Paul Stewart: Me and Mrs. Paul

I remember attending some Firebirds games when I was young.

As you can imagine, Stewy, this blog is of special interest to me as I had been the PR man for the Firebirds in 1976-77, their third and last season in the NAHL, and know all of the characters you mentioned well. Coatsey, a friend since 1972, I still see and work with at the Flyers. I also still keep in touch with Gordie Brooks (who is the one who gave me my hockey nickname "Scoop") who lives in London, Ontario. Bobby Collyard lives back in his native Minnesota and Reggie Lemelin is in Boston where he finished his 14 year NHL career with the Flames and Bruins in 1993. Bep Guiidolin (who was and still is the youngest man to ever play in the NHL making the Bruins at age 16 in 1942 during WWII) passed away in his hometown of Barrie, Ontario, in 2008 at age 82.

You are certainly right about how the Firebirds deteriorated when George Piszek bought them from his dad and the club joined the AHL in 1977. They spent that first season as an affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings and were coached by Dan Belisle who the following year took over the Washington Capitals. The lowly Colorado Rockies came in the next season with Bep as coach and finished with a dreadful 23-49-8 record. Among the players that club sent here was goalie Doug Favell who along with Bernie Parent served as the Philadelphia Flyers original tandem from 1967 to 1971. The next year the club moved to Syracuse for one more season before folding altogether.

You were right, by the way, about the parsimoniousness of ownership. For my Christmas “bonus” I was handed an envelope that contained twelve crisp one Dollar bills. I was so pissed that I just gave them back by putting them in the ticket office cash drawer. I would have sooner that I just not been given anything!

Here is a picture of what the since demolished Civic Center Convention Hall looked like when the Firebirds were playing the Beauce Jaros before a full house in the 1976 NAHL Lockhart Cup finals.

Paul Stewart: Me and Mrs. Paul
- Paul Stewart

The best part of these blogs, besides the insight and the laughs, is the revealing fact that Slap Shot wasn't a movie. It was a documentary. Always enjoy reading these, Stewy

The best part of these blogs, besides the insight and the laughs, is the revealing fact that Slap Shot wasn't a movie. It was a documentary. Always enjoy reading these, Stewy
- Jsaquella

Exactly right, Jafsie, at that comes from first hand experience!!

Thanks, Paul. My brothers and I have Firebirds season tickets one year. They were great. Excellent read, as usual. Appreciate your yarns. Keep it up! I seem to remember that Phillies HOFer Robin Roberts was an owner for a time, too, and that Dale Macleish, Ray Schultz and other Flyers' brothers were players. Great memories, caught a puck once, too.

I attended many Firebirds games as a kid. Yes, Robin Roberts was briefly an owner with the Piszeks but bailed after the first year.

The best part of these blogs, besides the insight and the laughs, is the revealing fact that Slap Shot wasn't a movie. It was a documentary. Always enjoy reading these, Stewy
- Jsaquella

I was thinking the exact same thing. I can't imagine what some of the old games would be like.

Great read and the line about Mike Gillis stood out to me.

Paul Stewart: Me and Mrs. Paul
- Paul Stewart

I have been enjoying your blogs for quite some time now, but I haven't commented untill now.

Great writing, great insight. Hockeybuzz is a richer site thanks to your writing.

Keep it up!

Stewy I am pretty sure that this is the cover of the program for that actual dreadful game in Portland against the Mariners that you mention in the blog.

I attended many Firebirds games as a kid. Yes, Robin Roberts was briefly an owner with the Piszeks but bailed after the first year.
- bmeltzer

Hall of Fame Phillies pitcher Robin Roberts (who used to live just down the street from me in Huntingdon Valley, PA when I was a kid) sold his interest in the Firebirds in 1975 after the club lost $400,000 in its first season. His son, Robin Roberts, Jr., had been the team's PR man (a job I eventually took) and moved on to working for the NAHL Erie Blades after leaving the Firebirds.

Here's a delightfully awful highlight/promotional video of the Firebirds released after their Lockhart Cup-winning season. It's set the music of "The Hustle" (the Firebirds entrance music as they took to the ice at the Civic Center) and the soundtrack from "Rocky".

Stewy I am pretty sure that this is the cover of the program for that actual dreadful game in Portland against the Mariners that you mention in the blog.


- iScoop

Thanks, Scoop. That's the game. Can always count on you to find that sort of thing!

When I get back from Russia, I will try to dig up that photo from Sports Illustrated.

Thanks, Scoop. That's the game. Can always count on you to find that sort of thing!

When I get back from Russia, I will try to dig up that photo from Sports Illustrated.
- Paul Stewart

They don't call me "Scoop" (Gordie Brooks gave me that nick) for nothing Stewy!


Anyone interested in reading more about the Firebirds can do so on my HockeyScoop.net site at http://hockeyscoop.net/ahlphl/#Firebirds and see a gallery of pictures at http://hockeyscoop.net/firebirds/.

Thanks, Paul. My brothers and I have Firebirds season tickets one year. They were great. Excellent read, as usual. Appreciate your yarns. Keep it up! I seem to remember that Phillies HOFer Robin Roberts was an owner for a time, too, and that Dale Macleish, Ray Schultz and other Flyers' brothers were players. Great memories, caught a puck once, too.
- danham92

At one time in their short history, the Firebirds had Ray Schultz, Dale MacLeish plus a (Mike) Clarke and (John) Barber on the roster. The latter two were not related to their Flyers namesakes. Dale and the late Ray were the brothers of Rick and Dave.

