SLU Hockey

[Quickdraw]

OK, You really made me put my thinking cap on to come up with some of these. The Ref who was heckled mercilessly? Frank Larson. (He officiated abaout 60% of our home games didn't he?) The Gary ____ who was a center for the Bills? Gary Murphy--frequently played on a line with Wayne "the worm" Ormson. The defenseman named Doug? Doug Butler. Another defenseman who had some skill but lost some playing time because of a detached retina suffered in an auto accident--Kevin Healey. With the relatively short history of Billiken hockey, there weren't that many goalies who played for us. But you've all left out one of the best--Brian O'Connell. I don't know why, but I have some recollection of a Chicago kid being a bit of a fan favorite--Mark Uvodich. One of our best players from the Rick Kennedy teams--John Nestic. And we all got a kick out of having a Japanese-Canadian player--Dan Tsubouchi.

Due to the fact that a high percentage of our Canadian friends were fond of a fashion trend at the time, we were quick to suggest that to play high level hockey one had to wear CLOGS!

[bonwich]

Ahh, there you are. I supposed I'd have to wait until near midnight to hear from you.

Now that you mention it, I think Doug Butler married a local girl as well (was it a Pecher? Sister or cousin of a great local soccer player?) and stayed in the area and might still be around. The P-D archives seem to indicate he asst. coached at CBC for a while, but I don't have access to the full stories at home.

One other name, not us, but a hated opponent (Bowling Green) who became a St. Louis fave (as a Blue): Mike Liut.

Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! My Google-fu is strong. Check this out: All Billiken hockey rosters (albeit incomplete). Starts with 1971 and scrolls forward:

http://www.fanbase.com/St-Louis-Billikens-...-1970-71/roster

The kid from DeSmet was Greg Zielinski, who I think is still in town as well.

Another pertinent name is Herm Kriegshauser of the mortuary family, who was a major booster.