 Prospects Tournament)</div><div> Oklahoma City OK – Cox Convention Center (OKC Barons)</div><div> Independence MO – Silverstein Eye Center (Mavericks) </div><div> San Antonio TX – AT&T Center (SA Rampage) </div><div> Allen TX Events Center – (Allen Americans) </div><div> Abbotsford BC Canada – The Ice Rink (Abbotsford Heat) </div><div>Victoria BC Canada – Memorial Centre (Victoria Royals) </div><div><br /></div><div> Locations and ARENAS VISITED – no game</div><div> Los Angeles CA - L.A. Forum </div><div> Edmonton AB Canada – Northlands Coliseum </div><div> Calgary AB Canada – Saddledome </div><div> Brandford ON Canada - Wayne Gretzky Sports Center and home</div><div> Toronto ON Canada - Hockey Hall of Fame (2 locations)</div><div><br /></div><div> NHL HOCKEY ARENAS</div><div>Detroit MI - Joe Lewis Arena (Red Wings) (Entry Draft) </div><div>St. Louis MO – 1 Checkerdome, </div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>2 St. Louis Arena (Blues) </div><div>Quebec ON Canada – Colisee de Quebec (Nordiques) </div><div>Dallas TX – 1 Reunion Arena, </div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>2 American Airlines Center (Dallas Stars) </div><div>Denver CO – Pepsi Center (Avalanche) </div><div>Los Angeles CA – Staples Center (LA Kings) </div><div>Minneapolis MN – XCEL Energy Center (Wild) </div><div>Nashville TN – Bridgetone Arena (Predators) </div><div>Vancouver BC Canada – Rogers Arena (Canucks) </div>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-90239757256985180772011-08-20T15:00:00.000-05:002011-08-23T23:19:26.481-05:00“ History Will Be Made” PART 1<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">“ History Will Be Made”<br />
That was the tagline for Stanley Cup Playoffs for the NHL this past season.</span></span></strong><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s been 30 years since I became a hockey fan, so it’s time to write about my hockey history: </span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a timeline, memories and photos for Ann.</span></strong></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It began by winning tickets to a hockey game from a radio station. I was living in Hutchinson Kansas at the time. Central Kansas is an unlikely place to be exposed to hockey.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had seen the publicity from the 1980 Olympics of the Miracle on Ice team. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had heard of a hockey team in Kansas City called the Scouts. Born in Kansas, I was living in Royals baseball, KU basketball and K-State Football country. The tickets I won were for a game at the Kansas Coliseum near Wichita, 45 miles away.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqkVex83tSETt-6yQ0rupHjAysWy2veOc1ppLoIzCgRBSoAu7l1TyNQRCjSEfhhX9JtTKiufOUDw4ePgZjnKz7FMyf90Wq9w0XpQln1lM1gde8A_EXyvn12AS3SxDcuDuhrxoK9JX2bM/s1600/220px-BrittBrownArenaInside.jpg"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642696833541447986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqkVex83tSETt-6yQ0rupHjAysWy2veOc1ppLoIzCgRBSoAu7l1TyNQRCjSEfhhX9JtTKiufOUDw4ePgZjnKz7FMyf90Wq9w0XpQln1lM1gde8A_EXyvn12AS3SxDcuDuhrxoK9JX2bM/s200/220px-BrittBrownArenaInside.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 156px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 231px;" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642698155114176930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCmehdmUxVRS4et_HZmGSI55eH6mVz6vp-Gn6xHbgtvNpLX3qjIs2sstvkoLZG9WEbG4Q8FzsOF6pzCN0ozOkkGxiBWxDJ-FE3QOPz9pZbkayJ4x9v6MEw2Oedy4gnPE3rhbIdIPs4Ao/s200/180px-Wichita_Wind_logo.gif" style="float: left; height: 183px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 196px;" /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was the winter of 1981. The team was the Wichita Wind of the Central Hockey League. It was an affiliate or farm club of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don, the guy I lived with at the time and I used the free tickets, attending the game not knowing what to expect. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don, 10 years older than me, having grown up in Kansas City area, was familiar with the KC Scouts name and knew that they had left Kansas City. He was skeptical that seeing live hockey would be anything enjoyable since it had not been successful there.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Vh6fasCGCFdG6f9aVGPuQOe8FlpsxEHowkvkgUWtdCIafembLnEYgwSRzbl3iEA2Cfg-y6rfhe7HrI5F4OwtlBF2i5OcYu-B5FbyWqiB7wg0XkFCaz9sQmD7lTJRQk9RVHhUo-1sUjM/s1600/200px-KansasCityScouts.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642698866972543314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Vh6fasCGCFdG6f9aVGPuQOe8FlpsxEHowkvkgUWtdCIafembLnEYgwSRzbl3iEA2Cfg-y6rfhe7HrI5F4OwtlBF2i5OcYu-B5FbyWqiB7wg0XkFCaz9sQmD7lTJRQk9RVHhUo-1sUjM/s200/200px-KansasCityScouts.png" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<em>The Scouts failed to make the playoffs in either season in Kansas City and won only 27 of 160 games. The Scouts began to suffer from an economic downturn in the Midwest. For their second season, the Scouts sold just 2,000 of 8,000 season tickets and were almost $1 million in debt. The Scouts' owners did not have the resources or the patience to handle such massive losses, and decided to get out after only two years. After the 1975-76 season, the franchise was moved to Denver and was renamed the Colorado Rockies.</em><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I had no idea that I would come to love the sport!</span></strong> </div>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-88999428540414507962011-08-20T14:00:00.000-05:002011-08-22T00:51:16.571-05:00First Hockey Experience PART 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpCDrxSu6o3OioT1EeTPS_LVnJPnTq8AuHXFh9HePLYzC6-3Bt37dn2JdqhoKFWed6rI-samyCNMmZGlFtBZMCbWeVPjBzhYR9kIRjAEts-zdjdDEEA2cyJtYtENOoQgGmaXJmnjVhgg/s1600/I-phone+photos+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpCDrxSu6o3OioT1EeTPS_LVnJPnTq8AuHXFh9HePLYzC6-3Bt37dn2JdqhoKFWed6rI-samyCNMmZGlFtBZMCbWeVPjBzhYR9kIRjAEts-zdjdDEEA2cyJtYtENOoQgGmaXJmnjVhgg/s200/I-phone+photos+035.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We liked the first game, although we did not know any of the rules. Don ran into Dan LeValley, a friend and fellow Hang Gliding pilot. At the next game we attended, we sat with Dan and his friends in the corner of the arena a few rows from the glass. They answered our questions about the game. We found the games to be good entertainment and began attending on the weekends and occasionally on a weekday night. As I became more familiar with the game, I began to comment on the players. I didn’t know it at the time, but sitting behind me was the general manager of the Coliseum. Later, he commented that I was pretty rough on the players. He also gave me the nickname - The Nacho Queen, as I enjoyed a tray of them at nearly every game. (Don had just introduced me to jalapenos)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One especially snowy night, while driving home from a game we crossed a curved bridge and found it to be icy. As we slowly approached the next bridge, the car coming toward us slid across the bridge sideways and skidded along the rail in our lane sending sparks flying into the cold night sky. Ah, winter in Kansas.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYObK1_2AUGIDfaN3Fx2YCJ5bTlwZvM35LDdY7_5zAFrTvi35CiTakJCYo1ZxQ9ZKvwNuNbcsAY4eHJvtXiQu6DfVsrOiUDsDZO9UicCE6d8Ig5BkXos00jh_EXqZAilWmL05HVnCROco/s1600/windpro8182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYObK1_2AUGIDfaN3Fx2YCJ5bTlwZvM35LDdY7_5zAFrTvi35CiTakJCYo1ZxQ9ZKvwNuNbcsAY4eHJvtXiQu6DfVsrOiUDsDZO9UicCE6d8Ig5BkXos00jh_EXqZAilWmL05HVnCROco/s320/windpro8182.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We continued to attend games and soon had favorite players. I was drawn to the big blueline defensemen: Charlie Huddy, Mike Forbes, Owen Lloyd and Brad Knelson and of course the goalie Andy Moog. The coach for this season was John Muckler who replaced Ace Bailey*.</span> </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6qFzGftVWgYY0cp1JEY5yfmTRR5WTUQV43_MqIqZb__h_zX8a9bU_Zh31plZ1eXwwram33zGYsoLGMd_Zl8wRy10VZ728b2PKB6XlJc6t3rwa29dImTIiSFEs7IDU831d6LtGuGT_8w/s1600/Charlie+Huddy+Pin+7-30-2011+7-33-55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6qFzGftVWgYY0cp1JEY5yfmTRR5WTUQV43_MqIqZb__h_zX8a9bU_Zh31plZ1eXwwram33zGYsoLGMd_Zl8wRy10VZ728b2PKB6XlJc6t3rwa29dImTIiSFEs7IDU831d6LtGuGT_8w/s200/Charlie+Huddy+Pin+7-30-2011+7-33-55.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie Huddy Button</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbuZpUVKgjIFnQ6hzsuILY1pPCUicZELll50C620oCHOWE4kSOP6r2kAchr2jgsU_iH4vuEKRZRUMtUeFBrhWfFM20zd1b-XGtxd2Ubvdms4qHLMfVFowYf0mLzUvIUvzsGPm1kmlZBM/s1600/Brackenbury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbuZpUVKgjIFnQ6hzsuILY1pPCUicZELll50C620oCHOWE4kSOP6r2kAchr2jgsU_iH4vuEKRZRUMtUeFBrhWfFM20zd1b-XGtxd2Ubvdms4qHLMfVFowYf0mLzUvIUvzsGPm1kmlZBM/s1600/Brackenbury.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One player that still sticks in my memory is Curt Brackenburry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He was a wild man on the left wing. Nothing smooth here - only rough. He would fly around the rink during his shift, checking anyone in sight and return to the bench breathless. He had asthma and while on the bench, would suck on an inhaler several times a night to get through the game. Lots of heart with this guy! He played for Wichita the first season and then with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles the next to end his career.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><em>Following a game against the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in which the team received 19 fighting penalties, Muckler and eight other members of the organization spent a night in jail for a nightclub altercation. The owner of a disco club asked police to remove the players from his property; Muckler said police "panicked" and "didn't handle the situation very professionally".</em> <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAw1zb3iARZ8O4nxL-7ylZ7BYH7bjRvUnA6u06jy2ZSgsiQNOSkR-Uwoze2h6tB0H-jAUH6VkDSG76YhtigitMAEFqAJEkPXhd5u7DXbaV6NSAiB3hMtRTk3eFHV1MtyIVwsTJ4jOBEb0/s1600/Mouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAw1zb3iARZ8O4nxL-7ylZ7BYH7bjRvUnA6u06jy2ZSgsiQNOSkR-Uwoze2h6tB0H-jAUH6VkDSG76YhtigitMAEFqAJEkPXhd5u7DXbaV6NSAiB3hMtRTk3eFHV1MtyIVwsTJ4jOBEb0/s200/Mouse.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During a game in Wichita, when the strip of carpet was rolled out for a ceremonial puck drop or flag color guard, out came a mouse. He must have been sleeping in the warm carpet when suddenly it was carried away and rolled out on the ice with bright lights shining down on him. He scurried along the boards looking for an escape while getting a laugh from the crowd.</span><br />
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<em>In August 1982, Muckler was named assistant coach of the Oilers and replaced by Andy Laing. Additionally, the New Jersey Devils replaced the Oilers as the Wind's parent team. The Wind missed the playoffs for the first time, finishing in sixth place with a 29–48–3. They were eliminated from playoff contention early in the season. It was announced after the season that the team would not play in Wichita a fourth year because of conflicts over the lease on the Kansas Coliseum. The Coliseum's owners wanted a two-year commitment while GM Gordon wanted a one-year lease. Additionally, the team lacked a practice facility; Gordon said the team "bent over backward to keep hockey in Wichita". A preliminary agreement was reached to move the team to Yellowstone METRA (now Rimrock Auto Arena) in Billings, Montana, but the move never occurred.</em><br />