They don't call me "Scoop" (Gordie Brooks gave me that nick) for nothing Stewy!


Anyone interested in reading more about the Firebirds can do so on my HockeyScoop.net site at http://hockeyscoop.net/ahlphl/#Firebirds and see a gallery of pictures at http://hockeyscoop.net/firebirds/.
- iScoop

Love it, Scoop. As you and I have discussed, I used to go many Firebirds games at the Civic Center during my childhood. I saw more than a dozen Firebirds games before I went to my first live Flyers game.

My first live Flyers game was during the 1979-80 season. My best friend's family had season tickets and they brought me along. What a special game it was, too. Not because of any particular happening in the game, but because of the opponent. The visiting Hartford Whalers had Gordie and Mark Howe plus original Flyer (and all-time WHA scoring leader) Andre Lacroix dressed for the game. Marty Howe was either a healthy scratch or had been sent to the minors.

Hey Stewy, the Adirondack Phantoms are playing the Hershey Bears at the Wells Fargo Center here this afternoon (I am currently in the pressroom) and I just spent the last half hour visiting with Terry Murray who coaches the Phantoms. I mentioned that game in Portland to Murph who played for the Mariners then and he burst out laughing saying that he remembered it VERY well. He said he recalled you leaping over the net at one point to go with Glen Cochrane and that you also squared off with the late Jimmy Cunningham, Wacko (Al Hill), Too Tall (John Paddock), Cappy (Dennis Patterson), and Buzzy (Mike Busniuk) among others as well. Murph sends his best and says he enjoys reading your blogs very much.

Paul Stewart: Me and Mrs. Paul
- Paul Stewart

Edit:

I see I posted this comment on the wrong Stewart blog. How the hell that happen?

Great read and the line about Mike Gillis stood out to me.
- GilPerreault11

The line about a 20 year old 180 lb Mike gillis who was a 5th overall selection just months before? A Player who was playing in his first AHL game and wasn't a fighter? So this smaller skilled player was supposed to jump off the bench and fight 6 goons because his teams only goon called them on? Please!

I liked Paul's story but I have to feel for the guy. So much anger towards so many people, in that story alone he hated on or downright slandered more than a dozen people. I wonder what they would say about him if they had a platform like he does. But alas they don't so I'll take it as just that Paul's story.

The line about a 20 year old 180 lb Mike gillis who was a 5th overall selection just months before? A Player who was playing in his first AHL game and wasn't a fighter? So this smaller skilled player was supposed to jump off the bench and fight 6 goons because his teams only goon called them on? Please!

I liked Paul's story but I have to feel for the guy. So much anger towards so many people, in that story alone he hated on or downright slandered more than a dozen people. I wonder what they would say about him if they had a platform like he does. But alas they don't so I'll take it as just that Paul's story.
- coryberg2

I admire your loyalty to your GM but back then 180 wasn't puny and I've played hockey into college and have jumped into helping out teammates and friends on the ice and in bars if they were getting their butts kicked. it's hard to fathom a group of guys letting their teammate get jumped by multiple guys. Just my opinion

Hey Stewy, the Adirondack Phantoms are playing the Hershey Bears at the Wells Fargo Center here this afternoon (I am currently in the pressroom) and I just spent the last half hour visiting with Terry Murray who coaches the Phantoms. I mentioned that game in Portland to Murph who played for the Mariners then and he burst out laughing saying that he remembered it VERY well. He said he recalled you leaping over the net at one point to go with Glen Cochrane and that you also squared off with the late Jimmy Cunningham, Wacko (Al Hill), Too Tall (John Paddock), Cappy (Dennis Patterson), and Buzzy (Mike Busniuk) among others as well. Murph sends his best and says he enjoys reading your blogs very much.
- iScoop

Seriously, where have the good nicknames gone?

Great read, Stewie. I love the frankness of your blogs and the fact that you hold nothing back, not even the names of the "gutless".


Nice job, sir, and keep them coming.

I admire your loyalty to your GM but back then 180 wasn't puny and I've played hockey into college and have jumped into helping out teammates and friends on the ice and in bars if they were getting their butts kicked. it's hard to fathom a group of guys letting their teammate get jumped by multiple guys. Just my opinion
- GilPerreault11

It happens if the guy getting jumped is hated by his teammates. It's happened before, maybe it happened there. The way he tells his stories, it wouldn't be terribly surprising to me. Don't get me wrong, the stories he tells are entertaining, but he strikes me as a love him or hate him type of guy. Maybe his teammates hated him as much as he seems to have hated them.

I hadn't been on the team for even a few weeks at the time I got jumped in Maine.I was living in a sublet apartment in Voorhees, NJ that Pachal let me stay in. I can't now even remember many names on the team except a few: Clayton Pachal, Doug Favelle, Gillis, Peter Jack, Dale Yakachuk, Coatsie, Collyard and Gordie Brooks. Jack and Yak weren't even there in Maine that night. Coatsie and Brooks couldn't help and the Colorado-affiliated players were afraid of the Maine players. Bep barely played me in any other games.