I remember listening to Chicago games on the radio as a kid growing up in the GTA. If the weather was calm enough and the radio was placed just right I could get the Blackhawks broadcast.
- DarthKane

Lloyd Pettit with Harvey Wittenburg. I just don't remember the radio station.

Lloyd Pettit with Harvey Wittenburg. I just don't remember the radio station.
- RickJ

Various stations broadcasted the Hawks in the 60s and 70s.

https://en.m.wikipedia.or...o_Blackhawks_broadcasters

I was skating at 3, I began playing hockey at 5. My Dad took me to countless games at Maple Leaf Gardens to see the Leafs. Then on Christmas Day when I was 6 my Leaf hating Uncle came for dinner and my gift from him was a Blackhawk sweater and tickets to a Leaf Blackhawk game. I was instantly brainwashed. Then at the game a few weeks later my Dad took me to the back of the Gardens on Wood Street where the Hawk’s team bus was parked so I could get some autographs. I got Doug Mohns, Louis Angotti, Chico Maki, Eric Nesterenko, Pat Stapleton and Bobby Hull was signing for a lineup of kids and the guys were calling Hull to get on the bus so my Dad said we should go. Hull heard him and said he won’t leave until everybody that wanted his autograph got one. All the players just signed their name, Hull signed something like, Paul keep your head up and your stick on the ice. Bobby Hull. I have no idea where that sheet of paper or where my full collection of 1966 opeechee hockey cards wound up? My conversion to a Blackhawk fan broke my old man’s heart.
- paulr

Late (frank)ing bloomer, eh, Chief?

Nothing like home and home games between the Leafs and the Hawks. Saturday night at the Gardens and Sunday night back at the Stadium in Chicago. After the Saturday night game both teams would board the train back to the Windy City.

No TV of the game in Chicago, radio only broadcast with Foster Hewitt. Every game there he would say 'they have announced the attendance as 16,666 but I guarantee it is nothing less than 20,000". No better place to see a game than the old Chicago Stadium.
- RickJ

I was lucky enough to see a game in the old Stadium in ‘93. It was crazy, the place shook, the organ was so loud and you’d see the players come to the ice it seemed like from a lower level, it looked like they were coming up stairs? The washrooms were a (frank)ing filthy disgrace, back in those days the mainstream American beer sucked but I loved every raucous second of the game. At the drop of the puck the puck went into Vancouver’s zone and the defenseman got plastered into the end boards by two Hawks and the place went nuts. We saw some guy get pummeled by two big beasts in yellow jackets.

Late (frank)ing bloomer, eh, Chief?

- mohel

I’m always a step behind.

Like many Canadians I grew up on Hockey Night in Canada. That plus my Grandmother sharing stories of old time hockey got me hooked.

I grew up in a city that doesn't have an NHL caliber team (Toronto) so I became a Blackhawks fan.
- DarthKane

Lloyd Pettit with Harvey Wittenburg. I just don't remember the radio station.
- RickJ

Pretty sure when I listened in those days it was on WMAQ 670

Late (frank)ing bloomer, eh, Chief?

- mohel

Reminds me of the Stamkos / Hedman commercial, makes me laugh everytime

I was lucky enough to see a game in the old Stadium in ‘93. It was crazy, the place shook, the organ was so loud and you’d see the players come to the ice it seemed like from a lower level, it looked like they were coming up stairs? The washrooms were a (frank)ing filthy disgrace, back in those days the mainstream American beer sucked but I loved every raucous second of the game. At the drop of the puck the puck went into Vancouver’s zone and the defenseman got plastered into the end boards by two Hawks and the place went nuts. We saw some guy get pummeled by two big beasts in yellow jackets.
- paulr

The guys in yellow jackets were off duty Chicago cops, one of the guys on my softball team worked the games. Great place to watch a game and yes, the players came up stairs up to ice level.

Great write up--makes old memories come up. I remember watching hockey every Saturday night with my Mom from the age of 7, to my Dad taking me to the first game at 9, which led to being part of freezing the rinks each winter for the park district, to trips from college to games (which included one night of sharing a few with Mike Royko at Diana's), to season tickets for a few years, to being with my kids for 2010 and 2013 for each clinching game. By the way, a little off subject, but how many others on this board were at Disco Demolition?

