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This section contains newspaper articles about
the Iron Rangers through the years: Reprint permission is granted by
The Mining Journal: "Upper Michigan's Largest Daily Newspaper".
Menu of Current Articles:
Iron Rangers Set Intra-Squad Game.
Iron Rangers Corner 'Cats
Before 4,500.
Oakie Brumm Named
Coach Of Year In USHL Second Time.
Undefeated Waterloo Rangers' Foe Sunday.
Rangers Reply to
Challenge.
Bobcats Bounced, 8-3, By Rampaging
Rangers.
Iron Rangers Change Name.
Rangers Record Decisive Victory Over
Canadians.
Canadian Sault Invades Palestra Saturday
Night.
Northern Division Profiles
Iron Rangers Set Intra-Squad
Game.
The Mining Journal. Thursday November 2, 1965.
Local hockey fans will be treated to a preview of coming attractions
Thursday at the Palestra when the Marquette Iron Rangers will put on
their second annual intra-squad game. Game time is 8 pm and if regular
practices are any indication, the fans can expect plenty of action.
For the first time since their organization, the Rangers possess some
semblance of depth...a situation that was sadly lacking last season. In addition to depth the Rangers are also well blessed with balance, another factor in their last place
finish last season. Working out daily are four forward lines and six defensemen. In addition to this there is an
additional forward line
and defenseman from NMU that are getting a longer look by Coach Oakie Brumm.
Regulars Look Good
Three of the lines are equal in ability and the fourth is slightly better due to playing together last
season. At this stage of the season the Bob Cox, Wayne McQuaig, Roger Venasky line has a slight edge over the other,
especially in e scoring department. However, the development of the other line is extremely fast and Iron Ranger
fans should be able to witness at least two potent lines by the time the regular season roll around.
Presently the players working on the other three lines are, left wings: Ike Ikonen, Jerry Lakey and
Matt Oreskovich: centers Bill Ostwald, Ray Clegg and Mike Greenleaf and right wings Bucky O'Neil, Rich Olds
and Jim Genore.
Coach Brumm has been changing these players around attempting to find the right combinations but so far most combinations
have looked equally good or bad depending on the situation. One thing is certain however, only three lines can
be used in league games and four are on hand so everyone is working hard for a job.
"All the boys apparently have speed to burn and the regular jobs will go to those that can pass and score", Brumm said.
Coach Oakie Brumm, Barry Cook and Jim Jacobson have had a year to get used to each other and Carl Lackie is fitting right in with the veterans.
Defense Crop Strong
In addition to these players, the defense corps is made up of John Urbiha and Floyd "Pigeon" Summers. Both boys showed plenty
of promise and all they need is experience. Barry Cook has dished out several clean hard body checks in practice and
Jim Jacobson has occasionally demonstrated that he is headed for a good year.
In the nets, Canadian Brian Lunney
has been getting the feel of things, but has been handicapped by the
by the several different combinations being used in front of him. As
soon as the lineup is established he is expected to hold up his end
of the job and can be counted on for several big saves every game.
In addition to Lunney, pleasant surprise of preseason practice has been
the appearance of spare goalie Bob Rickard of Bessemer.
Rick is a student at NMU. and formerly played for the Iron Jets. He
makes excellent saves and with a year of this type of competition under
his belt could develop into a USHL goaltender, Iron Ranger officials
believe.
Thursday's game will be under regular league
game conditions with referees and goal judges being used. The
squad will be divided into two equal teams with regular jobs at stake
fans can see plenty of skating, shooting, and all around hockey.
Coach Oakie Brumm said, "We are further along
now than were almost at the end of the year last season. All we need
now is conditioning. Most of the boys have really benefited from
a year of playing together and if we can get tight goaltending we could
give everybody trouble. Win, lose, or draw, Marquette fans will be proud
of this team". There will be a nominal charge for admission for
this intra-squad game.
Iron Rangers Corner
'Cats Before 4,500.
The Mining Journal. December 1966.
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Marquette Iron Rangers combined superior speed
with some excellent shooting Saturday night to defeat the league-leading
Green Bay Bobcats 6-4 in Green Bay. It was the Bobcats first home loss
this season.
Sopher Beats Mattson
Marquette opened the scoring at 2:40 of the
first period when Steve Sopher poked in a rebound that Mattson had already
made two stops on, Sopher merely had to lift the puck over the prone
Mattson after Ron Johnson and Rick Olds were stopped by him.