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Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-47316686385812499332011-08-20T13:00:00.000-05:002011-08-24T11:13:31.702-05:00First NHL Experiences PART 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEMXwSWu3V5OH0IbJGjPCRva7tfBFhYsahXjo4-bbQK1Pe-t8G17EwDSnJE2tAqKqP_4P4W9d8ecEt10mFS58eYDuJtoFWhP6pw4V2K2tOR6AcMgyO6VCJNIjCUmgR7s2BHAtMyG0EAM/s1600/1977_DON_CHERRY_BLUE_WITH_BOSTON_BRUINS.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEMXwSWu3V5OH0IbJGjPCRva7tfBFhYsahXjo4-bbQK1Pe-t8G17EwDSnJE2tAqKqP_4P4W9d8ecEt10mFS58eYDuJtoFWhP6pw4V2K2tOR6AcMgyO6VCJNIjCUmgR7s2BHAtMyG0EAM/s200/1977_DON_CHERRY_BLUE_WITH_BOSTON_BRUINS.bmp" width="160" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My sister Patty and her family lived in the Detroit Michigan suburb of Fraser. Knowing we had lost our hockey team and that TV stations in Kansas did not broadcast hockey, she began sending video tape recordings to me of Hockey Night in Canada games and Don Cherry’s Coach’s Corner with his dog “Blue”.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Fraser Michigan was part of the Colonial Hockey League in the fall of 1991.</span></em> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The 1984 Stanley Cup Final was held between the <strong>Edmonton Oilers</strong> and the then-defending champion New York Islanders. Edmonton was making their second-straight Finals appearance, and New York was making their fifth-straight (they had won the previous four). The Oilers would win the best-of-seven series four games to one to win their first Stanley Cup, becoming the third post-1967 expansion team and first former WHA team to win the Cup.</span></em> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Don and I took a vacation to Los Angeles and saw a LA Kings hockey game in the Fabulous Forum.</span> </span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The 1985 Stanley Cup Finals was played between the defending champion <strong>Edmonton Oilers</strong> in their third-straight Finals appearance and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers would win the best-of-seven series four games to one, to win their second Stanley Cup.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In May of 1985, Don and I were married and moved to Topeka. Don’s new position with Southwestern Bell in Topeka required that he travel to St. Louis for meetings. So of course, I went along to attend St. Louis hockey games held at “The Saint Louis Arena” popularly referred to as "The Barn". </span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The huge structure was completed in 1929, just over a year after construction began. At 476 feet long and 276 feet wide, it was behind only Madison Square Garden as the largest indoor entertainment space in the country. A 13-story building could have been erected inside of it.</span></em><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIw3eSgGHozKuvM1HxV-xlH4haMKSBWtIGqRcQ7BamZ9B1b19WTuqmbR6Qjp_FeXV9NaWJLE1xxYWtFIR0Zix7378ju9ZHyFXRnq0ZYA1vwkUBCygzkKEw-oYelTMUAgLoNz3RrEf95U/s1600/250px-St__Louis_Arena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIw3eSgGHozKuvM1HxV-xlH4haMKSBWtIGqRcQ7BamZ9B1b19WTuqmbR6Qjp_FeXV9NaWJLE1xxYWtFIR0Zix7378ju9ZHyFXRnq0ZYA1vwkUBCygzkKEw-oYelTMUAgLoNz3RrEf95U/s400/250px-St__Louis_Arena.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Arena St. Louis Missouri<br />
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<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My first introduction to NHL hockey was in this classic old building, complete with a big booming hockey organ!</span> </span></div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvP8xW_1QyQx8fPEim028eCfQR2f5Zkt1bI-fpUQYi4Z5ZVcnJnLQ7Busknn6hbBJkX5BsQiQ4mYUJ7l2S90BG8IOk3PiS9UC2EcQTnSf2TyDDe4HdYMaygxdvn1oSc3Y6PhpR81Iqwc/s1600/Gretzky+in+St.+Louis+2+7-30-2011+8-09-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvP8xW_1QyQx8fPEim028eCfQR2f5Zkt1bI-fpUQYi4Z5ZVcnJnLQ7Busknn6hbBJkX5BsQiQ4mYUJ7l2S90BG8IOk3PiS9UC2EcQTnSf2TyDDe4HdYMaygxdvn1oSc3Y6PhpR81Iqwc/s200/Gretzky+in+St.+Louis+2+7-30-2011+8-09-41.jpg" width="141" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjSbiFjYEEoq-HOjPlN4MUgIxFOu7qIvydbg2moV_29jG1wnuLuqsC8gxWKabldzW6ckSo9-DRkZiOJetTjsoJCbWEj1_NyTPm98HYTmdQCcGb6CgdEsuvYtbDHgsfKA-K788n2Pyumg/s1600/Gretzky+in+St.+Louis+7-30-2011+8-07-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjSbiFjYEEoq-HOjPlN4MUgIxFOu7qIvydbg2moV_29jG1wnuLuqsC8gxWKabldzW6ckSo9-DRkZiOJetTjsoJCbWEj1_NyTPm98HYTmdQCcGb6CgdEsuvYtbDHgsfKA-K788n2Pyumg/s200/Gretzky+in+St.+Louis+7-30-2011+8-07-25.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We saw the Blues play several teams, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but most important to me was seeing the Edmonton Oilers and Wayne Gretzky. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My all-time favorite player!</span></span> </span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrJj0rqhk9N9QEdPudCgjFrmOQt_8qR2NRX0870oZ6TXEjvUvA_lMflPygmFi-kjbINhxGx2wjzi_r4RAsaGk4xPGcN-p9jWgy0uVqeUDpgS4ceFGwsCl6EsV8Yz7LVoWMKrL1yhYuqI/s1600/Gretzky+Autograph+10-85+7-30-2011+8-12-00+PM+2991x2383+7-30-2011+8-12-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrJj0rqhk9N9QEdPudCgjFrmOQt_8qR2NRX0870oZ6TXEjvUvA_lMflPygmFi-kjbINhxGx2wjzi_r4RAsaGk4xPGcN-p9jWgy0uVqeUDpgS4ceFGwsCl6EsV8Yz7LVoWMKrL1yhYuqI/s320/Gretzky+Autograph+10-85+7-30-2011+8-12-00+PM+2991x2383+7-30-2011+8-12-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Judy getting Wayne Gretzky's Autograph <br />
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</tbody></table>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-46652312951436633232011-08-20T12:00:00.001-05:002011-08-29T15:32:00.099-05:00GREAT Wayne Gretzky PART 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwVONoaItak3sZJdie16OGkJqYE6U6VpEFXfqK_m1MXUXqKX08OoGOqG5rHf997PaahUR88dtz8ANDEQnddYRrkx-EuXrddPgsneGLuZjZCXqhoAnVombuqddW9fweHftduWXRt7pZ6U/s1600/220px-FromLacledesLanding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwVONoaItak3sZJdie16OGkJqYE6U6VpEFXfqK_m1MXUXqKX08OoGOqG5rHf997PaahUR88dtz8ANDEQnddYRrkx-EuXrddPgsneGLuZjZCXqhoAnVombuqddW9fweHftduWXRt7pZ6U/s200/220px-FromLacledesLanding.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were staying in the Embassy Suites hotel near Laclède's Landing.</span> <br />
<em>(a multi-block collection of cobblestone streets and vintage brick-and-cast-iron warehouses dating from 1850 through 1900, now converted into shops, restaurants, and bars.)</em> <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the hotel, after a game, we walked down to a corner bar called “Muddy Waters”. It was crowded. As we were standing near the bar enjoying a beer, Don was looking out the window as a limo pulled up outside. Next, he said to me “Look beside you” and as I turned to look, there next to me was Wayne Gretzky with Mark Messier at the bar ordering drinks. As I looked again, next to Gretzky I saw Grant Fuhr and Kevin Lowe. Messier passed the mugs of draft beer to Gretzky and Lowe. Goalie Grant Fuhr being the first star of the game was required to drink whatever the others ordered for him. The drink was called “the BRAIN” with the liquor layered in a way to resemble a brain. The Oilers stayed only a short time to enjoy their drinks. As they left the bar, I reached over and grabbed the mug that Gretzky had drank his beer from and took it with me. What a thrill!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcywXFO06uL1wfZBlNA4rORoliimGnY_npKVXFu33cf1QWFUHUBEepDXjneaf31-y37ruOHOFjqjzcV-KQAIA0U4ReqI9QiC6Jea2t-pRsGS2G_pWK_iIbKL9cMZECDB8FkQ6bgcMgpyo/s1600/008-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcywXFO06uL1wfZBlNA4rORoliimGnY_npKVXFu33cf1QWFUHUBEepDXjneaf31-y37ruOHOFjqjzcV-KQAIA0U4ReqI9QiC6Jea2t-pRsGS2G_pWK_iIbKL9cMZECDB8FkQ6bgcMgpyo/s200/008-1.jpg" width="108" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark Messier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzw0CZc_Wn7AZWHrN5SJi6XA8nPOWMgRxQiiOX5GedJ4IGWLV9QXIF_6bCCP8xkEsp6q1Bw6cVkH1Q_b2RDGJp_3uKCrzGUZyHKrPqw3soDXifa9yoxZaE55ceawAB_U95urC96Kq_z8/s1600/010-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzw0CZc_Wn7AZWHrN5SJi6XA8nPOWMgRxQiiOX5GedJ4IGWLV9QXIF_6bCCP8xkEsp6q1Bw6cVkH1Q_b2RDGJp_3uKCrzGUZyHKrPqw3soDXifa9yoxZaE55ceawAB_U95urC96Kq_z8/s200/010-1.jpg" width="174" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glen Sather and John Muckler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTap71pvQ04eTsFRuqMV75C4-rv-2BtD2ERgsE-0IBW6QqvAMs67FBHDdWRP3FNvXAtpD9FSLvnR6XHSV9m7JCUNPbW99ABULLg58Tt981tIt18e7rpvJmr8sq6YteEZQkmFI-lFE6mao/s1600/006-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTap71pvQ04eTsFRuqMV75C4-rv-2BtD2ERgsE-0IBW6QqvAMs67FBHDdWRP3FNvXAtpD9FSLvnR6XHSV9m7JCUNPbW99ABULLg58Tt981tIt18e7rpvJmr8sq6YteEZQkmFI-lFE6mao/s200/006-1.jpg" width="188" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jari Kurri and Kevin Lowe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1_pzVXu9ENe5u2gLQdQGMtRXIlizuiUYUfIpD-0AHvcFXKvI3EIWZUzg3UTyNKyvZOpFtivLzABLLN_HSCT70UiyylScADP8piyH8WH1R9y99zIfZFfoQ7T4Gm5OmKisIwa2QZIkmhM/s1600/007-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1_pzVXu9ENe5u2gLQdQGMtRXIlizuiUYUfIpD-0AHvcFXKvI3EIWZUzg3UTyNKyvZOpFtivLzABLLN_HSCT70UiyylScADP8piyH8WH1R9y99zIfZFfoQ7T4Gm5OmKisIwa2QZIkmhM/s200/007-1.jpg" width="157" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grant Fuhr</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgq0UYkMHaJa8yh1-WtNiTonVPQ9L4YXIyI-ntr9CyUHbJoA_32X7Y7T8UxbGZIYq6fs9pzKH84mYZtDS8rJcZJSGJUX-XVNVXtfyRKM5qS1o9TNm0uGmTeEfjSZcrL22C2YdT72eVFs/s1600/009-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgq0UYkMHaJa8yh1-WtNiTonVPQ9L4YXIyI-ntr9CyUHbJoA_32X7Y7T8UxbGZIYq6fs9pzKH84mYZtDS8rJcZJSGJUX-XVNVXtfyRKM5qS1o9TNm0uGmTeEfjSZcrL22C2YdT72eVFs/s200/009-1.jpg" width="128" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie Huddy</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 1986, St. Louis made it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Don bought some tickets to see some weekend games. The tickets were mailed in those days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJFgnIepwJ1THVXfJzQ1D5cN6QdioZRnQVZNqTGHf63_KsAr2FiZChxKMzUuwmm92dKIWN_hTDT6Zd4dNlpWk_OX6285d0zAnaRBoE2had3hrL3t1PRBrSzeXjZ2Wrkp-uwWNQqW7aAw/s1600/87+Stanley+Cup+Tickets+8-4-2011+3-04-6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJFgnIepwJ1THVXfJzQ1D5cN6QdioZRnQVZNqTGHf63_KsAr2FiZChxKMzUuwmm92dKIWN_hTDT6Zd4dNlpWk_OX6285d0zAnaRBoE2had3hrL3t1PRBrSzeXjZ2Wrkp-uwWNQqW7aAw/s320/87+Stanley+Cup+Tickets+8-4-2011+3-04-6.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Blues were beat in the 3rd round by the Calgary Flames who met the Montreal Canadiens in the finals who decided to go with a rookie goaltender by the name of Patrick Roy.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 1986 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the Calgary Flames in their first Final appearance and the <strong>Montreal Canadiens</strong> in their 32nd. The Canadiens would win the best-of-seven series four games to one, to win their twenty-third Stanley Cup.</em></span><br />
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Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-68830714505329174212011-08-20T11:00:00.003-05:002011-08-29T15:36:51.939-05:00The "Shrine" & Mr. Hockey PART 5<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLK2VZeXAvEPGjbxr2PZsgEuPXJULArIKUi4yQfgAHfJxi07hFw59kI6dx8KVmmeCHw0soKDpCvjW_hRfbkJtBYvqVSntwSq-M4bUCkHcMEJomKVGMK6KgfRj-SLxmeHYi5PDZaVMgJP8/s1600/Gretzky+Doll+1983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLK2VZeXAvEPGjbxr2PZsgEuPXJULArIKUi4yQfgAHfJxi07hFw59kI6dx8KVmmeCHw0soKDpCvjW_hRfbkJtBYvqVSntwSq-M4bUCkHcMEJomKVGMK6KgfRj-SLxmeHYi5PDZaVMgJP8/s1600/Gretzky+Doll+1983.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wayne Gretzky Doll - Oiler Uniform<br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was about this time that my sister Patty in Detroit sent me a Wayne Gretzky doll. (THANKS PATTY!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the next few years I began to collect Wayne Gretzky memorabilia.</span> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkD9BT1FlhMlo1PR2bIOGs0sm1Cc9EvKwrlpv_hMDHA3H51NLWrY7zl_QU9qBiAM3VvwCc3SB6Pp8yGf2bbkG9OEnkE-ppTkrLnh6IewA0t8mAIjs_72pCXTj_icLDyGyq_wNrUFzaWRg/s1600/003-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkD9BT1FlhMlo1PR2bIOGs0sm1Cc9EvKwrlpv_hMDHA3H51NLWrY7zl_QU9qBiAM3VvwCc3SB6Pp8yGf2bbkG9OEnkE-ppTkrLnh6IewA0t8mAIjs_72pCXTj_icLDyGyq_wNrUFzaWRg/s320/003-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVN3RSBLThzhGJ3GArqdAtY4mMfXZNE0vwJfDUqoyKQLRxj00HPr9iuhspqUtyjDWm-oegUbXdqVW-vXln-1AVd6vo-rl2ZtBo34Uu2_K0nligExs84BxpqCHNVJ05yJxXg9_Vylza8I/s1600/John+Groedzinger%2527s+Basement+7-30-2011+7-40-07+PM+1479x1017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVN3RSBLThzhGJ3GArqdAtY4mMfXZNE0vwJfDUqoyKQLRxj00HPr9iuhspqUtyjDWm-oegUbXdqVW-vXln-1AVd6vo-rl2ZtBo34Uu2_K0nligExs84BxpqCHNVJ05yJxXg9_Vylza8I/s320/John+Groedzinger%2527s+Basement+7-30-2011+7-40-07+PM+1479x1017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Groezinger's Basement<br />