Great write up--makes old memories come up. I remember watching hockey every Saturday night with my Mom from the age of 7, to my Dad taking me to the first game at 9, which led to being part of freezing the rinks each winter for the park district, to trips from college to games (which included one night of sharing a few with Mike Royko at Diana's), to season tickets for a few years, to being with my kids for 2010 and 2013 for each clinching game. By the way, a little off subject, but how many others on this board were at Disco Demolition?
- RaleighHawk

I was, a bunch of us decided to hop on the El after work cause it was a doubleheader at Comisky in the middle of summer. Had no clue it was disco demolition until seeing albums wizzing past my head walking up to the gate.

Really appreciate your sharing your story, Zach.

I guess I re-engaged with hockey probably starting with that game against the Soviet Union at Lake Placid in 1980. It then moved over to the Hawks - it didn't hurt that Savvy was a magician. Taught myself to skate (after failing as a really young child), eventually got on an organised team (pre-internet days -so a little tougher to make connections then -it was an advert in the Trib, and not in the context of a school - the first time I'd ever done anything like that before ... got an IIHF level 1 coach's cert, and also did some coaching in clinics down here. It (hockey) became more like a religion than only a sport.

I have only been to games at the Stadium --- most memorable was the 1990 divisional finals ... went to game 1 (best seats I had ever had at the Stadium - as the Trib comped the furniture company I was working at) ...they lost that one. My line manager - he decides we were going to go to game 7 - and I was like -ok, how? We don't got tickets- well, he got a couple SRO ones ... it was nuts ... what a great game - I think Larmer had 5 points -- you can find parts of those on YouTube ... man, hockey was waaaay different then - and imo - far better game then than now. And all that really means is as an explanation as to why sometimes I can't relate to some stuff that goes on today ... like 'fights' -they aren't fights- probably miscalled DoG penalties given majors ... :D

Yeh sure there is more- but that will work for now. You said it though, there isn't much going on. Even Ek is writing up 'who will get a PTA???' as a suspenseful post (means poor guy is getting more desperate) - those are not needle movers for anyone ... you had a really nice touch in a really dry period. Nice work, mate.

I was, a bunch of us decided to hop on the El after work cause it was a doubleheader at Comisky in the middle of summer. Had no clue it was disco demolition until seeing albums wizzing past my head walking up to the gate.
- LAHawk

You might have been one of the few who did not go there for that reason. It was nuts, and a lot of people never got in because it sold out fast.

You might have been one of the few who did not go there for that reason. It was nuts, and a lot of people never got in because it sold out fast.
- RaleighHawk

Harry Caray trying to get the fans to leave the field between games was quite the trip. No Stroh’s for you

I was lucky enough to see a game in the old Stadium in ‘93. It was crazy, the place shook, the organ was so loud and you’d see the players come to the ice it seemed like from a lower level, it looked like they were coming up stairs? The washrooms were a (frank)ing filthy disgrace, back in those days the mainstream American beer sucked but I loved every raucous second of the game. At the drop of the puck the puck went into Vancouver’s zone and the defenseman got plastered into the end boards by two Hawks and the place went nuts. We saw some guy get pummeled by two big beasts in yellow jackets.
- paulr

Well, poop, you got me going. Yep there were about 2 dozen stairs from the locker room to the ice and not much of a handrail. They had florescent light fixtures on the ceiling. One night after Belfour got shelled he broke every one of them with his stick on the way down. The Stadium ice guy might have been the first one to use distilled water in the Zam. When he got done the ice was fast. Real fast. The rink was only 188' long (200' is standard) but a good slap shot on new ice could go around the rink three times if the Zam door was closed right. A guy HAD to have sharp skates or he'd risk a pulled groin. After the game if you would have exited in the northwest corner of the building past the Zam (they kept it in the corner of the concourse) you would see the little security office where one or more of the yellow jackets had their hand in a bucket of ice water. IF we ever meet up I'll give you stories all night about that place. Best. Place. EVER. The UC is a shopping mall compared to the Stadium. There will never be a building so unique and cool.

