Mark Wells
Encyclopedia
Mark Ronald Wells is a retired American
ice hockey
forward
. He is best known for being a member of the Miracle on Ice
1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team which won the gold medal
.
On November 6, 2010, Mark Wells' gold medal was auctioned off for $310,700.
from 1975-1979 where he was a star forward in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association
(he only received a scholarship offer to play ice hockey after his first season with the university team). He joined the 1980 Olympic team on a full time basis in 1979 after his college career had ended.
. He joined Montreal's top farm team the Nova Scotia Voyageurs
after the Olympics but was unable to win a place on the Canadians roster. He was released by Montreal after the 1980 season and then signed to a free agent contract by the New York Rangers
. Wells spent the following two seasons in the minor leagues with the New Haven Nighthawks
, Flint Generals
, Fort Wayne Komets
and Oklahoma City Stars
and retired in 1982 without playing a single game in the NHL.
, after his retirement from hockey, but had to retire from work while still in his early 40s due to constant back problems. He suffers from a rare genetic disease of his spinal cord discs. The illness has left him bed-ridden for years and will plague him for the rest of his life, yet he managed to play in the 2002 "Miracle on Ice" reunion game against doctor's orders where he played one shift and recorded a shot on goal.
Wells sold his gold medal medallion to a private collector who in turn consigned it to Heritage Auctions of Dallas in the fall of 2010. On November 5, 2010, the medal was sold at auction for $310,700 to a private collector because Wells needed finances for medical treatment.
TV movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice except in archival footage of the gold medal ceremony.
In the 2004
Disney
film Miracle
, he is portrayed by Joe Hemsworth.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ice hockey
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...
forward
Forward (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...
. He is best known for being a member of the Miracle on Ice
Miracle on Ice
The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22...
1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team which won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
.
On November 6, 2010, Mark Wells' gold medal was auctioned off for $310,700.
Amateur career
Wells attended Bowling Green State UniversityBowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
from 1975-1979 where he was a star forward in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship...
(he only received a scholarship offer to play ice hockey after his first season with the university team). He joined the 1980 Olympic team on a full time basis in 1979 after his college career had ended.
Professional career
Wells was selected 176th overall in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal CanadiensMontreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. He joined Montreal's top farm team the Nova Scotia Voyageurs
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs were a professional ice hockey team, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They played in the American Hockey League, from 1971 to 1984. The Voyageurs played their first two seasons , as the Montreal Voyageurs....
after the Olympics but was unable to win a place on the Canadians roster. He was released by Montreal after the 1980 season and then signed to a free agent contract by the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The 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...
. Wells spent the following two seasons in the minor leagues with the New Haven Nighthawks
New Haven Nighthawks
The New Haven Nighthawks are a former ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1972 to 1992. They had affiliations with the Minnesota North Stars , New York Islanders , New York Rangers , and Los Angeles Kings...
, Flint Generals
Flint Generals
The Flint Generals were a professional ice hockey team based in Flint, Michigan.They were a member of the International Hockey League and played their home games at Perani Arena and Event Center in Flint, Michigan....
, Fort Wayne Komets
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010...
and Oklahoma City Stars
Oklahoma City Stars
The Oklahoma City Stars were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League from 1978 to 1982. They were affiliated with the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League....
and retired in 1982 without playing a single game in the NHL.
Post playing career
Wells worked as a restaurant manager in Rochester Hills, MichiganRochester Hills, Michigan
Rochester Hills is an affluent city in northeast Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 70,995. The city of Rochester is bounded on the north, south, and west by Rochester Hills...
, after his retirement from hockey, but had to retire from work while still in his early 40s due to constant back problems. He suffers from a rare genetic disease of his spinal cord discs. The illness has left him bed-ridden for years and will plague him for the rest of his life, yet he managed to play in the 2002 "Miracle on Ice" reunion game against doctor's orders where he played one shift and recorded a shot on goal.
Wells sold his gold medal medallion to a private collector who in turn consigned it to Heritage Auctions of Dallas in the fall of 2010. On November 5, 2010, the medal was sold at auction for $310,700 to a private collector because Wells needed finances for medical treatment.
In popular culture
Wells is not featured in a 19811981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
TV movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice except in archival footage of the gold medal ceremony.
In the 2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
film Miracle
Miracle (film)
Miracle is a 2004 American biographical sports film about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over the heavily favored Soviet team in the medal round was dubbed the Miracle on Ice...
, he is portrayed by Joe Hemsworth.