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<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I met a guy from St. Louis who also collected Wayne Gretzky memorabilia. His name was John Groezinger. While in St. Louis, we met John at a game and the following day went to his house to see his collection. His whole basement was covered with posters and all things Gretzky. He gave me names of guys from Canada who he had purchased obscure collectable items. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<div align="left"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The 1987 Stanley Cup Final was played between the <strong>Edmonton Oilers</strong> and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers would win the series 4–3, for their third Stanley Cup victory.</span></em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In June of 1987, my family traveled to Detroit for my niece Andrea’s high school graduation.</span><br />
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<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The 1987 NHL Entry Draft was held at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">During that trip, on June 13, 1987, at Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit, I saw the NHL draft, saw the Stanley Cup (for the first time) and met Mr. Hockey - Gordie Howe!</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCdcb5vKwQIvZMt3MMul3DXSdulb7pPRAhWleG8S16Pt8nzUEvP_WEfQ9eqTOo0CNKgjvv-IODjGFopwIwoIIAtPOK3I34mtiwBq-tTZHhMy_TmRoniqLYZ-aZTbi1IvbDHGokERpg7w/s1600/009-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="319" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCdcb5vKwQIvZMt3MMul3DXSdulb7pPRAhWleG8S16Pt8nzUEvP_WEfQ9eqTOo0CNKgjvv-IODjGFopwIwoIIAtPOK3I34mtiwBq-tTZHhMy_TmRoniqLYZ-aZTbi1IvbDHGokERpg7w/s320/009-2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-46354307188325145752011-08-20T10:00:00.002-05:002011-08-29T15:58:49.722-05:00To Canada & The Trade PART 6<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 1988 Stanley Cup Finals was between the <strong>Edmonton Oilers</strong> and Boston Bruins. The Oilers would win the series 4–0 in five games; game four was abandoned due to a power failure at the Boston Garden with the score tied 3–3 and replayed.</em></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8LKBWCPAJSq7APXpfUEMNNFzvChydWnoY_pPuoo7cBlXliLKPIZFAa67H3smnoVBLeCVNpxgDh5lWAxEqLMct7fRovRJMhyl3USU6B3sVmOQd6GPyI-eEtsJM_3nswJ-w8mhLZdrvvQ/s1600/Hockey+Hall+Button+7-30-2011+8-27-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8LKBWCPAJSq7APXpfUEMNNFzvChydWnoY_pPuoo7cBlXliLKPIZFAa67H3smnoVBLeCVNpxgDh5lWAxEqLMct7fRovRJMhyl3USU6B3sVmOQd6GPyI-eEtsJM_3nswJ-w8mhLZdrvvQ/s200/Hockey+Hall+Button+7-30-2011+8-27-1.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the summer of 1988, Don and I traveled to Canada for vacation. We visited the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. It was in a modern building of the Canadian National Exhibition, not where it is located today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also visited Brantford Ontario - home of Wayne Gretzky. It was a Saturday morning as we drove down Varadi Avenue past Walter and Phyllis Gretzky’s home. On that same day, across Canada in Edmonton Alberta, Wayne and Janet Jones were being married on July 17, 1988.</span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzGZL5SX-ExeD4ThI-HfYqaQ8vQbDych46xr-NTO75chbHORQibIFpKesyZ-QAiBqNcDWpEMLQZjbffqaEyXIQkLDR32TxeH7fdaWlGqm3ESHue9DCmBJnbo5ZWnCARn7AThdJ2T7H4M/s1600/P1080208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzGZL5SX-ExeD4ThI-HfYqaQ8vQbDych46xr-NTO75chbHORQibIFpKesyZ-QAiBqNcDWpEMLQZjbffqaEyXIQkLDR32TxeH7fdaWlGqm3ESHue9DCmBJnbo5ZWnCARn7AThdJ2T7H4M/s320/P1080208.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We purchased newspapers in Brantford with the wedding photos on the cover. During this trip we visited the guys that John G. had told us about to purchase memorabilia. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And from this and more, the <strong>Gretzky Shrine</strong> was created. That is what Don called the spare bedroom in our Topeka duplex where my collection was displayed.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ONKl_ijNohyJIY5tkKe4tBatnwOu-Z8rBbFKDO99FdHWCFYbanHR32N8Da8BqzexiCcquNSEVroBNRyM-wqy72EkwyztoUGfFGju3ITNJ7_SOy7X-XADQtVotDu1vCbZFJ8MzWPYUt8/s1600/011-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ONKl_ijNohyJIY5tkKe4tBatnwOu-Z8rBbFKDO99FdHWCFYbanHR32N8Da8BqzexiCcquNSEVroBNRyM-wqy72EkwyztoUGfFGju3ITNJ7_SOy7X-XADQtVotDu1vCbZFJ8MzWPYUt8/s320/011-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>THE DAY THAT CHANGED HOCKEY</strong></span></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Aug. 9, 1988, the NHL made headlines across both the United States and Canada. The NHL’s greatest player, Wayne Gretzky, who at the age of 27 had just led the Edmonton Oilers to their fourth Stanley Cup championship in five seasons, was traded (sold) to the Los Angeles Kings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was not just a monumental trade; it was a true piece of sports history forever to be entrenched in hockey legend and lore.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYzpsaqIJzQaDxpaCdAl0gp3TYMSthx223dQ6I9u2Fj1UJcwN-mWjTdmS8PhIrVcftUs6pPyP1wR4KApdWYD47h8kmG1XeWe9cBcA8io1Nk71z3gamGLcRJP2EjEy6XQ1t9rTR3d7guU/s1600/Gretzky+SOLD+8-4-2011+2-50-7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYzpsaqIJzQaDxpaCdAl0gp3TYMSthx223dQ6I9u2Fj1UJcwN-mWjTdmS8PhIrVcftUs6pPyP1wR4KApdWYD47h8kmG1XeWe9cBcA8io1Nk71z3gamGLcRJP2EjEy6XQ1t9rTR3d7guU/s320/Gretzky+SOLD+8-4-2011+2-50-7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>And less than one year later, the shrine is boxed and stored to make that room a baby nursery for Ann!</strong></span></span></div>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-54634955330827304682011-08-20T09:00:00.001-05:002011-08-29T15:56:21.603-05:00Detroit Red Wings PART 7<span lang="EN"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXE8UGu4ySpBu7fpUOd6afHPZLgPTAMQ1bpnJelkM58R8CPFuB02DzNmSV4frfe1SFzVrjQSdyt5J0F9X3N94zUOc1ffCOh_dGx5Xx6FkAUIbZL4BlLwTjwwQrViY9yqwO1YKUyFgiMcs/s1600/Detroit+Ticket+stubs+10-88++7-30-2011+8-23-00+PM+1072x1212.+Louis+Ticket+stubs+10-88+7-30-2011+8-23-00+PM+1072x1212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXE8UGu4ySpBu7fpUOd6afHPZLgPTAMQ1bpnJelkM58R8CPFuB02DzNmSV4frfe1SFzVrjQSdyt5J0F9X3N94zUOc1ffCOh_dGx5Xx6FkAUIbZL4BlLwTjwwQrViY9yqwO1YKUyFgiMcs/s200/Detroit+Ticket+stubs+10-88++7-30-2011+8-23-00+PM+1072x1212.+Louis+Ticket+stubs+10-88+7-30-2011+8-23-00+PM+1072x1212.jpg" width="176" /></a><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During another trip to visit Patty’s family in Detroit, we attended a Red Wings game at Joe Louis arena. It was my mother’s <strong>first and only</strong> hockey game. She was quite shocked at the things yelled by the fans toward their own Bob Probert. The left winger was know for being an enforcer/fighter leading the league in penalties in minutes with 398 in 1987-88 season. Off the ice he was known for his arrests and legal problems with drinking, drugs, etc. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Detroit, when leaving the arena after the game, fans pass through elevated walkways to the frozen parking garages - “mooing” like cattle.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">During the 1988-89 season we traveled to Bloomington Minnesota to see the L.A. Kings with Wayne Gretzky play the Minnesota North Stars at the MetCenter. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYEJihcmoUN-vJhDLETNx_tWY0m3oUkE5R3uw30JqgixmLrgOGswYv3gpByrEJpGk9AXQY7WzMLk_jrrtAE-pSOUCb5iyxblDweyb3VyLjnF-QcpIM9fMq_Kx8wIy1Okb0EDOoZSOF2g/s1600/004-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYEJihcmoUN-vJhDLETNx_tWY0m3oUkE5R3uw30JqgixmLrgOGswYv3gpByrEJpGk9AXQY7WzMLk_jrrtAE-pSOUCb5iyxblDweyb3VyLjnF-QcpIM9fMq_Kx8wIy1Okb0EDOoZSOF2g/s320/004-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbInZYblRVd7qMwUpWXSaZC1K1cZ-ybEAbEKBsVTH22tDLIfO_tNLCAxFMcyV70sB2BP9BeP9ZYlUMC7DELkLfInbBabdmkyyKtDGtMvCRbUt1DQBw4d9vwgH5OI_V5qGClghqCFQUZA/s1600/005-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbInZYblRVd7qMwUpWXSaZC1K1cZ-ybEAbEKBsVTH22tDLIfO_tNLCAxFMcyV70sB2BP9BeP9ZYlUMC7DELkLfInbBabdmkyyKtDGtMvCRbUt1DQBw4d9vwgH5OI_V5qGClghqCFQUZA/s200/005-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luc Robitaille and Wayne Gretzky</td></tr>
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1989 Stanley Cup Final was between the <strong>Calgary Flames</strong> and the Montreal Canadiens, the top two teams during the 1988–89 NHL regular season. Calgary won.</span></em><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the early summer of 1989, during Don’s Windsurfing vacation at Hood River on the Columbia River Gorge in Washington state, (I was about 6 months pregnant) we traveled to Canada. We visited Calgary and Edmonton. Being summertime, there were no hockey games, but we saw the Calgary Saddledome and Edmonton’s Northlands Coliseum hockey arenas. And of course, the West Edmonton Mall, the largest shopping mall in North America.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Ann is born!</span></strong> Ann’s first hockey game in St. Louis, fall of 1989.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBbQvuc7mNddPORSGDwOSjJnAmCZDEjFscbyEZUU989M0AMababRmfX3VGxPlyu2Wju44hjxN1A_WCfVl85h43hNsTgPLGyE87T80qpBb97u1Lzf_xSR3G9Iu2fAJNPhSdvonHD8O0-w/s1600/001-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBbQvuc7mNddPORSGDwOSjJnAmCZDEjFscbyEZUU989M0AMababRmfX3VGxPlyu2Wju44hjxN1A_WCfVl85h43hNsTgPLGyE87T80qpBb97u1Lzf_xSR3G9Iu2fAJNPhSdvonHD8O0-w/s320/001-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a video clip of me reading the Hockey Digest to Ann at about 6 months of age. </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1990 - 1998 We continued to follow hockey on TV, and trips to St. Louis. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjri7OKP5-fNGTLAUn8Nj5WdLOEA_c3QJriUx3gh1gzu-DEKQ04bTC7vAO-jT_EuGHjg-HSWBep8PM0M_Ts4pt2Z85ovWvZwJuM_v-T4LqBj9xCBV2aI95Tp6Ic030s_yAus3lowu62P3k/s1600/Ft.+Wayne+Komets+1990+ticket+stub+7-30-2011+8-20-49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjri7OKP5-fNGTLAUn8Nj5WdLOEA_c3QJriUx3gh1gzu-DEKQ04bTC7vAO-jT_EuGHjg-HSWBep8PM0M_Ts4pt2Z85ovWvZwJuM_v-T4LqBj9xCBV2aI95Tp6Ic030s_yAus3lowu62P3k/s200/Ft.+Wayne+Komets+1990+ticket+stub+7-30-2011+8-20-49.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We attended a minor league game in Ft. Wayne while visiting Don‘s sister Jean‘s family. At that time a member of the International Hockey League. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also occasionally saw games at Kemper arena in Kansas City. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Kansas City Blades of the IHL played from 1990 to 2001. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs042NvqMy3k13ufjDXo9F5dkNP4yhTW3sIFwpAX4HH5aCBrg-MJoodg1f6IJvzL1y1cpPhlJsiae_QIqR2aCUsuyerPF58gKVXQAHkyzQfaaA1gbKyhxMHDfeof-oSpi0kZL3IoGgfgM/s1600/Blades+Mascot+Chili+Ann++7-30-2011+7-57-53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs042NvqMy3k13ufjDXo9F5dkNP4yhTW3sIFwpAX4HH5aCBrg-MJoodg1f6IJvzL1y1cpPhlJsiae_QIqR2aCUsuyerPF58gKVXQAHkyzQfaaA1gbKyhxMHDfeof-oSpi0kZL3IoGgfgM/s320/Blades+Mascot+Chili+Ann++7-30-2011+7-57-53.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>In the 1990 Stanley Cup Final, the <strong>Edmonton Oilers</strong> defeated the Boston Bruins four games to one. For the Oilers, it was their fifth Cup win in seven years, and the only one without Wayne Gretzky.</em></span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 1991 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the <strong>Pittsburgh Penguins</strong> and the Minnesota North Stars. It was the Penguins' first Final series appearance and their first Stanley Cup victory.</em></span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PptAh2GoJ2iwNM4552bwPn96vxbTRhnIy_4toR8WhmMT4BwsDbFqUcmmhv3t1tdIsmba24E2bd-QvQf2f9PZsDtd2wgDA4pidwIR5kOFjfXzOSkC5rh7F9TfwKjH-oFwjLqbwv4mXYw/s1600/Quebec+Don+Ann+9-91+7-30-2011+7-52-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PptAh2GoJ2iwNM4552bwPn96vxbTRhnIy_4toR8WhmMT4BwsDbFqUcmmhv3t1tdIsmba24E2bd-QvQf2f9PZsDtd2wgDA4pidwIR5kOFjfXzOSkC5rh7F9TfwKjH-oFwjLqbwv4mXYw/s320/Quebec+Don+Ann+9-91+7-30-2011+7-52-41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In September of 1991 we traveled to Quebec and saw a Nordique game at the Colisee de Québec. Ann loved to say <strong><em>Bonjour</em></strong> on this trip. (a French word meaning "Good Day" or "Hello")</span></span>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-43253164495887537112011-08-20T08:00:00.002-05:002011-08-29T15:19:49.699-05:00New Teams & Stanley Cup PART 8<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzQ5paFLYP_7SGS43wtFZjEYfr0tcyx14gy7IFGzl4S3VAF1hjaGqfu5t56dn8snouM1tExbNnDgm4X2mLmoXGgiA-iYdP_Q8QwhA8NmExdR0VK2L_lhdiWzjmgZX3m0frI5lQEv0fuY/s1600/Skating+Ann+92+KC+7-30-2011+8-00-00+PM+1096x1593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzQ5paFLYP_7SGS43wtFZjEYfr0tcyx14gy7IFGzl4S3VAF1hjaGqfu5t56dn8snouM1tExbNnDgm4X2mLmoXGgiA-iYdP_Q8QwhA8NmExdR0VK2L_lhdiWzjmgZX3m0frI5lQEv0fuY/s200/Skating+Ann+92+KC+7-30-2011+8-00-00+PM+1096x1593.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 1992 we enjoyed skating at a rink in Kansas City.</span> <br />