My earliest memory is listening to the Hawks on the Ole transister back in the late 70s or early 80s. Please feel free to correct my post or advise on the year. I always recall the team/year with Savard, larmer as a rookie I believe and good ole #20 (Secord) and that line seemed to be on fire all year. Foley was so good in those days. Does anyone remember the year or that team? Wilson on D. Lysiak, Sutter....foggy memory, but thats what i recall and how i fell in Love with the Hawks.
- glennjpawlak22

That might have been 1983.

Seeing Denis Savard in a #18 sweater as a kid turned me into a Blackhawks fan.
Seeing him getting traded for "Chicago's own" Chelios pissed me off as a kid as well. Even rooted for the Pens during the Stanley Cup final. My brother gives me poop to this day for that.
Seeing Savy raise the Cup with the Habs was cool though,and then I sort of understood why he was traded
Loved Roenick,Belfour,Steve Smith,Daze etc...

I admit that I tuned them out for a few years during the early 2000s. Always kept an eye on them here and there, was optimistic seeing Keith turn into a serviceable dman,but didn't make any big effort to follow them on a daily basis

My jaw dropped when I read that they traded for Havlat, I remember thinking: they traded for someone that is actually good? What the hell? Been watching/keeping tabs regularly since 2006.

I grew up in a large family on the near North side that loved sports. When I was big enough to fit in the smallest pair of hand me down double runner skates we went to Waveland at the lakefront where the Park District froze the baseball fields. It was massive. A fence and a mound of snow divided the figure skating and hockey sides. Later when we could skate fairly well we got a stick and puck. If you could not skate or stick handle well enough the wind off the lake would blow you across the ice, leaving the puck behind. Later we used blocks of snow for goals and there were probably 15 to 20 games going at the same time. When I was older my mom would take a bunch of us to Waveland in the back of our station wagon. We would skate for hours until she picked us up. On a rare occasion we would get to go to Rainbo Arena on Clark street. At home we would watch Hawk road games on channel 9 WGN. We would listen to the home games starting at 8:15 (after the first period) with Lloyd Petit at the mic. On school nights I remember being in bed listening to the games. For some reason I remember my Dad coming in to sit on the edge of the bed in 1971 when Bobby Hull scored the game winner against the Rangers in overtime. We were not wealthy and with 7 kids we could not afford tickets to see the Hawks. They were hard to come by at any price. But somehow my Uncle Ray got tickets to a game in the late 60's. My first game, high up in the stadium with my Dad and my Uncle. I followed the Hawks closely through their up and down years, even after getting married and moving to Oregon, Georgia, and Virginia. My wife, daughter and son also became big fans. We tried to catch a game at the Stadium and then the UC every year when we were visiting Chicago. The 2009 through 2016 stretch was unbelievable. My wife is this petit mild mannered gal, until we watch hockey. Then she is extremely vocal (in a polite sort of way), with a healthy hate for the Blues, Preds, Canucks, Bruins, and Flyers. We now have two grandsons that were wearing Hawk uniforms before they could walk. At two my oldest grandson was sitting between my wife and I with a bowl of popcorn watching the Hawks on our Center Ice TV package. I can't wait to teach them how to skate and to take them to their first home game. The Hawks should be back seriously competing for the Stanley Cup just as the grandsons are getting to the right age. (I hope.)

Zach, it breaks my heart to hear about your dad's passing a few years back. Such a sad ending that is becoming all too frequent in today's culture. God Bless!

Growing up in Saskatchewan on both the east and west sides of the province, most people were Flames, oilers fans or Jets fans. I was indifferent and was almost a Whalers fan due to the same colors of there sweaters as the Riders. That changed in grade 10. My high school gym teacher in North Battleford was a Blackhawks fan and i was teamless. It was the perfect storm in 1989. Savard, Larmer, Wilson. And then the one who really drew me to the Blackhawks none other than Eddie Belfour.

Its been a up and down road but i was lucky to pass down my love of the Blackhawks to my son. He sat beside me from 98 till he left home and to this day we still talk the Hawks each time we see each other.

For me it was the Ferguson Bobby Hull fights, my brother and I listening to home games on the radio, my dad getting tickets from the guys at work to Oakland Seals and LA Kings games they didn't care to see. We did something different. We shoveled the snow on the street so there was a layer of snow that packed down. The puck slid fine but no skates. We bought hockey gloves and shin guards but still, nobody wanted to play goalie.

