Back in the Day or Things I own the Children may NOT touch anymore
So, as many of you know Hockey is in my life.
But my association with hockey is not only deep, but also long lasting. My wife and both children play, I drive the zamboni at the local arena, I am also team manager (by virtue of volunteering) of the boys' team, I am a fan of junior hockey, little people hockey, amateur hockey and professional hockey ( this include semi-pro, international and college). Ok, so enough. No I don't play.
That is another long story but suffice it to say my parents decided to traumatize my life in the manner that was most popular, back in the day, orthodonture. Now hockey and braces are incompatible except with a, *GASP*, full face cage... EEEK yes they had invented them that long ago. My parent even made me play street hockey with the durned thing. Unfortunately I was not wearing the day the older, teenage hockey playing, brother of my elementary grade classmate and friend, hit me in the nose with a slapshot driven frozen tennis ball. To my credit I did stop the shot. My soccer goalie career also had a similar save, I am, lifetime, 1 for 1 on penalty kicks. I have my nose to thank.
It occurred to me today, this evening, actually, that I had been meaning to look up information on a hockey team my longest known associate had taken me to with her, I believe, grandfather back in Binghamton, NY sometime back in the day. Now, I know the name of the team, the Broome County Dusters, which seems like an awfully long name with a silly logo, but I enjoyed the game immensely and I got to bring home a puck with their logo. Now, I don't recall how I came to be the owner of the puck but I have cherished it for many years. Being old now I have forgotten just how many years but the puck has moved with me many times.
The boys have taken to using it in the basement while practicing something about hockey. Mostly, I think it's faceoffs and slapshots (thank goodness for glassblock windows).
After having delved into google for the information I sought I was SHOCKED, I say SHOCKED to learn that I must have earned this puck sometime between 1977 and 1979. This puck has been with me nigh, yes I said nigh, on 30 years. I had to use numbers you really don't get the same effect from "thirty years" as you do from "30 years", although I realize that numerals probably is not good writing etiquette.
So the boys are no longer allowed to play with a puck that is 30 years old and now a remnant of days gone by. The Broome County Dusters became the Binghamton Dusters, became the Binghamton Whalers, became the Binghamton Rangers and then moved to Hartford, CT in 1997 to become the Hartford Wolf Pack, farm team to the New York Rangers, whom Ross Loves.
Now this gets a little crazy but, a woman I work with has 2 sons, not so unusual you say, but one of them, the younger, plays hockey. He happens to be very good, and when I started working with her he played for the Hartford Junior Wolf Pack. Essentially, they are a farm team for the Wolf Pack proper. Unfotunately, he no longer plays for them, though he is still playing and hoping for that big break. I wish him the best of luck.
And so now my story has come full circle to the puck, which is appropriate since the puck is a circle.
But my association with hockey is not only deep, but also long lasting. My wife and both children play, I drive the zamboni at the local arena, I am also team manager (by virtue of volunteering) of the boys' team, I am a fan of junior hockey, little people hockey, amateur hockey and professional hockey ( this include semi-pro, international and college). Ok, so enough. No I don't play.
That is another long story but suffice it to say my parents decided to traumatize my life in the manner that was most popular, back in the day, orthodonture. Now hockey and braces are incompatible except with a, *GASP*, full face cage... EEEK yes they had invented them that long ago. My parent even made me play street hockey with the durned thing. Unfortunately I was not wearing the day the older, teenage hockey playing, brother of my elementary grade classmate and friend, hit me in the nose with a slapshot driven frozen tennis ball. To my credit I did stop the shot. My soccer goalie career also had a similar save, I am, lifetime, 1 for 1 on penalty kicks. I have my nose to thank.
It occurred to me today, this evening, actually, that I had been meaning to look up information on a hockey team my longest known associate had taken me to with her, I believe, grandfather back in Binghamton, NY sometime back in the day. Now, I know the name of the team, the Broome County Dusters, which seems like an awfully long name with a silly logo, but I enjoyed the game immensely and I got to bring home a puck with their logo. Now, I don't recall how I came to be the owner of the puck but I have cherished it for many years. Being old now I have forgotten just how many years but the puck has moved with me many times.
The boys have taken to using it in the basement while practicing something about hockey. Mostly, I think it's faceoffs and slapshots (thank goodness for glassblock windows).
After having delved into google for the information I sought I was SHOCKED, I say SHOCKED to learn that I must have earned this puck sometime between 1977 and 1979. This puck has been with me nigh, yes I said nigh, on 30 years. I had to use numbers you really don't get the same effect from "thirty years" as you do from "30 years", although I realize that numerals probably is not good writing etiquette.
So the boys are no longer allowed to play with a puck that is 30 years old and now a remnant of days gone by. The Broome County Dusters became the Binghamton Dusters, became the Binghamton Whalers, became the Binghamton Rangers and then moved to Hartford, CT in 1997 to become the Hartford Wolf Pack, farm team to the New York Rangers, whom Ross Loves.
Now this gets a little crazy but, a woman I work with has 2 sons, not so unusual you say, but one of them, the younger, plays hockey. He happens to be very good, and when I started working with her he played for the Hartford Junior Wolf Pack. Essentially, they are a farm team for the Wolf Pack proper. Unfotunately, he no longer plays for them, though he is still playing and hoping for that big break. I wish him the best of luck.
And so now my story has come full circle to the puck, which is appropriate since the puck is a circle.
posted by C L Blackman at 23:09
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