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</tbody></table><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1992 Stanley Cup Final - <strong>Pittsburgh Penguins</strong> and the Chicago Blackhawks. After the Blackhawks jumped to an early 4-1 lead in Game 1, Mario Lemieux and the Penguins came back to win the game, sweep the series in four games, and win their second straight and second overall Stanley Cup.</span></em> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSecNB8M8LDUlwyYbzbIbKr_yN-owTWRLCCfJ_yAQuMxSizz9JWJUsz6Zca2l0YIhZSIRFUldUfW01oExN9eacUd6qjQwfd7wQnF9zs2nUBd1axQ_OYNIntzhChzRNog_uVn4b1EUO6dY/s1600/004-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSecNB8M8LDUlwyYbzbIbKr_yN-owTWRLCCfJ_yAQuMxSizz9JWJUsz6Zca2l0YIhZSIRFUldUfW01oExN9eacUd6qjQwfd7wQnF9zs2nUBd1axQ_OYNIntzhChzRNog_uVn4b1EUO6dY/s200/004-3.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><strong>A MILESTONE</strong> - In 1992 Manon Rheaume tried out for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and was signed as a free agent. This was the first time a woman tried out for an NHL team or signed a professional hockey contract. She played one period in an exhibition game against the St. Louis Blues, allowing two goals, and played in another exhibition game against the Boston Bruins in 1993.</em></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNOIr4EeP3u1VK-VXZXFFuKIWzZv9-neDszo3SGzZdGG4C91ke9QNppqdFtF-kFefCdNwnDof61nR1GpeIJ-tDWHBgog4Oi0al5fNyMHOePBpKG0-vfNE0TcZ9Ek7-c_fCiX_y9mBhqA/s1600/001-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><em><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNOIr4EeP3u1VK-VXZXFFuKIWzZv9-neDszo3SGzZdGG4C91ke9QNppqdFtF-kFefCdNwnDof61nR1GpeIJ-tDWHBgog4Oi0al5fNyMHOePBpKG0-vfNE0TcZ9Ek7-c_fCiX_y9mBhqA/s200/001-1.jpg" width="144" /></em></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Manon Rhéaume (born February 24, 1972) is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender. An Olympic silver medalist, she achieved a number of historic firsts during her career, including becoming the first and only woman ever to play in a National Hockey League exhibition game.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>We saw Manon play one game for the Atlanta Knights. </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A bonus that night was also seeing Brent Gretzky, Wayne's younger brother, also playing for the Knights.</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_ywhAKy1AkJVgKrJP5DYVvIJOZQN-tk8sj2XjdQw8tiZoYc4RcyP72w_L93fCs-bIb6zWTEq_QWMF6HWu9wIYkAXmwha5xbDWpxAW_I1dvnz2axQ6gc0Af3LNPWuOO3WkqotIY8ehDA/s1600/Rheaume+Goalie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_ywhAKy1AkJVgKrJP5DYVvIJOZQN-tk8sj2XjdQw8tiZoYc4RcyP72w_L93fCs-bIb6zWTEq_QWMF6HWu9wIYkAXmwha5xbDWpxAW_I1dvnz2axQ6gc0Af3LNPWuOO3WkqotIY8ehDA/s320/Rheaume+Goalie.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manon Rheaume - 1992</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdVy1di4EQxYRKmNmCc-Y2gcdr4dgttgSD9RnVwnoKvfUoOrlwu_Gkc54YJTwfaYyOC5b-LOKGfhPDFYlngzYPOG75L_qXVd0EcnRCNarsMytBoSD3fq0yYciWRKtAX41mh87F71vHUc/s1600/002-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdVy1di4EQxYRKmNmCc-Y2gcdr4dgttgSD9RnVwnoKvfUoOrlwu_Gkc54YJTwfaYyOC5b-LOKGfhPDFYlngzYPOG75L_qXVd0EcnRCNarsMytBoSD3fq0yYciWRKtAX41mh87F71vHUc/s320/002-1.jpg" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brent Gretzky - Atlanta Knights </td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>In 1992 Rhéaume signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL, appearing in preseason exhibition games in 1992 and 1993. She spent five years in professional minor leagues, playing for a total of seven teams and appearing in 24 games. She also played on the Canada women's national ice hockey team, winning Gold Medals at the IIHF Women's World Championship in 1992 and 1994, and the Silver Medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics. (from Wikipedia)</em></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dK5GZCBJz-qNg-pBHvZC_FyBICph22hHxIz_JkxS0XH8K95ttdVgbqseHYmRG-GCYFv_I9NcceTYuU1bYiGHzuLb8P3zdSdDiw91P5bkyogiz7S7EoraapodStmvSd2XIOzHnwHeAjo/s1600/St.+Louis+Wayne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dK5GZCBJz-qNg-pBHvZC_FyBICph22hHxIz_JkxS0XH8K95ttdVgbqseHYmRG-GCYFv_I9NcceTYuU1bYiGHzuLb8P3zdSdDiw91P5bkyogiz7S7EoraapodStmvSd2XIOzHnwHeAjo/s320/St.+Louis+Wayne.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On February 27, 1996, Gretzky joined the St. Louis Blues. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't get to see Gretzky play (LIVE) in a St. Louis Blues uniform.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On July 22, 1996 Gretzky signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent, rejoining longtime Oilers teammate Mark Messier. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiv5V7Ji1DdjstIm2AEEhpgD1ogxuswNepjfeQrw_eZT23973iKVtB_GdjmazFE_RCfzHSQm-SmOmlJsm6HVtN_WL8dUXDt9PsjVWj-81TdJa40X5slGfZ1HR6KImGr-CocHXHdajGmS0/s1600/300px-Landon_Arena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiv5V7Ji1DdjstIm2AEEhpgD1ogxuswNepjfeQrw_eZT23973iKVtB_GdjmazFE_RCfzHSQm-SmOmlJsm6HVtN_WL8dUXDt9PsjVWj-81TdJa40X5slGfZ1HR6KImGr-CocHXHdajGmS0/s200/300px-Landon_Arena.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kansas Expocentre, Topeka KS</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 1997 the CHL committed itself to the goal of having a franchise in Topeka for the 1998-1999 season. I remember the Shawnee County commission (owner of the KS Expocentre) were negotiating with possible team owners over who would control operations. A grass roots group was formed to get “ice” equipment into the arena and show support of hockey coming to Topeka. Julie Mead and I were part of that campaign group. Julie and Mike Mead were cycling friends of ours and co-investors in Tailwinds Bike Shop. Mike also became the team dentist. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKwvLM3mHmK3mxi5pUiEOTAkDM3ttlZNjznxvGvieIBD7oRnsmSdQbr8VRQwAGDktw8CcygmR7O-9hlhW62YMCKBMgkbYW50vnHfLFg-1sU-Y9VzH6l04U3KU00I7hCe5GfxqZyWgdc4/s1600/Mead+Julie+and+Mike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKwvLM3mHmK3mxi5pUiEOTAkDM3ttlZNjznxvGvieIBD7oRnsmSdQbr8VRQwAGDktw8CcygmR7O-9hlhW62YMCKBMgkbYW50vnHfLFg-1sU-Y9VzH6l04U3KU00I7hCe5GfxqZyWgdc4/s200/Mead+Julie+and+Mike.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julie and Mike Mead</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3Il0tVgLdnX4-o2yTP0TmkWCfUbsZDJ_G_cDc-lYTCo4lavDl4-YLkZrUusRT_xoKYsLkMh22TvYXdRbGMhHs8FXlpXitfCZ0un54LEVxML4uzHSECVJjrPqDoK41tnVgqvOM6oOTyg/s1600/Phoenix+Coyotes+Ticket+Stub+7-30-2011+8-18-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3Il0tVgLdnX4-o2yTP0TmkWCfUbsZDJ_G_cDc-lYTCo4lavDl4-YLkZrUusRT_xoKYsLkMh22TvYXdRbGMhHs8FXlpXitfCZ0un54LEVxML4uzHSECVJjrPqDoK41tnVgqvOM6oOTyg/s200/Phoenix+Coyotes+Ticket+Stub+7-30-2011+8-18-31.jpg" width="107" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In February of 1998, we traveled to Phoenix and our friends Gary and Riki took us to see the Phoenix Coyotes play the New York Rangers. I got to see Gretzky play in a NY Ranger Uniform. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCeEJ45UzuY45N1lax6hzjrUfkrElFZRRPGwp_gj1ivClTzxyGM6H5oVqjD6mlhQQy9YkA4YZADbTNGDBBAw5bHj7Ykl1Y96hs_23SuLZKbOtxwtP3VtyXZrSUP9gXHg599mAPMevP_g/s1600/002-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCeEJ45UzuY45N1lax6hzjrUfkrElFZRRPGwp_gj1ivClTzxyGM6H5oVqjD6mlhQQy9YkA4YZADbTNGDBBAw5bHj7Ykl1Y96hs_23SuLZKbOtxwtP3VtyXZrSUP9gXHg599mAPMevP_g/s320/002-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don and Ann at the Kansas Coliseum near Wichita - our first hockey home. </td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Wichita Thunder were one of the first six original teams of the new Central Hockey League.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team plays in the Central Hockey League. From 1992 until January 2010 the Thunder played in the Britt Brown Arena located in the northern Wichita suburb of Park City. In January 2010 (the second half of the 2009-10 season) the team began playing its home games at the newly built Intrust Bank Arena.</em></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB378Ie4FcfXZkqpeZOKEtbFHkMZk7WqVOZzaVPfWszfax6rxXP1vW6YEe6L207TVvpqbMIr-A63qffirymzhp3-AlLKtaYX2sbnqwKR6_We9TeeqaSh4UGUyFUWG6ifWNmRtQKWchhBs/s1600/Judy+Stanley+Cup+Hockey+Hall+7-30-2011+7-30-50+PM+1352x1156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB378Ie4FcfXZkqpeZOKEtbFHkMZk7WqVOZzaVPfWszfax6rxXP1vW6YEe6L207TVvpqbMIr-A63qffirymzhp3-AlLKtaYX2sbnqwKR6_We9TeeqaSh4UGUyFUWG6ifWNmRtQKWchhBs/s200/Judy+Stanley+Cup+Hockey+Hall+7-30-2011+7-30-50+PM+1352x1156.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfGqd1pkQVf8Sn0W53UbGsz1yAyFlaGxZ-2EsTzeNXdwG7fixA4wgZtZJB-dMx6puHB0v717_mJFvFQ7QF1lzP2E-btFUTQemzZBgNRMy8cE6zO41hBhvc0N_yqOBqh5LkRAw3ZAnp3Y/s1600/Ann+Stanley+Cup+7-98+7-30-2011+7-55-55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfGqd1pkQVf8Sn0W53UbGsz1yAyFlaGxZ-2EsTzeNXdwG7fixA4wgZtZJB-dMx6puHB0v717_mJFvFQ7QF1lzP2E-btFUTQemzZBgNRMy8cE6zO41hBhvc0N_yqOBqh5LkRAw3ZAnp3Y/s200/Ann+Stanley+Cup+7-98+7-30-2011+7-55-55.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the summer of 1998 we traveled to Toronto and visited the Hockey Hall of Fame now located in <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a former Bank of Montreal</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> building in Downtown Toronto.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqpTe4LN_8jf7iRdTb_chrIZeJyvcJBVYso8exC5XWxBCzpjzQtdfgsXoJAzsx5HmbGuWYiA2ujTWZkoJT3ImZn5syeFNIqzb3Hl2tjg9InwHgusJGVjAHzo6jrhGtT_XG-JWfduVqnU/s1600/Hockey+Hall+of+Fame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqpTe4LN_8jf7iRdTb_chrIZeJyvcJBVYso8exC5XWxBCzpjzQtdfgsXoJAzsx5HmbGuWYiA2ujTWZkoJT3ImZn5syeFNIqzb3Hl2tjg9InwHgusJGVjAHzo6jrhGtT_XG-JWfduVqnU/s1600/Hockey+Hall+of+Fame.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hockey Hall of Fame on Yonge Street - where Judy does a U-Turn.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><u>NHL CHAMPIONSHIP TIMELINE</u></em></span><br />
<em><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1993 Stanley Cup Final series was contested by the Los Angeles Kings</span></em><em><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and the </span></em><em><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Montreal Canadians</strong></span></em><em><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. The Canadiens won the series 4-1. </span></em><em><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1993 Canadiens are also the last Stanley Cup championship team to be composed solely of North American-born players.</span></em><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 1994 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven</em></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> playoff series contested between the</em><em> <strong>New York Rangers</strong></em></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> and</em><em> Vancouver Canucks</em></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>. </em><em>The Rangers ended their record 54-year championship drought</em></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> with a victory in Game 7 to claim the long-awaited Stanley Cup</em></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>.</em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 1995 Stanley Cup Final </em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>series was contested by the <strong>New Jersey Devils</strong></em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> and the Detroit Red Wings</em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>. </em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The Devils swept the series four games to none to win their first Stanley Cup.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 1996 Stanley Cup Final </em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>series was contested by two teams that had not existed three seasons before, the <strong>Colorado Avalanche</strong></em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> and the Florida Panthers</em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>. The Avalanche won the Cup in a four game sweep to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup, in their first season in Denver since moving from Quebec City in 1995.</em></span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The<strong> </strong>1997 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the <strong>Detroit Red Wings</strong> and the Philadelphia Flyers. Detroit won the series in four games to win the Stanley Cup for the eighth time in franchise history and the first time since 1955.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1998 Stanley Cup Final series was contested by the defending Stanley Cup champion <strong>Detroit Red Wings</strong> and the Washington Capitals. It was the Capitals' first appearance in a Stanley Cup Final since the franchise's inception in 1974. The Red Wings won the series for the second year in a row, four games to none.</span></em><em><br />