I went to my first game at 3 against the Wings. The story my Dad always told was that I knew everyone on both teams and someone sitting by us doubted it. My ad offered a friendly bet of a beer for him and a pop for me. After agreeing, the guy asked me to name a couple of Hawks. My Dad laughed and said make it a challenge and ask him to name some Wings. Apparently I did.

So, yeah, my parents were huge hockey fans and like LA' parents used to go to games as dates. Cept it was in the 50''

Suicide is tough on the survivors, Zach. Keep working through and get help if you need it.

For me it was the Ferguson Bobby Hull fights, my brother and I listening to home games on the radio, my dad getting tickets from the guys at work to Oakland Seals and LA Kings games they didn't care to see. We did something different. We shoveled the snow on the street so there was a layer of snow that packed down. The puck slid fine but no skates. We bought hockey gloves and shin guards but still, nobody wanted to play goalie.
- rpeters01

If it melted and re-froze, it was an ice rink for us.

Simon park used to have a great outdoor rink and leagues. Its where I learned to play.

Well, poop, you got me going. Yep there were about 2 dozen stairs from the locker room to the ice and not much of a handrail. They had florescent light fixtures on the ceiling. One night after Belfour got shelled he broke every one of them with his stick on the way down. The Stadium ice guy might have been the first one to use distilled water in the Zam. When he got done the ice was fast. Real fast. The rink was only 188' long (200' is standard) but a good slap shot on new ice could go around the rink three times if the Zam door was closed right. A guy HAD to have sharp skates or he'd risk a pulled groin. After the game if you would have exited in the northwest corner of the building past the Zam (they kept it in the corner of the concourse) you would see the little security office where one or more of the yellow jackets had their hand in a bucket of ice water. IF we ever meet up I'll give you stories all night about that place. Best. Place. EVER. The UC is a shopping mall compared to the Stadium. There will never be a building so unique and cool.
- 6628

I had tears in my eyes watching them tear that place down. I tried to climb the fence to get a brick but was stopped by a PO and was asked if I was out of my (frank)ing mind being in that area at 3 in the morning.

In the early 70's, unlike now, the outdoor rink at Watt Ice Center did not have a cooling system and the ice was entirely depended upon freezing temperatures. South School is immediately east of the rink and I clearly remember how sad it was leaving school in February or March when the temperature rose. The rink turned into a slushy pond and the games that night were cancelled. I still hate spring. There used to be games on WGN Saturday nights, that was must see TV. One family in town had season tickets and would occasionally offer them to my Dad who would take me. He still tells me how nobody will ever compare to Bobby Hull. He traveled for business and would bring me back the sports section if there was an article about the local NHL team in it. As soon as I got my license, I would tell my parents I was going to study on Sunday nights and drive to the Stadium when the used to play almost every Sunday night. I was always trying to save money back then and had some scary walks back the old hotel near Ogden and Madison where I used to park. But the all-time highlight was watch watching games with Wiz after the move to the UC. I used to scalp tickets and sneak down the 100 level where Wiz was relegated to the handicapped section so the authorities could keep their eye on him for his over exuberant cheering and commentary. I believe I invented the jeer we would yell at the fans leaving the lower rows with 10 minutes to go in an inevitable 5-2 Hawks loss, "Rats...Rats leaving a sinking ship." Now, after playing hockey and following the sport for almost 60 years, I still enjoy everything about it. Hulsizer plays hockey in Glencoe and owned NHL teams and still owns teams in the Premier League in Soccer. He said that the Owner's meeting in the NHL are tame compared to the Premier league. Bettman wants owners to run all their thoughts through the GMs and the owner's meetings are quick and quiet. In the Premier League the owners take it much more seriously. If your team beat another team on a questionable call the other owner will be visibly upset and some of the meeting have become physical. "You haven't missed anything by not owning an NHL team," he once told me. I think I would have enjoyed it.

Cayden Lindstrom ruled out for rookie camp, still recovering from his injury. I wish this kid nothing but the best as he has all the tools, but glad KD didn’t take that risk. I realize that all picks come with risks, but some are riskier than others. With that said, if Lindstrom has a healthy career, he’ll be someone to be reckoned with.