Play was just about even until 14:08 of the
period when Big Wayne McCuaig scored on a rebound from Carl Lackey
and Roger Venasky. McCuaig had Tony Buckovich draped all over him and
only his size prevented him from being wrestled to the ice. Twelve seconds
later, Bob Cox slapped a tremendous shot at Mattson and the rebound
jumped right on Roger Venasky's stick and he immediately shot it to
the lower right hand corner before the astonished Mattson could recover
Green Bay's first score came just twenty seconds
later as Gordy Yeoman intercepted Ron Johnson's pass at the blue line
and shot at Brian Lunney and the rebound bounced right on Ken Rouhonen's
stick. Rouhonen had been trapped in the Marquette zone and was behind
the play but a bouncing puck turned him into the goal scorer. Green
Bay made the score 3-2 at the 18:41 mark when Dave Brooks blocked a
shot from the Marquette blue line and the
The Russian National team blistered 50 shots at United States National
Goalie, Carl Wetzel and walloped the Americans 7-1 in the opening round
of the Centennial World Hockey Tournament being staged in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The U.S. Nationals are members of the USHL this season.
puck rebounded between Oakie Brumm and Barry Cook where
he picked it up and barely outdistanced Cook on a semi-breakaway and
scored.
Rangers Lead 4-2
Ron Johnson made it 4-2 for Marquette as the
period ended as he beat Mattson after the goalie let Rick Olds' rebound
shot and Johnson picked it up and slid it between Mattson's legs
while he was still trying to regain his balance from the first shot.
Play was fairly even in the second period and
the only scoring came at the 18:01 mark when Rick Olds hustled into
the Green Bay corner and passed out to Ron Johnson while the Green Bay
defense and goalie just stood around and watched. Johnson slapped it
in for one of the best plays of the night.
Green Bay came out in the third period determined
to win and with some excellent teamwork and hustle scored at the 2:44
mark when big Stu Anderson dug the puck out from behind the net passed
to John Harpell who in turn passed to Sullivan who then pounded it in
from short range.
Green Bay kept trying to put on the pressure
but at the 12:22 mark the pressure backfired as Carl Lackey intercepted
a pass on the Marquette blue line and along with Wayne McCuaig and Roger
Venasky raced down the ice on a three on one breakaway. While the Green
Bay goalie and defense looked for a pass, Lackey rifled a hard wrist
shot into the upper left corner.
Paul Coppo finished the scoring for the night
a short time later when he
came from behind Bob Cox and intercepted his pass intended for Barry
Cook. Coppo finished the play with an excellent shot into the
upper corner after faking a low one.
Oakie Brumm Named
Coach Of Year In USHL Second Time.
The Mining Journal. March 13, 1964.
WATERLOO, Ia. (Special to The Mining Journal)-- For the second consecutive
year, Leonard "Oakie" Brumm of Marquette has been chosen "Coach of the
Year"in the United States Hockey league. Last year Brumm earned
the honor by guiding his spanking new Black Hawks to a third place finish
in the rugged USHL. This year the same honor was
voted to him by the press, radio, and TV for winning the league championship
in only the second year of existence of the team. The Waterloo entry
won league honors with a 19-11 record, forcing the always tough Green
Bay Bobcats to settle for second place.
...Before coming to Waterloo Brumm coached the Des Moines Oak Leafs of the
USHL for one year, bringing them home in third place as a first-year team.
Prior to that season, he was the playing coach for the Marquette Sentinels
from 1954 to 1960. During this time, the Marquette Squad enjoyed considerable success, winning the famed Gibson Cup for the first and
only time in almost 40 years of trying. The team also won a state AHA
championship and a Northern Michigan-Ontario League crown.
Brumm was also the first full-time recreation director and coach a at
the Marquette State Prison, and is generally given credit for starting their
excellent recreation and hockey programs. He is a graduate of Graveraet High School and the University of
Michigan. While a student at both schools, Brumm was an all around athlete
excelling as a collegiate hockey and tennis player.
During the off-season, Brumm
and his wife make their home at 433 East Prospect, Marquette. He is
employed as general superintendent for the L.W. Brumm Construction Co.
owned by his father.
Undefeated Waterloo
Rangers' Foe Sunday
The Mining Journal. December 3, 1965.
What could be one of the most exciting hockey games of the season is
scheduled Sunday afternoon at the Palestra in Marquette when the Iron
Rangers play host to the defending champion Waterloo Black hawks.
Waterloo is undefeated with three wins and no losses but the Black Hawks
will receive their first real test under-fire this weekend.
Coach Buddy McRae's skaters must face the Green Bay Bobcats at Green Bay Saturday night
and then the speedy Iron Rangers the following afternoon. Marquette and Waterloo are two of four teams currently tied for first place
with six points. A Waterloo loss to the Bobcats Saturday coupled with a
Marquette victory Sunday would move the Iron Rangers ahead of the Black hawks
in the battle for first place. Fans well remember last years' fierce competition between the Iron Rangers
and Black hawks. They played in four overtime contests with each other with
Marquette winning but one of them.