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<em></em>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-59239678239289016092011-08-20T07:00:00.002-05:002011-08-25T20:32:44.830-05:00Scarecrows & Haymakers PART 9<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35QhX-xAaDRR90pJmcPPQYKUPh71l3AbvqSocGmpcJNaj11gzTpXnZzSQGXSI6yCvV7yWCAKs_vL1Xz6Z_OSVh7WUnsrXYdykPJvIVzEXllGjyAnaQiq1SB-ptfFe2SzzzsOdkEfFeeE/s1600/009-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35QhX-xAaDRR90pJmcPPQYKUPh71l3AbvqSocGmpcJNaj11gzTpXnZzSQGXSI6yCvV7yWCAKs_vL1Xz6Z_OSVh7WUnsrXYdykPJvIVzEXllGjyAnaQiq1SB-ptfFe2SzzzsOdkEfFeeE/s200/009-1.jpg" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann and Judy at Willie C's</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next came the forming of the Haymakers Booster Club. I remember several people gathering at Willie C's Restaurant next to the Expocentre to start the club. George Goldring, Denise Gum, Jason Simonsen, and Karen Heaton and I held office during one season. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4xV_NFutAXPfkpoWdvWECu-vUJueayQLbxXv8SQLmaGiaal_Rdxlixe5r_uUks2jObE-XYA1tzzyGg-Jz_q8y6Jf1AbI9anvPxJ_b42jQC2lA7dpXNaLQEF_cGYY-87B2JhRdzZP-x8/s1600/012-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4xV_NFutAXPfkpoWdvWECu-vUJueayQLbxXv8SQLmaGiaal_Rdxlixe5r_uUks2jObE-XYA1tzzyGg-Jz_q8y6Jf1AbI9anvPxJ_b42jQC2lA7dpXNaLQEF_cGYY-87B2JhRdzZP-x8/s320/012-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Booster Club Board Meeting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jason, Karen and I attended a booster club convention in Wichita one weekend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The team owner needed us to set up the “soon to arrive” player’s apartments. He sent us to Target (where I worked at that time) with the team credit card to shop for 20 of each item: sheets, blanket, towels, toasters, pot and pan set, etc. Several carts full. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fun project! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The club conducted meetings on the night of the first Saturday home game of every month and acted as a support group for the players.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygOO3UezGn4cjMqe_rdY6htrQ9JL59qC5w8FkamFWYLaMbg0T2CA6hbt980b9dZbOczPJCo75PSzWFVYjQmRSlyDnWKP-cisyuk_P9fAaE-nXpdKGEMRlgfqxeqqlu7i8v3nf4e1EOs0/s1600/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygOO3UezGn4cjMqe_rdY6htrQ9JL59qC5w8FkamFWYLaMbg0T2CA6hbt980b9dZbOczPJCo75PSzWFVYjQmRSlyDnWKP-cisyuk_P9fAaE-nXpdKGEMRlgfqxeqqlu7i8v3nf4e1EOs0/s320/006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Haymakers provided home-cooked meals after games for the team and for the opponents. Members helped “paint the ice” at the start of the season. We also marched in several parades with the team and mascot Haywire.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4FRq35bLkOPdFAMJ2_IUiko_h21a3ESbuY-VSDdmlX5XCm4fTshlZTEw_0ifgxzhsMxvBGtuserqwfUYbe-sIdhIQW6vjzCDq4VX64w9JzAOTFp6lHFade2BJe8_-dFxh-7gPafByT0/s1600/017-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4FRq35bLkOPdFAMJ2_IUiko_h21a3ESbuY-VSDdmlX5XCm4fTshlZTEw_0ifgxzhsMxvBGtuserqwfUYbe-sIdhIQW6vjzCDq4VX64w9JzAOTFp6lHFade2BJe8_-dFxh-7gPafByT0/s320/017-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Booster Club Members preparing for a parade</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since the Haymakers started in 1998, the number of people involved jumped from eight to 406, making it the largest booster club in the Central Hockey League.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some fans that were memorable were Bill the face painter; a big Topeka Fireman who loved hockey. Along with his great nightly face paint, he also had a LARGE cowbell made especially for the games.</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4TFZ-9nNZrFK9-kPQmEiemkFoZgulquou6JGYaW0Fptiy8P-OT72gw5KtcyeTnz59jGYbm51VXKXltfHRWF1ZcAcJJlwW55M3WQfsDGNWa2503iso9j_5AsfV5fESrH1Y5aXiyvQlGM/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4TFZ-9nNZrFK9-kPQmEiemkFoZgulquou6JGYaW0Fptiy8P-OT72gw5KtcyeTnz59jGYbm51VXKXltfHRWF1ZcAcJJlwW55M3WQfsDGNWa2503iso9j_5AsfV5fESrH1Y5aXiyvQlGM/s200/003.jpg" width="136" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Bill</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lisa Hill was a neighbor of ours. Her two boys played in the youth hockey league. She was a great booster and fan.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3QpMKX60ItApkcS94QmBNiSsa4cCkuQMuQAcC3JOwWRdVrcwzhJQXnuxUFGbHpmEVz25sNdhEz6AcPvzuwunCqGG2CmItTwIS9VnDNF0ZJRz8W6CooSLOu6yGqJZkpDqHFG1Ovx5Zgg/s1600/bucketman+2-7-2010+5-43-16+PM+589x392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3QpMKX60ItApkcS94QmBNiSsa4cCkuQMuQAcC3JOwWRdVrcwzhJQXnuxUFGbHpmEVz25sNdhEz6AcPvzuwunCqGG2CmItTwIS9VnDNF0ZJRz8W6CooSLOu6yGqJZkpDqHFG1Ovx5Zgg/s320/bucketman+2-7-2010+5-43-16+PM+589x392.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason "Bucketman" Simonsen</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And of course, (Jason) Bucketman: beating his custom pickle bucket with a mallet made it hard for the opposing team to hear anything their coach might be saying to them. (Jason is still a huge supporter of hockey in Topeka - including the hockey talk radio program)</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>* The Topeka Scarecrows were a professional ice hockey team located in Topeka, Kansas, playing their home games at Landon Arena. The team was a member of the Central Hockey League from their founding in 1998 until 2001 when they were sold.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>A capacity Landon Arena crowd of 7,777 witnessed the ScareCrows' first-ever Central Hockey League game, a 7-3 loss to the Wichita Thunder.</em></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#23 Goalie Rod Branch</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of our favorite Scarecrow players included goalie Rod Branch. Great personality and great with the fans. I remember that he stayed in Topeka during the summer months and mowed grass in our neighborhood. We would take cold bottled water to him as he mowed.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXw8t8g5zYMvTdxEd3MhcT3KrDpLGYmmLzHkG6qUfWdoVpxLJ25aJPtDryagE2T7IDY0_p3MM8FTiHwSVmFSQzpYCHeFpFCP-wUtiSrGDwICPqvq5IR1a09te9A5yGwXcR5ikr58AGK3Q/s1600/010-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXw8t8g5zYMvTdxEd3MhcT3KrDpLGYmmLzHkG6qUfWdoVpxLJ25aJPtDryagE2T7IDY0_p3MM8FTiHwSVmFSQzpYCHeFpFCP-wUtiSrGDwICPqvq5IR1a09te9A5yGwXcR5ikr58AGK3Q/s200/010-1.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"># 27 Joe Coombs</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joe Coombs was a tough left winger who seemed to really enjoy the game. (He later went on to coach in several leagues) </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtffAWAjKOQv7at2dGeJUXxZQVGIXMAcSboQ0wyMbHPEVZ9qnhk7a6jajGNi5p9Wni1_mEZzOSTl60J-2yn4v6wavs2cSUFQnVmbmIIUMaEwEvZO1WkbWnu0lbb3qb4kmnUAPjWJylXA/s1600/011-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtffAWAjKOQv7at2dGeJUXxZQVGIXMAcSboQ0wyMbHPEVZ9qnhk7a6jajGNi5p9Wni1_mEZzOSTl60J-2yn4v6wavs2cSUFQnVmbmIIUMaEwEvZO1WkbWnu0lbb3qb4kmnUAPjWJylXA/s200/011-1.jpg" width="151" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"># 40 Brett Seguin - C</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another was Brett Seguin. He was the team captain. He played in Topeka for 2 years - coming from and returning to the Austin Ice Bats. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nmbEMAdjHB_dpxDVT39IczKpiyPNSiX6iJhlLCnJJZemiXqSIaJ1x4KT8EmPUrmbdwvUx_hHzEjxGp1JBkl_9Oi6kEkq-3eMxK53UEH9zdaJpWUwd5aO8n69Ney4EINab8YOOp3wrgo/s1600/007-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nmbEMAdjHB_dpxDVT39IczKpiyPNSiX6iJhlLCnJJZemiXqSIaJ1x4KT8EmPUrmbdwvUx_hHzEjxGp1JBkl_9Oi6kEkq-3eMxK53UEH9zdaJpWUwd5aO8n69Ney4EINab8YOOp3wrgo/s200/007-3.jpg" width="167" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"># 44 Mike Hiebert - D</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mike Hiebert liked to get the crowd to “raise the roof”!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also had regular after game family skates with the players. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDc4ntv_nopcvWxLDwQ8cbmSIJIUmRjp8DiYGK3-SimuGl9aoDwFlLfZviBwTQzTjSMVdURTPtxrG-5lQ-VnOOooYtca45rrJQT3jxgYtuZ7uwoKnF5-wo1g40EAGESsprvyzbsSJKpB8/s1600/005-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDc4ntv_nopcvWxLDwQ8cbmSIJIUmRjp8DiYGK3-SimuGl9aoDwFlLfZviBwTQzTjSMVdURTPtxrG-5lQ-VnOOooYtca45rrJQT3jxgYtuZ7uwoKnF5-wo1g40EAGESsprvyzbsSJKpB8/s200/005-1.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ann once entered a NHL contest writing an essay on “what she would do with the Stanley Cup if she had it for one day” and won a Cup Crazy prize pack.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4dXCDjyr_SImYnRmwVz5wmEm1zHIgh0BqJRmAhtjdoK-zIt93327_RgEFBa6mEAzJSO46mnQ8jbbGDxlqJuIm8rYtyKqUNpDLrisr0R5a63AAS6U7-1gvNpzn3YXVRsZxIxmt9ylzNs/s1600/004-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4dXCDjyr_SImYnRmwVz5wmEm1zHIgh0BqJRmAhtjdoK-zIt93327_RgEFBa6mEAzJSO46mnQ8jbbGDxlqJuIm8rYtyKqUNpDLrisr0R5a63AAS6U7-1gvNpzn3YXVRsZxIxmt9ylzNs/s320/004-1.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ann also carried a NY Rangers lunch pail to Scarecrow games. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It contained hockey cards and <u>of course</u> a book to read.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2ac3cIAA1OUTSFZw_Jja2MMefsaLaGABdi-8mkJEuLr39WATNRZdw6V5c7k6vhA5jhAGbiNHzt_bl4q6nNstgYI2-Lumi2WSZHrGhH9EwOscPtPxFJpXruBolB6mcNcvSMOWhWRDQXw/s1600/003-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2ac3cIAA1OUTSFZw_Jja2MMefsaLaGABdi-8mkJEuLr39WATNRZdw6V5c7k6vhA5jhAGbiNHzt_bl4q6nNstgYI2-Lumi2WSZHrGhH9EwOscPtPxFJpXruBolB6mcNcvSMOWhWRDQXw/s320/003-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ann played roller hockey for a season.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8r9M3Qg3FWXgnik-TJ31lt8Ay1jYRsKlUB5o-P4KagzLngYyHFqWg8WemXZnSF6Pa0DzQOayoDGbnvCZ9GysTMUzhXQbI8rX_18Hw3r9MEqfprvaGBZZLOPv1CshT46_WY9hbd3M3-WQ/s1600/Ann+Roller+Hockey+7-30-2011+8-03-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8r9M3Qg3FWXgnik-TJ31lt8Ay1jYRsKlUB5o-P4KagzLngYyHFqWg8WemXZnSF6Pa0DzQOayoDGbnvCZ9GysTMUzhXQbI8rX_18Hw3r9MEqfprvaGBZZLOPv1CshT46_WY9hbd3M3-WQ/s320/Ann+Roller+Hockey+7-30-2011+8-03-1.jpg" width="216" /></a> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU60u8N6L5YTNewlMGpEq4HkQPbGArVMAf7OgsvkpN6mg5cgQlKEX9XmG7U78EIXeGHJrrw0qDyBIMWoxhE-P9FQVZeiXJsfCWTi2KnFR6vx-i5RxCbZUY32lTxTjk8eoPFFhhOSzs4M/s1600/Hasek+8-4-2011+5-36-57+PM+3240x4320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU60u8N6L5YTNewlMGpEq4HkQPbGArVMAf7OgsvkpN6mg5cgQlKEX9XmG7U78EIXeGHJrrw0qDyBIMWoxhE-P9FQVZeiXJsfCWTi2KnFR6vx-i5RxCbZUY32lTxTjk8eoPFFhhOSzs4M/s200/Hasek+8-4-2011+5-36-57+PM+3240x4320.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ann liked Buffalo Sabres </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">goalie Dominik </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hasek.</span><br />
