Daddy was fortunate enough to be in on the peewee hockey program in Thief River Falls. On the weekends in the winter both mother and dad would load up the hockey players in two cars and take them to out-of-town games which were generally played on out door rinks. I had the advantage of watching these boys work to learn the game as well as become sportsman.
Recently I had an opportunity e-mail with a couple of gentlemen who had played hockey for the Prowlers in Thief River Falls. It isn’t that we talked about hockey so much and is much as I remembered my years as a Pee Wee through high school hockey fanwhich extended even to the adult team named the Thieves.
My question is, did their early training and discipline stay with them the rest of their lives? Let’s hope so.
For those of you who are Southern born and have never seen a game of ice hockey, it is a game played by two teams. The object of the game is to get the puck past the other teams goalie and score a point.
What kind of a word is HOCKEY?
French word hoquet, which means "shepherd's crook" or "bent stick
Although there are many pieces of equipment which the players wear, let’s talk about the puck and the stick. The puck is made of vulcanized rubber, one inch thick and three inches in diameter and shall weigh between five and one-half ounces and six ounces and be black in color and kept frozen! The word may come from 1891 when the hockey disk was struck, which became puck.
New York Rangers star Andy Bathgate began experimenting with a curve in hockey stick the late 1950s. During a European tour of Ranger and Blackhawk players, Bathgate showed his innovation to Bobby Hull. In early times in England, the stick was nothing more than a tree branch.
Names of positions on the ice:
Goal (1) Guards the goal
Defensemen (2) Help guard the goal and help wings
Wings (2) Right and left wings assist in/and make goals
Center (1) Is the play maker of the team.
State Championship Winners:
Roseau Population: 2700 est. in 2000
1946, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1990, 1999 (AA), 2007 (AA)
International Falls Population: 6700 est 2000
1957, 1962, 1964-66, 1972, 1995 (A)
Eveleth Population: 3,865 est. in 2000
1945, 1948-51, 1993 (II), 1998 (A)
Thief River Falls Population: 8,400 est in 2000
1954, 1956
As you can see in 1954 and 1956, Thief River Falls took the state title. In 1955 they won the state consolation. At the season’s start the pressure on each individual game was very great for the probably are as had been honored with a 20 game winning streak, the longest in the state, from last year’s state championship team the streak continued through the first three games, but on January 12 Roseau ended it at 23 by defeating the prowlers.
For the fifth time the Lincoln hockey team was a representative in the state tournament that first game against Minneapolis South ended in it disaster after 11 long overtime periods when South’s Jimmy Westby scored a freak goal to defeat the Prowlers three to two. After applying the longest game in high school hockey history the Prowlers came back the next day to surprise Roseau and defeat them scored three. State consolation honors
The 1955 year team was led by two veteran co captains. One of them was two-time all-stater Joe Poole. The 1956 team would have nine promising sophomores and juniors returning and with material coming up from this we’d live in speed team next year’s Prowlers should live up to and hold the server’s reputation as hockey power in 1955Joe Poole had 48 points for the season.
In 1957 the Prowlers 16 games and lost 14
In 1958 the Prowlers 17, lost 10, tied three
In 1959 The Prowlers went to state
In 1960 the prowlers 19, tied one, lost three
During the season the team were the victors in the holiday tournament held at International Falls. They defeated Duluth East and International Falls. A hustling Thief River squad succeeded in defeating Roseau for this season’s biggest victory. The Prowlers entered the regional tourney by blasting Red Lake Falls 12 to zero in the sub region tournament. Upon entering the state tournament, the blue and gold were rated the best team in the state but were edged by South St. Paul in two into overtime’s. Dale Wennberg, highest scorer in Prowler history was injured in the first period of that game. Archie Schneider was named to the All-Star team
1961 Prowler is8 wins, 11 losses and one tie. Stymied by the graduation of five of six starters, the Prowler hockey team completed their hectic 20 game season in sub regional Thief River upset in an overtime period of three to two to Roseau, state champion to be, inflicted their first loss in regional play. consolation honors. From this squad nuclear sub scorers will be returning making the prospects very bright for next season.
1962 Prowlers win 13 games and lose nine. The Prowlers finish the season on a grand scale by winning five out of their last six games, the only loss being to Roseau. Tournament prospects for next year are bright with 13 returning Letterman, the highest scorer for the season was Larry Poole.
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