Dayton Gems
Encyclopedia
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team based in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, and members of the International Hockey League from 1964 to 1977, and 1979–1980.
In the fall of 1964 the lobby of their new arena, Hara Arena
Hara Arena
Hara Arena is a 5,500-seat multi-purpose arena, in Trotwood, Ohio, just outside the city of Dayton.At one time, it hosted the Dayton Jets basketball team and Dayton Gems, Dayton Blue Hawks, Dayton Owls, Dayton Bombers and Dayton Ice Bandits ice hockey teams and The Marshals indoor football...
, had a natural gas explosion. The damage was minor and the expansion team was assembled from various cast-offs and young players looking for their first break in minor league hockey.
The International Hockey League was a low level bus league at the time consisting of six to ten midwestern teams, with intense rivalries between the Toledo
Toledo Mercurys
The Toledo Mercurys are a defunct International Hockey League franchise from Toledo, Ohio. The Toledo Franchise was the first IHL franchise to be granted outside of the Windsor-Detroit area, for the cost of $1000.00 to Virgil Gladeaux of Toledo. The Mercurys existed 15 seasons in total from 1947 to...
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus Checkers
The Columbus Checkers were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League from 1966 to 1970, and the first professional hockey team in Columbus, Ohio....
teams. In those days the players had off-season jobs such as insurance salesmen and construction workers to supplement their small incomes from playing hockey. The IHL was not considered to be a professional league at the time.
Dayton was the host for several IHL all star games
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
due to the large attendance in their 5,600 seat arena. The Gems played exhibition game
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
s against the US Olympic team as well as the Oklahoma City Blazers
Oklahoma City Blazers
The Oklahoma City Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the Northwest Division of the Central Hockey League. The Blazers played at the Ford Center, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Their colors were burgundy, gold and white...
of the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
. The team had a few games a season televised locally as well as all games broadcast on the premier AM radio station in town.
Other teams in the league copied the uniform styling of the Gems. The Dayton Gems were the first adult team in North America to make helmet
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
s mandatory, long before the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
adopted them.
Team history
Local businessman Lefty McFadden provided the financial base for the team and acquired the team franchise for the International Hockey League. The Gems, taken from the nickname for Dayton, OhioDayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, the Gem City, were affiliated with the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
for several years. The Bruins provided some of the players and the trainer for the team. In the 1970s, the Gems became an affiliate for the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
.
After winning the Turner Cup two years in a row in 1968–69 and 1969–70, General Manager Edgar "Lefty" McFadden was selected as the minor league executive of the year. He then moved to Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to assist the Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. The Gems struggled on and off the ice for the next few years as attendance decreased from 5,000 to 1,000 a game. The 1970s downturn in the economy, especially the auto industry, reduced disposable income for the fans, along with the increase in hockey violence, hurt the attendance.
The Gems recovered to win their final Turner Cup in 1976. Their red, white and blue uniforms with the crest of a hockey player superimposed over a diamond, are on exhibit the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The Gems went into dormancy after the 1976–77 season, and were resurrected for the 1979–80 season. The revived Gems lasted only one season before ceasing operations for good.
Coaching strengths
McFadden took players such as Warren Back, Larry Wilson, Jim Anderson, and Tom McVie and turned them into league all stars. Don Westbrooke, the regular season league scoring champion in 1969–70, was a converted defenseman obtained in a trade in 1967. The Gems won three Turner Cups and lost in the finals twice during their fourteen year tenure.Gems players in the NHL
A few players were able to make the sizeable jump to National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) teams.
- Gord LaneGord LaneGordon Thomas Lawrence Lane is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman.Lane played junior in the WCHL, first with the Brandon Wheat Kings and after a trade with the New Westminster Bruins...
played for the CapitalsWashington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
and the New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. - Tony White played several seasons as a wingWinger (ice hockey)Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
with the CapitalsWashington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. - Mike Dumas was Tony EspositoTony EspositoFor the Italian musician, please see Tony Esposito .Anthony James "Tony O" Esposito is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey goaltender, who played in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Chicago Black Hawks. He was one of the pioneers of the now popular butterfly style....
's back-up in goal for the Chicago Black HawksChicago BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
for a few years. - Dave ForbesDave ForbesDavid Stephen Forbes is a retired Canadian ice hockey player.Signed as a free agent in 1973 by the Boston Bruins, Forbes made an impact as a defensive-minded forward as he helped guide the Bruins to the finals in 1974 during his rookie season, and to the finals in 1977...
was a forwardForward (ice hockey)In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
who played for the BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
and CapitalsWashington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
as well as a season with the Cincinnati StingersCincinnati StingersThe Cincinnati Stingers was an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979. Its home arena was Riverfront Coliseum and it was the only major-league hockey team ever to play in Cincinnati.-History:The Stingers franchise was awarded in...
of the World Hockey AssociationWorld Hockey AssociationThe World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
(WHA). - Guy TrottierGuy TrottierGuy Trottier is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 115 games in the National Hockey League and 174 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Ottawa Nationals, Toronto Toros, Michigan Stags, and Baltimore Blades...
, "the little French-Canadian with the big shot" played for the Michigan StagsMichigan StagsThe Michigan Stags were a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan that played a portion of the 1974–75 season in the World Hockey Association. On January 18, 1975, the franchise was moved to Baltimore where it was known as the Baltimore Blades. The Stags originated as the Los...
, Baltimore Blades, Ottawa NationalsOttawa NationalsThe Ottawa Nationals were a professional men's ice hockey team based out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that played in the World Hockey Association during the 1972–73 WHA season....
, and Toronto TorosToronto TorosThe Toronto Toros were an ice hockey team based in Toronto that played in the World Hockey Association from 1973 to 1976.The franchise was awarded to Doug Michel in 1971 to play in the WHA's inaugural 1972–73 season...
of the World Hockey AssociationWorld Hockey AssociationThe World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
and the Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
of the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. - Stan JonathanStan JonathanStanley Carl "Bulldog" Jonathan is a retired native ice hockey left winger.Jonathan started his National Hockey League career with the Boston Bruins with one game in the 1975-76 season. He continued to play for the Bruins from 1976-1983...
played for the Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
and Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
of the NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. - Pat RuppPat RuppPatrick Lloyd Rupp was best known as a goaltender in the US ice hockey team in the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics....
was a goaltenderGoaltenderIn ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
on the 1964 and 1968 US Olympic hockey teams, but declined to sign an NHL contract, wanting to stay in Dayton. He played one game for the Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in 1963–1964.