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Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-86146448424221262422011-08-20T06:00:00.001-05:002011-08-21T16:15:09.774-05:00Going to TEXAS, Timeline PART 10<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 1999 Stanley Cup - the <strong>Dallas Stars</strong> defeated the Buffalo Sabres to win their first Stanley Cup championship in their history. Brett Hull scored the controversial overtime goal in Game 6 for Dallas.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have always loved the Zamboni and have always wanted to drive one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One night in Topeka during intermission, T-shirts were being thrown from the ice to the crowd. One rolled up shirt hit the glass and fell into the path of the Zamboni. It chewed it up and it became wrapped around the auger. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No Zamboni - Bad Ice!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7umHNXvw8OCOqXvR2S5v-VgVLid1AD6F4cM6Pue2bBCHVv-FvOmBDVbu7CBkXztqgKGyLN-M01u7jUyBBAIjI7mNqozTiAUCEGo0YOj6n8dgE_6N45FCq69NLTzdPiSvly-CkJPAxEc/s1600/TEXASTRUE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7umHNXvw8OCOqXvR2S5v-VgVLid1AD6F4cM6Pue2bBCHVv-FvOmBDVbu7CBkXztqgKGyLN-M01u7jUyBBAIjI7mNqozTiAUCEGo0YOj6n8dgE_6N45FCq69NLTzdPiSvly-CkJPAxEc/s200/TEXASTRUE.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bumper sticker on our van</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>June 10, 2000 - We move to Cedar Park Texas.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When moving to Cedar Park in 2000, we thought we would follow the Austin Ice Bats. In October of 1996, the Austin Ice had played in the WPHL for a capacity crowd of 7,559 in the arena that the fans called “the Bat Cave”. They played at the Travis County Expocenter, which is basically an old metal livestock arena. Having no locker rooms, the teams changed in a trailer outside the arena. The players described it as “having character”. By the time we arrived in Austin, attendance was much lower. We attended some games, but did not find it a good replacement for our Scarecrows.</span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyHYScJQ8FyTyaSaCQTyoSeJ8fDbTg7SYN52UIsBqmRxxlgldM8Ta_0DQIUsbeqMi5Ooi4LCl79MUdFzoc0ECzkpSPwXxaR4dbLpjL_JPKM6r8qZrkbPakG0AvfAnCeSbsqnwQtqt62s/s1600/ICE+BATS+LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyHYScJQ8FyTyaSaCQTyoSeJ8fDbTg7SYN52UIsBqmRxxlgldM8Ta_0DQIUsbeqMi5Ooi4LCl79MUdFzoc0ECzkpSPwXxaR4dbLpjL_JPKM6r8qZrkbPakG0AvfAnCeSbsqnwQtqt62s/s200/ICE+BATS+LOGO.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We continued to follow NHL hockey on TV broadcasts.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My neice Jenny invited me and we enjoyed a Colorado Avalanche game at the Pepsi Center in Denver.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmExS8jNWYQZ5T2KSTfKEqxN9rHqDeb7LBFhPQqWRNhDl0yG5R5lKFGKC0DuD4ye19LtpXBjpT5FLdedHddUWJtV1eUMX7lOIA22iqsKglv5b-099RQKl16ZutcAyaRDiMEr2VamuODaI/s1600/Stars+Phoenix+Ticket+8-19-2011+4-13-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmExS8jNWYQZ5T2KSTfKEqxN9rHqDeb7LBFhPQqWRNhDl0yG5R5lKFGKC0DuD4ye19LtpXBjpT5FLdedHddUWJtV1eUMX7lOIA22iqsKglv5b-099RQKl16ZutcAyaRDiMEr2VamuODaI/s200/Stars+Phoenix+Ticket+8-19-2011+4-13-7.jpg" width="110" /></a><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">We attended some games in Dallas first at the Reunion Arena and then after the relocation in 2001, at the American Airlines center.</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><u>NHL CHAMPIONSHIP TIMELINE</u></em></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 2000 Stanley Cup playoffs ended when the <strong>New Jersey Devils</strong> defeated the reigning champions the Dallas Stars in a six game series to win their second Stanley Cup title in their history.</em></span></span><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>There were two years when the Stanley Cup was not awarded: 1919, because of a Spanish flu epidemic, and 2005,</em> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">because of the NHL lockout.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 2001 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL), were played from April until June. The <strong>Colorado Avalanche</strong> defeated the New Jersey Devils to win its second Stanley Cup. Defenseman Ray Bourque, who had a career-long tenure in Boston without winning the championship, finally won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 2002 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the <strong>Detroit Red Wings</strong> and the Carolina Hurricanes, making their first Stanley Cup Final appearance. Detroit defeated Carolina in five games to win their tenth Stanley Cup championship.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 2003 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series. The <strong>New Jersey Devils</strong> defeated the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in seven games and were awarded the Stanley Cup.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 2004 Stanley Cup Final ended with the <strong>Tampa Bay Lightning</strong> securing the Stanley Cup with a seven-game series win over the Calgary Flames. </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a lockout that resulted in the cancellation of what would have been the 88th season of play of the National Hockey League (NHL). It was the first time a major professional sports league in North America canceled a complete season because of a labor dispute. The lockout lasted 44 weeks and 2 days starting September 16, 2004, the day after the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NHL and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) that resolved the 1994–95 lockout expired. The negotiating teams reached an agreement on July 13, 2005, and the lockout officially ended a week and 2 days later on July 22, after both the NHL owners and players ratified the CBA.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 2006 Stanley Cup Final concluded with the <strong>Carolina Hurricanes</strong> winning the Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in the final series four games to three.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 2007 Stanley Cup Final ended when the <strong>Anaheim Ducks</strong> defeated the Ottawa Senators in five games and were awarded the Stanley Cup.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 2008 Stanley Cup Finals ended with the <strong>Detroit Red Wings</strong> defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins four games to two to win their eleventh championship and their fourth in eleven seasons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 2009 Stanley Cup Finals ended with the <strong>Pittsburgh Penguins</strong> defeating the Detroit Red Wings four games to three to win the championship.</span>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-71190639207557535482011-08-20T05:00:00.003-05:002011-08-27T18:23:17.495-05:00New Arena "Just for ME" PART 11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wXRzZjRsGscHWVNjiMJdS20KZCs9LERIrKOp1fr5_Clvp5PI0sCkPRJLXdwTBNR6mgPs04Uw0aPArfnefzl4E-SqhhyphenhyphenF3BMwpBpYnIJt_GwPfYTh60HxzJmTkKgnweqojAiK3jIYU5k/s1600/Cedar+Park+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wXRzZjRsGscHWVNjiMJdS20KZCs9LERIrKOp1fr5_Clvp5PI0sCkPRJLXdwTBNR6mgPs04Uw0aPArfnefzl4E-SqhhyphenhyphenF3BMwpBpYnIJt_GwPfYTh60HxzJmTkKgnweqojAiK3jIYU5k/s1600/Cedar+Park+Logo.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The city of Cedar Park had tried to land a state-of-the-art multi-million dollar facility since the turn of the century.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In May 2007, the Cedar Park 4A Board listened to proposals from three firms, including the Austin Ice Bats, but was unable to find a suitable deal. I attended city council meetings to hear groups speak including the Austin figure skating club supporting the arena. On one evening Brett Seguin and a couple of other Ice Bats players were at the meeting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After two previously failed attempts to find a suitable partnership, the agreement between the Hicks Sports Group and the City of Cedar Park was finalized—and the Cedar Park Center came to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>The Cedar Park Event Center will cost approximately $55 million, of which $43 million will come from the city. The Cedar Park 4A Board proposed funding the project with 4A bonds, and voters passed the movement November 2006. Funding for the event center does not involve any property tax increases.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>The remaining $12 million, roughly 22 percent, will be covered by Hicks. </em></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9zLIkShPomYhgV-_9SrzjgNhHXB-U-YrWEyui9bV6MvHCfIoWxoWGIkOaxgBBDFHlG3krfEEvoIPZ6q8QzzuDTvkEpPditZ6EQn-lyFq3ioXFhnCEktFDDEbk6_rOTj1BNHo31YSiH4/s1600/Cedar+Park+Center+3-19-2009+4-04-16+PM+1156x1372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9zLIkShPomYhgV-_9SrzjgNhHXB-U-YrWEyui9bV6MvHCfIoWxoWGIkOaxgBBDFHlG3krfEEvoIPZ6q8QzzuDTvkEpPditZ6EQn-lyFq3ioXFhnCEktFDDEbk6_rOTj1BNHo31YSiH4/s200/Cedar+Park+Center+3-19-2009+4-04-16+PM+1156x1372.jpg" width="168" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Construction began in 2008 and the new arena was officially opened in September 2009.</span> </div><br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJiAX7Pj1qT948C51IyvZ0Gg_ZcvK86qdHIBR-yiru9fy0zb-4Zws6P94m_XqjGpOBih7rhyphenhyphen1iwMDdiIhHDY7ndLLII-Tr848oUb2KpEJLhjmn5F66LCDTwHzH4snYoXuSECciJ1m5Y8/s1600/Grammar%2527s+Funeral+031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJiAX7Pj1qT948C51IyvZ0Gg_ZcvK86qdHIBR-yiru9fy0zb-4Zws6P94m_XqjGpOBih7rhyphenhyphen1iwMDdiIhHDY7ndLLII-Tr848oUb2KpEJLhjmn5F66LCDTwHzH4snYoXuSECciJ1m5Y8/s200/Grammar%2527s+Funeral+031.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An AHL hockey team playing in a brand new hockey arena</span> </div><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">built less than 2 miles from my house? </span></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>How lucky can I be?</strong></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, as soon as they were available we bought season tickets, (choosing seats in section 104, in the corner near the glass) in a location very similar to the seats we had in the Wichita and Topeka arenas.</span></blockquote><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In March of 2009, Ann and I attended a Phoenix Coyotes vs. Nashville Predators game in Glendale AZ. I got to see Wayne Gretzky as a coach.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJYe5qZY_d-9moMzGAw-d_3xRGpURfF7z6Bh5lEsQECQuXAnItwuz1tLXcVwjZryYzpLWz91YyC1Y-XrnAlRIFABeh0VIKNXfbHLaPugH3n1vWBKIWJ980oPeopNMNkFR6h9mjeQr6Uo/s1600/P1030628-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJYe5qZY_d-9moMzGAw-d_3xRGpURfF7z6Bh5lEsQECQuXAnItwuz1tLXcVwjZryYzpLWz91YyC1Y-XrnAlRIFABeh0VIKNXfbHLaPugH3n1vWBKIWJ980oPeopNMNkFR6h9mjeQr6Uo/s320/P1030628-1.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-NAbh5qNRW7k_wow0ex7YcGIrUC50BuxFJ1MoxsH2ktLBuyHi9kaSrL5QRP-Ru88heyijXZwdEQnDyAjySrJO9W7dHtxjRh8XR1ZWFm3yW88QI22dj2c2YNUH0drrUm2yNwe_t1F5L4/s1600/P1030587-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-NAbh5qNRW7k_wow0ex7YcGIrUC50BuxFJ1MoxsH2ktLBuyHi9kaSrL5QRP-Ru88heyijXZwdEQnDyAjySrJO9W7dHtxjRh8XR1ZWFm3yW88QI22dj2c2YNUH0drrUm2yNwe_t1F5L4/s200/P1030587-1.JPG" width="165" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The 2009 Stanley Cup Finals ended on June 12, 2009, with the <strong>Pittsburgh Penguins</strong> defeating the Detroit Red Wings four games to three to win the championship.</em></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In August of 2009, Ann went to live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to attend the University of British Columbia.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I attended the Cedar Park Center grand opening event Sept. 25, 2009.</span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gCNGfioq0UyNR8ZLkLvNzjjsqO7HcvKiX278S06AAV8lxec0rgNq37Mj7bzjlgPq6kfbARK2ER-BbaLqps2vOpANqCU-4gArl7FtnVnYwEztIafNNWIESxXf-LjIKiIix0xBhJEUDIw/s1600/P1070365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gCNGfioq0UyNR8ZLkLvNzjjsqO7HcvKiX278S06AAV8lxec0rgNq37Mj7bzjlgPq6kfbARK2ER-BbaLqps2vOpANqCU-4gArl7FtnVnYwEztIafNNWIESxXf-LjIKiIix0xBhJEUDIw/s200/P1070365.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The inaugural season for the Texas STARS was very successful. After finishing second in the West Division, the Stars swept Rockford in the first round of the playoffs, then claimed their first division championship by defeating Chicago four games to three. The Stars then defeated Hamilton in another seven game series to become the Western Conference champions. The Stars eventually fell to Hershey in game six of the 2010 Calder Cup Finals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the season we have met and become friends with several hockey fans. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will save those memories and photos for another chapter, for another time.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPfikmO0TnMC6KKmUWs2wJVoFoHnOMMNZcJMaFk2h3YfS_yRU3wTTTa5TiqYGIEpQr_sRwuMAM0arEk3LzNmGfA7NZTMeb2_ylgTSgflbkdHkV42r-j_6sN65CbbZGO2utUnFssVPESE/s1600/P1120269-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPfikmO0TnMC6KKmUWs2wJVoFoHnOMMNZcJMaFk2h3YfS_yRU3wTTTa5TiqYGIEpQr_sRwuMAM0arEk3LzNmGfA7NZTMeb2_ylgTSgflbkdHkV42r-j_6sN65CbbZGO2utUnFssVPESE/s320/P1120269-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann and I with the AHL Calder Cup</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ann was finished with classes at UBC for the semester and came back to Texas to enjoy the Calder Cup Finals with us. She was especially interested in seeing the Hershey goalie - Michal Neuvirth. (who would later go on to play for the Washington Capitals)</span> <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5wYf8fJZ3Gvf7cgbjv__33JcRxxvKX9_wtj-JnABG6VB0HrfmvcM-VzMXvBUSqCyxENae6tl7il_E3Y3kzA_Iq-Kt2Gmmx65rkBTQ3KsWijPEwnzwnNzQKTPW_d5Ge3z_Cpnjd4ToKM/s1600/006-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5wYf8fJZ3Gvf7cgbjv__33JcRxxvKX9_wtj-JnABG6VB0HrfmvcM-VzMXvBUSqCyxENae6tl7il_E3Y3kzA_Iq-Kt2Gmmx65rkBTQ3KsWijPEwnzwnNzQKTPW_d5Ge3z_Cpnjd4ToKM/s200/006-3.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are in our Playoff Beards</td></tr>
