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FAN SECTION MISCELLANEOUS |
Talk to most people who have been in Marquette for awhile...mention the Marquette Iron Rangers...you've got a story. ¶ Here are a few recollections of Marquette residents when asked about the Iron Rangers. |
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| Julie B. (Librarian): "They didn't have glass in those days, you know. The players would come by and the sweat would fly off. You'd have to lean back so you wouldn't get hit by a stick...Those were fun times". | G.W. (Health Care): "I remember when some lady, some older lady tried jumping over the boards to go after a player. She was swingin' her purse...Man, some crazy stuff went on in there". | |
| Ed W.
(Retail Sales): "Are you kidding? I was there
faithfully...every game. One time one of the [Green Bay] Bobcats
hit one of my friends with a stick [in the stands]. I think one of
the Rangers saw him because two minutes later the guy was leveled out on
the ice...".
J. (Engineering. Houghton, MI): "There are guys up here that could tell you the guy's number, what year they played, whether they were left or right-handed...That team was a big deal up here...". Joyce (Custodian): "My family grew up there (the Palestra). My Brothers and I would walk over there everyday to skate." H.M. (Local Entrepreneur): "I remember when I was a kid...I could tell when the Iron Rangers would score. I lived so close to the Palestra that I could here, from my bedroom window, the crowd roar every time they scored". R. D. (Construction): "I heard that when they tore down the Palestra...you know that plywood that they put around the walls? Well, I guess that it was just full of liquor bottles. Those walls were 15 feet high and it was packed with bottles. They were hauling bottles out by the truck-load!" Ron (Sales): "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't even like hockey all that much. I don't watch it anymore. But that team brings back such memories. I liked hockey, at least Iron Ranger hockey, back then". R. T. (Heavy Equipment Operator): "That team meant a lot to a lot of people". Unknown: "My dad used to be an usher there. He'd take us to the games all the time...I think everyone who lived in Marquette at that time saw them at one time or another". Jim (Health Care): "You could've robbed any house in this town on Thursday nights...everyone was at the Ranger game!" Marie: "That Ronnie Johnson was so handsome...then he started playing hockey!" Many People (Many Occupations): "Yeah, I played for the Iron Rangers for a while". (Author's note: Hmmm...?) Dan (Food Service): "Yeah I remember them. I didn't like hockey then. I still don't. But I remember how famous those guys were around town". Mike (Office Manager): "It's amazing they ever got that whole thing up and running. Are you aware of what they had to do to just to have a team here?". Kenny (Construction): "Yeah, of course I remember them. Who doesn't?". Robert (Retired): "The Carlson brothers were actually nice guys...When Jack wasn't coaching, he was refereeing kids games, and when he wasn't doing that he was either practicing or playing in a game. He was always on the ice". Derrick from Green Bay (Sales District Manager): I remember...my friends and I thinking...how can a team from up in the U.P. beat us? Then we saw them play...wow...couldn't believe it!" Bobby (Clerk): "My Dad says that was the best team besides the Red Wings that ever came from Michigan". Mike (Engineer): "Well, you know the story of that team. That's where the Hanson Brothers started...everyone would pack the Palestra...those Bobcat games...wow". Bill (Retired Miner): "I probably shouldn't say this but I used to skip second shift if I had it to go see those games. I went eight years without missing one. You betcha". F.G. (United States Steel, Manager): "I hated living there, but that's the one thing I can say I actually enjoyed up in the U.P. They're not still a team are they?!" Donald (Retired Mechanic): "Well that (going to Ranger games) used to be the thing to do then. You'd see ladies in mink coats...men would dress up. Sometimes it was like a fashion show because that was the place to be." Charlesl (Food Distrib.): "They were like the Green Bay Packers...you know...they just were like the Packers around here. They were that popular." Click here for a view of selected posts from the original Iron Rangers' Message Board. Jim (Retired): " Even though they were pretty famous guys around town they'd still stop and talk to you..." Dan from Kalamazoo (Chef): "Yeah...I lived up there for two years in the late 60's. I'll never forget those orange and black uniforms and the noise in that ice arena." J.R. (Retail Sales): [laughing] "We'd play road hockey and each one of us would be a Ranger. Then you'd go, "Carl's Fernette!" and everyone would just go jump on him! [reference is to Green Bay Bobcat Fuzzy Fernette). |