Thus far this season, Waterloo has defeated the Fox Valley Astros twice
plus a victory over Rochester last Saturday. Marquette has two victories over Green Bay and a 9-5 victory over the Astros last Saturday night in
Rochester, a 6-5 overtime loss to the Mustangs. That loss cost the Iron Rangers four points and what would have been a firm
hold on first\sty place. The contest was worth double points because of a
mutual agreement between the two clubs. The games were originally scheduled
for January, but since the Mustangs will be on tour in Europe, only one game
could be rescheduled.
Physically the Iron Rangers should
be in pretty good shape for Sunday's game. Bucky O'neil has started
to skate with his teammates this week but will not see action in the
Waterloo game. O'Neil is recovering from an eye injury suffered in a
game with Green Bay Nov. 18. Tickets for the Marquette-Waterloo
game are available at Richard's Sport
Shop in Marquette. Game time is set for 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Rangers Reply to
Challenge
The Mining Journal.
An insulting challenge from Green Bay was promptly answered this morning
by the Marquette County Iron Rangers who agreed to play the Bobcats
in a two-game Brebner Cup series this weekend.
The two games will be played
Thursday and Saturday nights, both starting at 8 p.m. on Lakeview Arena
ice.
"We'll be there for this
'warmup' for our USHL playoffs", Coach Paul Coppo told Bob Hoppe,
president of the Iron Ranger hockey club. He said all members of
the Bobcats would be in uniform, including the leagues "bad
boy" Ernie Dupont.
Dupont's antics are well know
to Marquette fans, since the Green Bay defenseman has been chased by
referees here as well as in other league cities. This will be his first
appearance in Marquette since the league commissioner forced him to sit
out 10 games as punishment for a stick-throwing episode in Waterloo,
Iowa.
Total goals will count in the
two-game Brebner Cup series, once an annual affair between Green Bay and
Marquette. The trophy-donated years ago by Brebner Machinery
Co.-now is held by the bobcats.
Green Bay has already won the USHL Northern
Division Championship and is idle until the start of the playoffs March
28. The Bobcats will face Thunder Bay in a best-of-three series,
with the winner meeting the Southern Division playoff winner.
Tickets for the two Brebner Cup games
will be on sale Wednesday from 1 to 5 p.m. and all day Thursday.
Season tickets will not be good
for these contests, but holders will have first opportunity to reserve
their usual seats on Wednesday only. They can do this by calling
226-7133, Wednesday afternoon.
Then on Thursday, all seats
will go on sale on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Admission prices have been set at $2 for adults and $1 for children.
Season tickets dated March 20
for the final league game against Thunder Bay are to be used Sunday
night, when the Rangers meet the Twins.
Sopher, Jacobson Star:
Bobcats Bounced, 8-3, By
Rampaging Rangers
The Mining Journal.
The Marquette Iron Rangers skated to a 3-0 first period lead last night
then went on to tumble the front-running Green Bay Bobcats for the third
time this season in a rugged USHL clash here, 8-3.
Marquette out skated the visitors right from the
opening whistle. Steve Sopher put the Iron Rangers in front 1-0 at
5:20 as he fired a sizzler from the blue line after taking a pass from
Oakie Brumm. One minute and ten second later Bucky O'Neill made it
2-0 as he teamed up with Ron Johnson and Bob Cox.
Kaminski apparently was screened out as O'Neill's shot sailed between his
pads. Sopher came back and tipped in Dave Durkin's shot at 18:57 and
the Iron Rangers had a 3-0 bulge after 20 minutes of action.
Green Bay was stymied by some great defensive play
in the opening fray with Ron Johnson, Jim Jacobson, and Barry Cook doing
the bulk of the work.
Lunney Stops Foe
The Bobcats had 11 shots on goal but Lunney rose to
the occasion and blanked the Wisconsin sextet. Kaminski kicked out
14 in the opening fray.
Gerry Martilla got the bobcats on the board with
only one minute elapsed on poor defensive play by Marquette.
Martilla stole the puck off a defenseman's stick and beat a surprised
Lunney. Hank Terrine closed the gap to 3-2 at 4:47 with a high
corner shot that fooled Lunney completely. Hard-skating Paul Coppo
set up the play at the blue line.
Venasky Bats One In
Marquette gained a two goal advantage when
the eager Venasky batted down a high puck near Kamanski's feet then
slipped the rubber disc behind the bobcat cage minder.