</tbody></table><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs ended with the <strong>Chicago Blackhawks</strong> defeating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the summer, Ann and I enjoyed watching the Chicago Blackhawks parade and the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Ann returned to Vancouver for her final year at UBC.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ann and I attended a Barons hockey game in Oklahoma City in December during Ann‘s Christmas break. At the game, I visited with a lady about their transition from a CHL to AHL team (Blazers to Barons). We discussed the booster club and how the AHL level is much more controlling of contact with the players than the CHL was. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>The last incarnation of the Oklahoma City Blazers came into being in 1992 with the revival of the CHL. They were one of the most successful minor league hockey franchises of all time, routinely drawing 8,000 fans or more.</em></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em></em></span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Hockey history in Oklahoma City is richer than most people realize, dating back to a team that played a few seasons in the 1930's.</em></span></span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsuaubjI2oSu_GKJGZdOWB527ChU-fB019SFFNrEbT-0wUwmEI4-NgK2JdgRp8M6KwVEGtSVcF5CppP6QtJU8RqSpjL2d1EuNbmPiteRGtLWj-7bnvBhCpGINVbw3ihEQBXjNcdNUzZw/s1600/P1150317-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsuaubjI2oSu_GKJGZdOWB527ChU-fB019SFFNrEbT-0wUwmEI4-NgK2JdgRp8M6KwVEGtSVcF5CppP6QtJU8RqSpjL2d1EuNbmPiteRGtLWj-7bnvBhCpGINVbw3ihEQBXjNcdNUzZw/s320/P1150317-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann shooting pucks at a dryer (Like Crosby)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I enjoyed watching the 2010 Olympic Games from Vancouver BC, especially since Ann was there. Some of the hockey games were played in Thunderbird arena on Ann’s UBC Campus, the others in Roger’s arena - home of the Canucks. The hockey tournament was very good. The final GOLD medal game was USA vs CANADA. It could not have been written any better. A good quality, fast paced, evenly scored game. Late in the 3rd period, with the score Canada 3 - 2, the USA scored to tie the game. In overtime, Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal and Canada went wild!</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-wXFo1nTPyos86dmn9ITqt2QoLxPAK4eivo34KN7uxCxHXGoyi_hikfG2H4G5O_tofwJiRuChtndsKWIj7pHuNVXMCx7Bk7PmfkCEAbnb66j4ACdqLwyv1Quu3Q9qd4kq9byiasuuso/s1600/P1060923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-wXFo1nTPyos86dmn9ITqt2QoLxPAK4eivo34KN7uxCxHXGoyi_hikfG2H4G5O_tofwJiRuChtndsKWIj7pHuNVXMCx7Bk7PmfkCEAbnb66j4ACdqLwyv1Quu3Q9qd4kq9byiasuuso/s320/P1060923.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann at the Thunderbird Arena at UBC in Vancouver</td></tr>
</tbody></table></span>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-76552381718447149102011-08-20T04:00:00.001-05:002011-08-24T11:05:16.182-05:00ZAMBONI & Milestones PART 12<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7kXstEKys5Q99_zfPreIlJM3ugvClp-jCKeR9nDcZ5sSNVfwDcD0x2KzS1kqXq7Q-oxNoiXECyMz9bKNeC-DdN9RkGJZyoP_G0mgr3_kXQo_BdqyEv0CBJiSSIWj-kchTG00QCn-akU/s1600/P1000928-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7kXstEKys5Q99_zfPreIlJM3ugvClp-jCKeR9nDcZ5sSNVfwDcD0x2KzS1kqXq7Q-oxNoiXECyMz9bKNeC-DdN9RkGJZyoP_G0mgr3_kXQo_BdqyEv0CBJiSSIWj-kchTG00QCn-akU/s320/P1000928-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I finally get to ride the Zamboni 11/16/2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Texas Stars ended their second year of existence in the first round, losing in six games to the Milwaukee Admirals. The Eastern Conference Champion Binghamton Senators defeated the Western Conference Champion Houston Aeros four games to two to win the Calder Cup, the first one in Binghamton franchise history.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Texas Stars drew an average of 5,000 fans per game during both seasons.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01QvTTfox9Dy9Iv8ifiSN0OUwGPf_Ku-vdmZrfiLjNhe9_KhkaP-mXsjLq5CpDVuE1qd1XUCV81j48zGfdkoW_QSw2lRE3hHfWezgpd997BfaWvS6lETKau2lJOVvN2K1aUNPvd6mseI/s1600/Texas+Stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01QvTTfox9Dy9Iv8ifiSN0OUwGPf_Ku-vdmZrfiLjNhe9_KhkaP-mXsjLq5CpDVuE1qd1XUCV81j48zGfdkoW_QSw2lRE3hHfWezgpd997BfaWvS6lETKau2lJOVvN2K1aUNPvd6mseI/s1600/Texas+Stars.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we head toward the 3rd season following our Texas Stars, I continue to realize how fortunate we are to have quality hockey only blocks from our home.</span></blockquote><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While watching our Texas STARS players develop and play at the AHL level, we also have the benefit of watching all the other talented players that pass through our building on their way to the NHL, many playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnrHjRg186g5zAaoFv23k-FWrZzFrsZy3SQ37CF-XqM33ptBt8-xSy2K3b4VZ8cxtiR7OyvI8_CQZ5TpbPB0kH7RCMLY73TtK72d_a2HWwZ0uCyaWVj1CwlND_-I9B5PrPndKW1UgyDs/s1600/Julie+Mead+4-11-2011+7-42-46+PM+3214x3234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnrHjRg186g5zAaoFv23k-FWrZzFrsZy3SQ37CF-XqM33ptBt8-xSy2K3b4VZ8cxtiR7OyvI8_CQZ5TpbPB0kH7RCMLY73TtK72d_a2HWwZ0uCyaWVj1CwlND_-I9B5PrPndKW1UgyDs/s200/Julie+Mead+4-11-2011+7-42-46+PM+3214x3234.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In April of 2011, I returned to the Topeka Expocentre to see the Topeka Roadrunners of the NAHL play. I enjoyed seeing Mike and Julie Mead, Jason “Bucketman” Simonsen and other dedicated fans from the Scarecrow/Haymaker days. During the CHL Topeka Tarantula and NAHL Roadrunner time, Julie and Mike Mead served as a billet family housing players from the teams. They found this to be a great experience. I met one of the two players living with them at the game I attended. Both had plans for college after this season. It was great to see the enthusiasm of the young players. I was surprised to learn that a great percentage were US born.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In May of 2011, Don and I traveled to Nashville to experience a second round - playoff game # 5 between the Predators and the Vancouver Canucks. I stayed for playoff game # 6 with a win by the Vancouver Canucks sending them to the third round to face the San Jose Sharks.</span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDiasWCFc3fIJn8logwThOETzWjHXquegcFMm2Uq93cwV7fp56kf8LwDIT55Ub8rAlv_ILgRrn_z8ZuVgSeSZa8hqOnQfmAV41iYYm1UIwPdbiwBYDKMmIrnCXRqRyUETa4ZhevdNno8/s1600/get-attachment-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDiasWCFc3fIJn8logwThOETzWjHXquegcFMm2Uq93cwV7fp56kf8LwDIT55Ub8rAlv_ILgRrn_z8ZuVgSeSZa8hqOnQfmAV41iYYm1UIwPdbiwBYDKMmIrnCXRqRyUETa4ZhevdNno8/s320/get-attachment-1.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Later in May, I traveled to Vancouver for Ann’s graduation from the University of British Columbia. There, Ann and I experienced round 3 playoff game # 5 with Vancouver winning in double overtime to advance the Stanley Cup FINALS beating the San Jose Sharks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Singing “Oh Canada” with 18,860 fans, seeing Don Cherry and watching the Campbell Bowl (Western Conference) Champion Trophy presented were big hockey milestones for me! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sharing it with Ann was the BEST!</span><br />
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Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-54305939620058468322011-08-20T03:00:00.001-05:002011-08-24T00:42:48.223-05:0030 years - a hockey fan! PART 13<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 2011 Stanley Cup - the <strong>Boston Bruins</strong> defeated the Vancouver Canucks in seven games in the Finals to capture their first Stanley Cup championship since 1972.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In June, the Dallas Stars let go defensive assistant coach Charlie Huddy. Yes, Charlie Huddy, my favorite defensemen of the Wichita Wind and Edmonton Oiler years. See where he's come from, where he's gone and where he is going next. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(pictured behind Wayne Gretzky with the Stanley Cup & on the Dallas bench)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhRvvUm_rHnQKsHnmCx9WC_4ThuTwY9w4REhDUnkKAHEq5U-4UoTbNCuote66XTSi7NYcbJGmKqRJQ04Agbb4EPsFfIPuVCtHZR8fVu2-C8bo7_qSjN15YQbzWP1UI-hyU48yXWbpaOI/s1600/waynegretzkyedm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhRvvUm_rHnQKsHnmCx9WC_4ThuTwY9w4REhDUnkKAHEq5U-4UoTbNCuote66XTSi7NYcbJGmKqRJQ04Agbb4EPsFfIPuVCtHZR8fVu2-C8bo7_qSjN15YQbzWP1UI-hyU48yXWbpaOI/s320/waynegretzkyedm.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAquxHXubemU_VU8z1kkV0LOcwEDR_-z2Dh1DkS_W-30Ps5A8CW9RRwXRhiy-iGTpMAYruwlNCqEDTPfJaA2JxVRzV_m8qI_j9rsjJxQvW0ZA7dHjSIY956IpPOGEU2maaG-RxYWmY24I/s1600/Charlie+Huddy+Dallas+3-13-2011+1-59-12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAquxHXubemU_VU8z1kkV0LOcwEDR_-z2Dh1DkS_W-30Ps5A8CW9RRwXRhiy-iGTpMAYruwlNCqEDTPfJaA2JxVRzV_m8qI_j9rsjJxQvW0ZA7dHjSIY956IpPOGEU2maaG-RxYWmY24I/s200/Charlie+Huddy+Dallas+3-13-2011+1-59-12.JPG" width="172" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During this summer, the Dallas Stars hired our coach Glen Gulutzan and assistant coach Paul Jerrard. Our Texas Stars hired a new coach, Jeff Pyle from the ECHL. During his first press conference Coach Pyle talked about the additional managerial duties he had at the ECHL level - arranging travel, apartments for players, etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This reminded me of Topeka - the Scarecrows and now the Roadrunners and: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- How much closer the fans/community are with the players at lower levels.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- How the sport is played at different levels and how people move through it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the summer while watching the 2011 NHL Draft, I see that another generation is ready to play in the NHL. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhDI04g5b5vNWDvILT1qty8S-oE__9PqF1M_Ruw2D0cy3N5RVTyLKfo_0MSawdVQt4VH3EKCf26dg9VpqpfV3TNVFXBTelKbRq1uuQrHXS8PJukRtSuV-iA0ye9DHth3GEyKCL6ozNxM/s1600/Lowe+Kevin+Keegan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhDI04g5b5vNWDvILT1qty8S-oE__9PqF1M_Ruw2D0cy3N5RVTyLKfo_0MSawdVQt4VH3EKCf26dg9VpqpfV3TNVFXBTelKbRq1uuQrHXS8PJukRtSuV-iA0ye9DHth3GEyKCL6ozNxM/s1600/Lowe+Kevin+Keegan.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Three sons of former Edmonton Oilers were taken in a span of 60 picks on Saturday during the NHL Entry Draft. Two of the three -- defenseman David Musil and forward Dillon Simpson -- will have a chance to follow in their fathers' footsteps with the blue and orange. Lowe will not. Carolina took the son of Oilers' president Kevin Lowe, Keegan in the third round with the 72nd overall pick. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And soon the 2011-12 hockey season will begin. As I begin my 31st year as a hockey fan, I’m headed off to Traverse City Michigan to experience the NHL Prospects Tournament featuring up and coming players for 8 NHL organizations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our season tickets for the Texas Stars 3rd season have been purchased and I’m ready for HOCKEY!