Judy (Education): "Of course! Well, we didn't really go there for the hockey. We used to sit upstairs and watch all the boys". | |
| L.S (Lawyer):
Well you couldn't not be aware of them. People talked about
them. They were in the newspaper. You'd hear kids talk about
them downtown...they probably could have sold more hockey cards around
here of those guys than the Red Wings...easily! Elaine (Retired): "I used to work in the concession stand. The players would all come and get their hot chocolate before the game...they were very nice guys. And oh, it was busy during those games. There would be eight of us working back there...and I mean working!" M.: "I remember once I was sitting in the stands and I felt something land on my hat. I reached up and it was a pair of false teeth! I ran them up to the balcony and gave them to the person in the end seat. The teeth were passed down until they reached the older man who dropped them...and he immediately popped them right into his mouth! Didn't even wipe them off!". Stan (Retired): "Nothing will ever compare to that team...nothing. You put that on your website!".
Gary (Plumbing/Electrical): "They were a bunch of nice guys, really...awesome hockey players". Louise (Homemaker): "Oh I think the whole town loves those guys". Bob H. (Computer Analyst): "Yeah, I went to all their games. There was nothing better than Iron Ranger hockey". Ron (Farm Equipment Sales): "You'll probably never see anything like that again. It was kind of a phenomenon, you know". Paul (Business Manager): "I kind of wish kids had those kind of sports heroes today..." Pam (Clerk): "The Marquette Iron Rangers...they need a team like that now here". Robert (Retail Sales): "They were so much a part of people's lives, you know. I mean you had Christmas, the Fourth of July...I mean all those things...and you had the Iron Rangers". Debbie (Homemaker): "Oh, everyone would go to those games! Are you kidding?! That was the thing to do then. Little old Marquette beating up on Chicago and Green Bay". Dave (Education): "...when you mention names like Brumm, O'Neill, L'Huillier, Sullivan...and who was that big guy who use to deliver wine around town? He was good. Anyway, those are some famous names around here". Bill (Truck Driver): "...one of the best things that ever happened to this town. But if you talk to any of them they'll act like it wasn't anything at all...unbelievable!" Helen (Store Manager): I live in Chicago now...but one of the things that I think of when I think of Marquette is the Iron Rangers". Renee from Portland (Computer Analyst): "They could make a movie about that team and the Palestra...I used to love those guys...go Rangers!". Ken (Physical Therapy): "Well that's the only time I ever watched sports. Do you have any tapes of those games?". D.E. (Computer Industry): "When I was looking at your website I was crying. It brought back so many memories of those games" A.H. from Appleton, WI (Car Sales): "Anyone who was around then knows about the Iron Rangers. It worries me now that kids don't have that to see, you know?" Carl from Phoenix (Nurse): "My dad used to take me to all their games...You know that's one thing that every kid got to do with their dad...go to an Iron Ranger game." Donny (Mechanic): "Oh everybody wanted to be an Iron Ranger when I was a kid." Roger from Cincinnati (Manager): "I think they should make a movie about those guys...oh...I guess they kind of already did didn't they?" Kurt from Buffalo (Sales): " Well today you can't even watch hockey. I mean after seeing those Ranger games... It's just not the same." Mark (Clerical): That was it back then. I mean that was it back then. That was the big thing. They were like heroes to this town." email ironrangers@usa.com with any short quote about the team, the city, the U.P., or The Palestra. The statement above did not contain enough words to fill in the extra space in this column, so these words are being added to serve that purpose. If any more space remains empty, then further inconsequential words will be added here. |