Green Bay cut the margin to one at 8:40 of the
second period when Coppo tipped in Tony Bukovich's slap shot from in front
of Lunney. The period ended with the Bobcats down 4-3 and the game
was still respectable.
4 Last Period Goals
A flurry of four goals in the final stanza,
two by defenseman Jim Jacobson from the blue line and one in close.
Sopher got the hat trick goal at 15:17. Oreskovich had opened the
final period scoring with a counter at 3:20. Bob Cox played his
usual steady game, getting three assists.
A stubborn Marquette defense kept the Bobcats on
edge in the final 10 minutes of play. Lunney kicked out 28 for the
night, one on the very last play. Kamaninski saved 26, 14 in the
first period.
2,200 Witness Game
The game was witnessed by 2,200 screaming Marquette
fans who approved of the heavy checking. Some Bobcats felt the fans
should have been penalized for "holding" as they grabbed the
sticks of players. It showed poor sportsmanship on the part of the
home fans.
The officials, Bob Gilray and Bob Kasubak of Sault
St. Marie, Ontario, kept the game under controlmand meted out 10 penalties,
including a 10-minute misconduct to Jacobson of Marquette.
Fifth Season Win
The win was Marquette's fifth of the season
and the loss was Green Bay's sixth.
The two teams meet again in Green Bay Jan. 28-29 in
what should be the biggest thing that happened in the Wisconsin City since
the Packers won the Super Bowl clash. A large group of Marquette
fans are planning on making the trek to Packer-town, U.S.A.
Last night's effort was by far the best effort
of the season for the local skaters and their passing in the first and
last periods was sharp. They fell off in the middle stanza and
the Bobcats took advantage of it and scored three times.
Iron Rangers Change
Name
The Mining Journal. October 30, 1974.
In appreciation of the support that area fans and businesses concerns
have given the team for many years, the board of directors of the Marquette
Iron Rangers has decided to change the name of the club to the Marquette
County Iron Rangers.
"It was always the intention of the board that the team be considered
a part of the county, rather than just representing the City of Marquette,
Robert Hoppe, board member, said.
"We feel the name change will more properly reflect our area of fan support, not only in Marquette, but from the Ishpeming, Negaunee,
K.I. Sawyer, and Gwinn areas, as well as other parts of the county. We want
the entire county to look upon the Rangers as its team and we believe the name change will reflect our feelings as far as both the county and
other league franchises are concerned".
Saturday Night the Iron Rangers will meet the
Waterloo Black Hawks in a United States Hockey League game at the Lakeview
arena. The contest has been designated as Iron Ranger Fan Appreciation
Night and reserved seats will be sold at reduced prices.
Rangers Record Decisive
Victory Over Canadians
The Mining Journal.
There was no need for Marquette to pull its goalie for a sixth attacker
Saturday night at the Palestra. Unlike the two previous times when the
Canadian Sault visited here and the Iron Rangers twice came within seconds
of losing, Marquette decisively defeated the Sault, 7-1, to go into
a second place tie in United States Hockey League action.
The Green Bay Bobcats remained at least four points in first
place with a 5-4 victory at Thunder Bay Friday and the two teams were
to have played again last night.
Paced by "Ozzie" O'Neill's three-goal hat trick plus some fine
back-checking by all three lines and a rock-ribbed defense, the Iron
Rangers took a 2-1 lead in the first period and then clinched matters
with four goals in the middle stanza, three of them occurring when they
were short-handed due to penalties. O'Neill, who may have taken over
first place in league scoring with his triumvirate of goals, notched
his teams first tally with a power-play effort with line-mate Jerry
Sullivan and rugged Eric Thiessen assisting. Mike Greenleaf came up
with a timely goal (his second of the year) for a 2-0 edge with hustling
Ron Johnson drawing the assist. Maurice Biran account for Sault's
only point late in the first period and after that never threatened
too much as the Iron Rangers' fine offensive and defensive efforts combined
to endlessly stymie the visitors.
Steal Puck Twice
With Mike White in the penalty box for holding, Sullivan and
Floyd Sommers passed up to O'Neill for the first of his two breakaway
goals. Ozzie's "feign left and shoot right" routine beat goalie
Bill White cleanly. After Ron Johnson was penalized at 12:27, Sullivan
stole the puck from a Sault defensemen from about 15 feet out and calmly
skated in to beat White hands down. O'Neill came up with another
larcenous act when he grabbed the puck from a Sault skater and skated
over half the length of the ice for a 5-1 edge. Johnson's penalty actually
expired three seconds before O'Neill's goal but for all practical purposes
it was a short-handed score. Steady Rick Comely picked up his ninth
goal for the season (high for the team and perhaps the league) at the
16:12 mark of the middle period with Bob Caster and Greenleaf assisting.
