1980 US Olympic Hockey Tryouts
- Thread starter mrhockey193195
- Start date
ck26
Alcoholab User
I've never seen a comprehensive list, but there were scores (as many as 100 even) players scouted / looked at / tried out during the year-long runup to the games, so I'm not certain that a listing of camp invites would necessarily be all-inclusive.
Ralph Cox, Joe Mullen and Tim Harrer are all mentioned in the 2004 movie, and Jack Hughes, Les Auge, Gary Ross, Dave Delich and Bruce Horsch are all listed on hockeydb as having played training / exhibition games with the national team though they didn't make the final Lake Placid roster.
There are three other names I know of that were in the mix:
G Mark Holden (Brown University)
D Dave Feamster (Colorado College)
C Bill Army (Boston College)
I can't elaborate in any way about how close they were to making the team (I just have a random entry in a 200+ page electronic, hockey trivia scrapbook that I've built), but all were NCAA All-Americans in the '78 / '79 / '80 time-frame.
Read the late 70's AA selections for US-born guys and that might yield some names ... also remember that Herb Brooks was partial to Minnesota guys, so there are probably plenty of names on the mid-to-late 70's Gophers, Minnesota-Duluth and St Cloud rosters who would have at least been on Brooks' radar screen.
Beyond that, no idea ... good luck in your search, and please post names if you find more of them.
Ralph Cox, Joe Mullen and Tim Harrer are all mentioned in the 2004 movie, and Jack Hughes, Les Auge, Gary Ross, Dave Delich and Bruce Horsch are all listed on hockeydb as having played training / exhibition games with the national team though they didn't make the final Lake Placid roster.
There are three other names I know of that were in the mix:
G Mark Holden (Brown University)
D Dave Feamster (Colorado College)
C Bill Army (Boston College)
I can't elaborate in any way about how close they were to making the team (I just have a random entry in a 200+ page electronic, hockey trivia scrapbook that I've built), but all were NCAA All-Americans in the '78 / '79 / '80 time-frame.
Read the late 70's AA selections for US-born guys and that might yield some names ... also remember that Herb Brooks was partial to Minnesota guys, so there are probably plenty of names on the mid-to-late 70's Gophers, Minnesota-Duluth and St Cloud rosters who would have at least been on Brooks' radar screen.
Beyond that, no idea ... good luck in your search, and please post names if you find more of them.
MiamiScreamingEagles
Global Moderator
- Jan 17, 2004
- 71,264
- 48,226
There were (three) open tryouts scheduled in March 1979: Bloomington, Minnesota, Oak Park, Michigan and Danvers, Massachusetts.
From there, players were selected to participate in the National Sports Festival held in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the end of July 1979.
In August, after that tourney, Herb Brooks named 26 players to his squad but I am not sure of names who were cut:
3 goalies: Jim Craig, Steve Janasak and Bruce Horsch
8 defensemen: Les Auge, Bill Baker, Bob Suter, Jack Hughes, Ken Morrow, Jackie O'Callahan, Mike Ramsey and Gary Ross.
5 centers: Neal Broten, Mark Johnson, Mark Pavelich, Mark Wells, Dave Delich
5 LWs: Eruzione, McClanahan, Harrington, Schneider, Verchota
5 RWs: Ralph Cox, Christian, Christoff, Silk and Strobel
Another forward was Tim Harrer who Brooks forgot to introduce at a luncheon in January 1980 (he played for Brooks) and it was met with joking but he was considered a longshot to make the team.
Eruzione broke his wrist in one of the exhibition games and missed about a dozen or so. The US record was 42-16-3 in a 61-game schedule entering the Olympics.
The team was reduced prior to the opening game against Sweden and injured Jack O'Callahan was among the players named.
From there, players were selected to participate in the National Sports Festival held in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the end of July 1979.
In August, after that tourney, Herb Brooks named 26 players to his squad but I am not sure of names who were cut:
3 goalies: Jim Craig, Steve Janasak and Bruce Horsch
8 defensemen: Les Auge, Bill Baker, Bob Suter, Jack Hughes, Ken Morrow, Jackie O'Callahan, Mike Ramsey and Gary Ross.
5 centers: Neal Broten, Mark Johnson, Mark Pavelich, Mark Wells, Dave Delich
5 LWs: Eruzione, McClanahan, Harrington, Schneider, Verchota
5 RWs: Ralph Cox, Christian, Christoff, Silk and Strobel
Another forward was Tim Harrer who Brooks forgot to introduce at a luncheon in January 1980 (he played for Brooks) and it was met with joking but he was considered a longshot to make the team.
Eruzione broke his wrist in one of the exhibition games and missed about a dozen or so. The US record was 42-16-3 in a 61-game schedule entering the Olympics.
The team was reduced prior to the opening game against Sweden and injured Jack O'Callahan was among the players named.
Jumptheshark
Rebooting myself
as has been stated
the US committee has some tryouts--but when Brooks came on-he gave them a small list and when they said it was too small of a list for tryouts--he said that was the team---he gave a list of 25 to 30(depending on the source) and cut away from there.
Brooks walked in with a plan
the US committee has some tryouts--but when Brooks came on-he gave them a small list and when they said it was too small of a list for tryouts--he said that was the team---he gave a list of 25 to 30(depending on the source) and cut away from there.
Brooks walked in with a plan
John Flyers Fan
Registered User
Joey Mullen definitely would have made the team, but he signed a pro contract, his family needed the bonus money (around $30K).
His not being on the team, was generally considered a big blow to their chances.
His not being on the team, was generally considered a big blow to their chances.
mrhockey193195
Registered User
Thanks guys.
In particular, I was wondering if anyone knew whether or not someone named Tom Mannion was invited to the camp? In fact, if anyone can find any information about his playing career, that would be fantastic (there's nothing on hockeydb). I don't know much about where he played, but I do know that at some point in that general time period he was signed to a pro contract by the Hershey Bears, though he never played a game.
In particular, I was wondering if anyone knew whether or not someone named Tom Mannion was invited to the camp? In fact, if anyone can find any information about his playing career, that would be fantastic (there's nothing on hockeydb). I don't know much about where he played, but I do know that at some point in that general time period he was signed to a pro contract by the Hershey Bears, though he never played a game.
I think I can help you out with some stats from the National Sports Festival...PM an email and I can try to get you the scans by the weekend. I have rugby practice this week so I can't guarentee that I can make it to the libray to scan them.
Ad
Latest posts
-
-
San Jose Sharks Trade History: Best and Worst Trades of All-Time
- Latest: hockfan1991