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDOBPmyYD_y2t5gl5M5xCZd0AGZjm_NF5t8v834MWsu97bdeu9Zc8FAY7GQEu0iKzqM19kHmmsL3qdh_esPfqZgLi8UhTMIJdGUOc4Y3NOLDa-hLZUGB32haCfx7UqS_WRcPxNGBlWEI/s1600/Gretzky+Watch+7-30-2011+8-32-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="62" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDOBPmyYD_y2t5gl5M5xCZd0AGZjm_NF5t8v834MWsu97bdeu9Zc8FAY7GQEu0iKzqM19kHmmsL3qdh_esPfqZgLi8UhTMIJdGUOc4Y3NOLDa-hLZUGB32haCfx7UqS_WRcPxNGBlWEI/s400/Gretzky+Watch+7-30-2011+8-32-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you Don for attending that first hockey game 30 years ago, and thank you for enjoying all these hockey experiences with me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am happy that Ann has become a hockey fan and is enjoying following the sport as much or more than I have during this time and will in the future.</span> <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>This Hockey History is written for Ann.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>“Life is nothing more than the pursuit of stories worth telling to children”</em></span></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the 2010 - 2011 Season, I attended games for these teams and leagues.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Topeka Roadrunners (NAHL) in Topeka KS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Missouri Mavericks (CHL) in Independence MO</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wichita Thunder (CHL) in Wichita KS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Allen Americans (CHL) in Allen TX</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Texas Stars (AHL) in Cedar Park TX</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dallas Stars (NHL) in Dallas TX</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nashville Predators (NHL) in Nashville TN</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vancouver Canucks (NHL) in Vancouver BC Canada</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholpVoUR0SFiHMcdM4f0aH_sbprEB4CclXh_d9h_tvV0L7h-thgFozdRFAU4DimUq38da82BZtDJoTbMCh44Tok_3dsZcg0-tt96JiYoEY3i0pQG-IJXg63SkMbfkEztNdZw8DGFTfuVw/s1600/Nashville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholpVoUR0SFiHMcdM4f0aH_sbprEB4CclXh_d9h_tvV0L7h-thgFozdRFAU4DimUq38da82BZtDJoTbMCh44Tok_3dsZcg0-tt96JiYoEY3i0pQG-IJXg63SkMbfkEztNdZw8DGFTfuVw/s1600/Nashville.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7h2ivTlT-2G3aVPfl0cUX8Ni7mCrzZYNc13sM2ReGTkPb3BreJxKSZgxAH4FREhaiOVHimcMe_zNYacwBItYLCJVz7DjmePRhf_GZCTkC1c4hRrbDto7SRvJmkkkabz8rNnpSFIzRr8/s1600/Dallas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7h2ivTlT-2G3aVPfl0cUX8Ni7mCrzZYNc13sM2ReGTkPb3BreJxKSZgxAH4FREhaiOVHimcMe_zNYacwBItYLCJVz7DjmePRhf_GZCTkC1c4hRrbDto7SRvJmkkkabz8rNnpSFIzRr8/s1600/Dallas.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHBA1QABAriOXjDb5bvGr_ckm7ZUkWBA-876CDU1xeZ7oO0tC81wLlNVM0bH_XTZaZQ-atIoJuotZz_EaHt7zTj0tM8xem4iP9rYEthV8H7Rdj4n2ZtlM9AZlL7a2YRckPjwty6uMM0Jo/s1600/Vancouver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHBA1QABAriOXjDb5bvGr_ckm7ZUkWBA-876CDU1xeZ7oO0tC81wLlNVM0bH_XTZaZQ-atIoJuotZz_EaHt7zTj0tM8xem4iP9rYEthV8H7Rdj4n2ZtlM9AZlL7a2YRckPjwty6uMM0Jo/s1600/Vancouver.jpg" /></a><br />
<img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-3quLZ8WvfLjcZ58ApA776Ibm1zT29dvdEmwGhSIIUrY05gMK7kUWaI5nQ3TV_zlVtOeyhHH0bn-Mz6dcZ4TU8YdtjAGGjKRKK7EYN4MAsxwIEb5MSnFW7aJauAkUkfiDHeyU2rMubY/s1600/Texas+Stars.jpg" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsLAVHbKWQBzhNOHBryq7nrSRBkrRqj-GlPwBQ_w6daSArxHPaUn_2VNMis7UzR_9W7qqSp-Eo9g7lLv9AxQl8l3s5ZI3npm3RMesIcFFa-2PQZGpxAtT_HEtLugyi2s7QcQLA-26TuE/s1600/Americans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsLAVHbKWQBzhNOHBryq7nrSRBkrRqj-GlPwBQ_w6daSArxHPaUn_2VNMis7UzR_9W7qqSp-Eo9g7lLv9AxQl8l3s5ZI3npm3RMesIcFFa-2PQZGpxAtT_HEtLugyi2s7QcQLA-26TuE/s1600/Americans.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzWOUNGg6Ab0d18NAaTbt3fH-jE9AycIsJZK4SMece8wiJtgrFx_TREV4MVGkdDl6NBTqktcjPgjYVrcLvMitQKDJjlP49uUV6zEMZYmGWiE2Vz_nnIxAS6q_j7sBEx_z8BD475NFEeg/s1600/Wichita+Thunder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzWOUNGg6Ab0d18NAaTbt3fH-jE9AycIsJZK4SMece8wiJtgrFx_TREV4MVGkdDl6NBTqktcjPgjYVrcLvMitQKDJjlP49uUV6zEMZYmGWiE2Vz_nnIxAS6q_j7sBEx_z8BD475NFEeg/s1600/Wichita+Thunder.jpg" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-pywwiOFAUZ_PnFxG2o3aaqUw62f73iUaWbNDuxD2CnMI9O2tGtvA6u28UoXGTs6-FmvC6B8aJam-m1jIsP9SCF3hiB2SrHef-xQ-dljW50CZ5001U9CfFgpekSheNm2TcsP2b2gbUM/s1600/Roadrunners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-pywwiOFAUZ_PnFxG2o3aaqUw62f73iUaWbNDuxD2CnMI9O2tGtvA6u28UoXGTs6-FmvC6B8aJam-m1jIsP9SCF3hiB2SrHef-xQ-dljW50CZ5001U9CfFgpekSheNm2TcsP2b2gbUM/s1600/Roadrunners.jpg" /></a></div><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsBIVYiSpo-GChSLZDLtSdUfGb59u2zlkj7vPIJVhp3cbMGa8jHJiAAG7xH45iohX3YRHsSTakwDay9LrJB2Btp2eocSZEeBnDMltol7gkjncssEdMepOr_5UpgGIEnSF-A-SzPqngdg/s1600/Mavericks.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Most photographs are mine, but some were "borrowed" from the internet. </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Thank you internet!</em></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbDtzif_seR4TR3gnZFNzOYqvYFw8ysXvayLYXcfWq2WpjOt5AiiSnwV7Q_Ls-0Mu88jaNAhBDvho1viqMuU8O91Pz_vaCWdhBdFSrHkZj0vXaYDyjhv-OsS8RODRanohfPRf5IdJgHU/s1600/Stanley+Cup+6-16-2009+7-45-04+PM+183x374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbDtzif_seR4TR3gnZFNzOYqvYFw8ysXvayLYXcfWq2WpjOt5AiiSnwV7Q_Ls-0Mu88jaNAhBDvho1viqMuU8O91Pz_vaCWdhBdFSrHkZj0vXaYDyjhv-OsS8RODRanohfPRf5IdJgHU/s320/Stanley+Cup+6-16-2009+7-45-04+PM+183x374.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063951688706240881.post-85995244885481181592011-08-20T02:30:00.001-05:002011-08-27T17:58:31.733-05:00Extra Stuff PART 14<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Scarecrows / Topeka Hockey History</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Topeka Scarecrows were a professional ice hockey team located in Topeka, Kansas, playing their home games at Landon Arena in the Kansas Expocentre. The team founded in 1998 was a member of the Central Hockey League. The Scarecrow team played a third season ending in 2001 when they were sold. The team would then become the Topeka Scarecrows of the Tier 1 Junior A United States Hockey League playing from 2001-2003. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the 2004-2005 season, the Topeka Tarantulas of the Central Hockey League played at the Expocentre with Joe Coombs as coach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On February 26, 2007, the team to be named the Topeka Roadrunners announced their move to Topeka from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Poor attendance was said to be the reason for the move to Topeka. The move to Topeka was initiated by a grass roots effort, led by hockey fans from Topeka. In 2005, Topeka Hockey 07' set a goal to obtain an interested owner to believe in the vision they had and be playing in Topeka in 2007 giving the franchise enough time to build a relationship with the city and its business community. Topeka Hockey '07 was founded by two guys with a passion for the game, Mike Cline and Jason "The Bucketman" Simonsen with the interest of finding an owner that could make money in Topeka. Topeka Hockey '07, had built a business model and sent out packets to teams in markets all across the country looking for one of them to either relocate or expand and buy a second franchise to play in the NAHL in Topeka, KS. In their first season in Topeka, 2007–2008, they were third in league attendance. That season the team won the NAHL South Division and South Division Playoffs. They finished in third place at the Robertson Cup competition. The 2008-2009 season saw the RoadRunners finishing fourth in league attendance and 2nd in the South Division. The team lost in the second round of the South Division playoffs. In 2009-2010 The RoadRunners finished first in the South Division, and they were second in attendance. They repeated as Southern Division regular season champions in 2010-2011. (Wikipedia)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Wichita Wind</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dave Cameron played for Wichita in the 82-83 season. Since 2007, he was the head coach and general manager of the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors, a junior hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. As of June 2011, Cameron has signed on to become an assistant coach with the Ottawa Senators in the NHL.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bailey went to Edmonton to play with the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association in 1978–79, where he took rookie Wayne Gretzky under his wing. He was head coach of the Wichita Wind, the Oilers' Central Hockey League affiliate, in the 1980–81 season</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Wind were decimated by injuries their inaugural season. In a game against the Dallas Black Hawks on December 27, 1980, they dressed coach Garnet Bailey as a defenseman and a public relations employee as the backup goaltender; they lost the game 6–3</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey (June 13, 1948 – September 11, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and scout who was a member of Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup winning teams. He died at age 53 when United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11 attacks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*Gretzky Trade</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Canada saw the loss of two teams—the Winnipeg Jets and the Quebec Nordiques—which left the Great White North for greener pastures in Phoenix (in 1996) and Colorado (in 1995), respectively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One would think a move in the opposite direction, such as the Atlanta Flames relocation to Calgary in 1980, would make more sense. You go where the hockey fans are.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Apparently, such thoughts are foolish, as America’s two biggest hockey hot spots (Minnesota and New England) also saw teams abandon their hard-core fans for unusual choices.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas in 1993 and the Hartford Whalers became the (Raleigh, North) Carolina Hurricanes in 1997.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Absurd on the surface, these franchise moves strategically dotted the southern U.S. with hockey teams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The NHL has done more than just relocate teams to warm weather climates. The league has also expanded to welcome in new franchises, a majority of which reside south of the Mason-Dixon line.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the first was the San Jose Sharks, the entry of which in 1991 was a direct result of Gretzky’s monstrous success in Los Angeles. Two years later, So-Cal welcomed The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of this expansion and relocation came on the heels of Gretzky’s arrival in the United States.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Within 20 years, the NHL went from consisting of 21 teams—seven of which (or 33 percent) called Canada home—to 30 teams, of which only six (or 20 percent) play in Canada.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, a full third of the current NHL teams (a total of 10)—Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim, Nashville, Tampa Bay, Carolina (Raleigh), Dallas, Florida (Miami), Phoenix, and Atlanta—play in the southern half of the United States.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a complete shift in the NHL’s fan base.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* During the 1980’s, the geography of minor-league professional hockey changed radically, moving it’s roots in the Canadian Maritime provinces, New England and the Midwestern states into the American south. Over an 18 year period, minor-league hockey was played in 72 different southern cities, at one point there were more minor-league teams in Texas than in all of Canada, where many of the players learned their hockey skills. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Hockey Night in Dixie book)</span></span><br />
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Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538398959083421675noreply@blogger.com0