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It was the spring of 1990, and I had become swept up in playoff fever with the Springfield Indians. I hadn't seriously rooted for a professional sports team since the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series thanks to the immortal Roberto Clemento. The Indians had been basement dwellers for most of the season and barely made it into the playoffs, and suddenly they were facing the mighty Rochester Americans in the finals.
Two players in particular had grabbed me: Rod Dallman, the team enforcer and defensive forward, and Marc Bergevin, a graceful defenseman with NHL experience. Both were injured that night - Dallman had a torn knee ligament, Bergevin a broken wrist - but both taped up their wounds and played. These two, plus others who went on to the NHL like Rob Dimaio, Jeff Hackett, Tom Fitzgerald, and Bill Berg, were tough, scrappy, and had so much heart that it was impossible *not* to root for them.
May 18, 1990, the Cinderella story came true. Varianor, Audrey should remember this one:
I was hooked. And for the next dozen years, until I couldn't afford to keep the tickets by myself, I was a loyal fan of the Indians and their successors, the Springfield Falcons. I still keep track of the members of this team, and all the others that followed, and seeing former members like Sami Kapanen, Daniel Briere, and Manny Legace make it in the big leagues always makes me smile.
As for my favorites from 1990:
Rod Dallman is a corrections officer and businessman in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He's married, has a family, and he also coaches a kids' team. Despite being small for a team enforcer, he had a reputation as the toughest man in hockey during his playing days.
Marc Bergevin is the Director of Player Personnel for the Chicago Blackhawks and directs their entire scouting and development organization. He's married, has three children, and is renowned as one of the great pranksters of professional hockey. And this month, after a 26 year career as player, coach, scout, and executive, he finally got to hoist hockey's ultimate prize.
God bless them all.
Two players in particular had grabbed me: Rod Dallman, the team enforcer and defensive forward, and Marc Bergevin, a graceful defenseman with NHL experience. Both were injured that night - Dallman had a torn knee ligament, Bergevin a broken wrist - but both taped up their wounds and played. These two, plus others who went on to the NHL like Rob Dimaio, Jeff Hackett, Tom Fitzgerald, and Bill Berg, were tough, scrappy, and had so much heart that it was impossible *not* to root for them.
May 18, 1990, the Cinderella story came true. Varianor, Audrey should remember this one:
I was hooked. And for the next dozen years, until I couldn't afford to keep the tickets by myself, I was a loyal fan of the Indians and their successors, the Springfield Falcons. I still keep track of the members of this team, and all the others that followed, and seeing former members like Sami Kapanen, Daniel Briere, and Manny Legace make it in the big leagues always makes me smile.
As for my favorites from 1990:
Rod Dallman is a corrections officer and businessman in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He's married, has a family, and he also coaches a kids' team. Despite being small for a team enforcer, he had a reputation as the toughest man in hockey during his playing days.
Marc Bergevin is the Director of Player Personnel for the Chicago Blackhawks and directs their entire scouting and development organization. He's married, has three children, and is renowned as one of the great pranksters of professional hockey. And this month, after a 26 year career as player, coach, scout, and executive, he finally got to hoist hockey's ultimate prize.
God bless them all.
