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WHA MEMORIES

Were you a player in the WHA? What about a former coach or executive? Or were you a loyal season ticket holder (the few, the proud)? If so, this space is for you. Email me your fondest memories and I will post them on this page, unedited.

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I took the city bus to the St. Paul Civic Center to watch the Saints play. Great old days of hockey, scoring and fights. As a kid you could still buy a ticket with your allowance, try doing that today with an NHL game! There will never be another hockey era like that again and it's a shame. Long live the WHA, if only in our memories. -Steve R., St. Paul, MN

I watched the Raiders/Golden Blades practice at the Branch Brook Ice Center in Newark, NJ. Very vivid memories of the two teams and the players. Attend 2 games . First one was on November 19,1972. Blazers vs Raiders. 6-0 shutout for Pete "The Lone Raider" Donnelly. Second games was the Sharks against Golden Blades. Ron "Magic" Ward was trade to LA and played against the Raiders. Raiders lost, I think it was October 16. Exactly one month, to the day, the Golden Blades folded. I am still a Raiders fan. I would like to see the Raiders resurface at the Nassau County Coliseum, when the islanders leave. It was supposed to be there home rink in 1972. -Jose A. Ortiz, Northfield, MI

Still remember these high scoring games fun to watch. Good memories. -Serge, Ottawa, ON

I was in H.S. and didn't have much money. I had worked out a deal to sell tickets to a game between the Golden Blades and the Ottawa Nationals. The prelim would be a game between my school and a big rival. For my effort I was given a free ticket. The Blades decided to move to Cherry Hill, NJ TWO DAYS before the scheduled game. My luck!!! -Paul Ramirez, The Bronx, NY

As a kid, I read the newspaper sports page every morning during hockey season to read about the Saints. Sure miss Walton, Connelly, Gallant, Coach Harry Neale and of course those glass dasher boards in the old Civic Center. One of the best logos in pro sports along with Nordiques, Jets, Roadrunners, Crusaders, and the first New England Whalers. I was fortunate enough to attend a game where I was part of the crowd of 17,317 to see the Saints and Aeros in a playoff game. Could not believe they could not keep afloat especially after offering Bobby Orr $6 million to sign with them. The second version of the team had no pizzazz and marketability. Adopted the Nordiques shortly thereafter and was shocked that Rick Jodzio of the Cowboys destroyed my all time favorite player, Marc Tardif, in the playoffs. Calgary won the series BTW. -Byron Rock, St. Paul, MN

I was hired an Marketing Asst to PR Director Kevin Johnson after the Johnnie Mckenzie Press Conference. I attended the Bernie Parent conference and saw Andre Lacroix waiting in the lobby. I also scored 27 goals for Villanova hockey THAT SEASON. -Richard S. Sollak, Philadelphia, PA