Both teams seemed to realize the issue was no longer in doubt
in the third period which was highlighted by Caster's score at 13:28
with White and Bill Ostwald drawing the assists.
The victory gives Marquette a two-game edge over the Sault although
the teams are tied in points and sets up the Iron Rangers' game here
with Thunder Bay on Saturday as all-
important. Green Bay goes to Waterloo Friday and Saturday the and the
Blackhawks could cause the front-running Bobcats much trouble. Saturday's
loss was the third in a row for the Sault and the Canadians have lost
24 and tied two in 26 trips to the Palestra, one of the all-time sports
accomplishments in history for Marquette.
Thiessen, making his first start on home ice, turned in a fine
game on defense and punished several Sault players with his hard, legal
body checks. Coach Brumm used a total of six defensemen and 11 forwards
along with Goalie Brian Lunney who had his finest game of the year in
the nets. Lunney had to make 20 saves (5-9-6) as opposed to 27 (13-8-6)
for White.
Canadian Sault Invades
Palestra Saturday Night.
The Mining Journal.
First place will be at stake when the Marquette Iron Rangers and the
Canadian Soo
collide a 8 p.m. Saturday night in the Palestra. Buoyed by a come-from-behind
victory at Thunder Bay, the Iron Rangers will be out to maintain their
incredible home-ice edge against the Soo which has now risen to 23 victories
and one tie in the six years the Canadians have been in the United States
Hockey League.
However, area fans are hoping Marquette doesn't wait as long
to clinch a tie (and then gain the victory) as it did on Oct. 16. On
that night, the Soo came within 23 seconds of forging a 3-2 victory,
but Coach Len (Oakie) Brumm pulled Goalie Brian Lunney for a sixth attacker
and Dale Beerman's slap-shot deadlocked the score. Mike L'Huillier's
goal won it after four minutes of overtime and if the Soo feels it is
a little bit "snake-bit" no one could blame the Canadians. They had
squelched Marquette, 7-3, the previous night and were within a half
a minute of a much-cherished victory.
Hanford To Play
Brumm indicated that Don (Red) Hanford will join the squad for
Saturday's game, replacing Brian VanOverloop on the blueline. Hanford
is another Marquette junior performer who could fit in well with veterans
like Wayne Mcquaig and Ron Johnson. Floyd (Pigeon) Sommers has contributed
two goals so far on defense this year and it was his marker that put
Marquette ahead to stay Tuesday at Thunder Bay.
Rick Comley's two goals Tuesday gives him the team leadership
at five, one more than Jerry Sullivan and Ozzie O'Neill, both of whom
also notched a pair Tuesday, Mike Greenleaf broke into the scoring column
against Thunder Bay and is starting to show the form that made him quite
valuable previously. Greenleaf had "retired" last year to attend to
private business, but is now back in action. He works as hard as anyone
on the team, but the goals seem to come slow for him.
| |
W |
L |
T |
Pts. |
| Marquette |
3 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
| Soo |
3 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
| Green Bay |
3 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
| Thunder Bay |
2 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
| Waterloo |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
NORTHERN DIVISION
PROFILES
U.S.H.L. 75-76 Yearbook
The Iron Rangers are one of the long established franchises in the USHL.
Having played for years in the old Palestra, the Lakeside Arena
is the present home of Marquette.
Last season the Iron Rangers were less than average.
They finished the schedule below .500 and only finished two points
out of the division cellar. Coach
Barry Cook had his hands full all year, and Gordy Neilson, Brian McKenzie
and Bill McLeod were the few bright spots.
Goalie Brian Lunney had less than a spectacular season allowing
an average of over 5 goals per game.
However, as a result of some exceptional performances by Lunney,
Marquette was barely able to keep its organization above water.
This year a familiar face will return behind the Iron Ranger bench.
Oakie Brumm is a colorful coach and will certainly lend a lot
of enthusiasm and spirit to Marquette.
Oakie does not like to lose and he will probably take his young
players back to respectability in 75-76.
He will have to do something to keep the franchise alive and
well and fans returning to the arena. Last year there was some
speculation that Marquette was slipping economically. Home attendance
was down and the normal franchise expenses were eating away at Marquette
management. Even so, when the time for the summer league meetings
arrived, Marquette was ready to return for another season. Perhaps
the departure of the Thunder Bay team had a noticeable effect on this
decision. But in any event, Marquette has a long rebuilding chore
ahead. If they are not careful, they could find the Northern Division
cellar this year.
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