FEBRUARY 17, 1947
EAGLES FRANCHISE FACES FINANCIAL PERIL
While all associated with the Brooklyn Eagles are denying it, rumours out of New York continue to circulate that team owner Edward Faberge is seriously considering folding the franchise at seasons end as the financial losses continue to mount. It would not be the first time the club was nearly shuttered as it took a last minute move by Faberge, with assistance from Brooklyn Kings and Prescott Arena owner Daniel Prescott just to keep the club alive when it was on the verge of bankruptcy just seven years ago with Bill Yeadon in charge and the club played out of Bigsby Garden.
On the ice this season has been the most successful campaign in years for the Eagles who are challenging for a playoff spot after winning just 2 games a year ago. Brooklyn has not made the playoffs since the final season of the old two division formet in 1937-38. The Eagles were not always bad -it just seems that way- as they did win the Challenge Cup in 1929 and reached the Cup finals on two other occasions, falling to the rival Shamrocks both of those times.
Faberge tried to make some changes to the team this year by signing their first round pick, defenseman Robert Sharpley, to a big contract and make some smart acquisitions at a reasonable cost from the coast loop in forwards Quinton Pollack, Sam Coates and Ian Doyle. The moves have led to success on the ice but not at the box office as the club remains dead last in attendance, averaging just over 7,500 fans per game. In contrast, Montreal and Chicago both average more than double that amount while Boston and Toronto are also drawing substantialy more paying customers than the Eagles, who are playing regularly before a Prescott Arena crowd that is nearly half comprised of empty seats.
There is always the chance that boosted by the added gate receipts a playoff appearance will bring -should the Eagles qualify- that Faberge decides to keep the team going. Another option is a relocation of the club, perhaps to Philadelphia where the minor league Rascals lead the Hockey Association of America in attendance and the Keystone Arena is large enough to house a big league club.
The NAHC has held steady at seven teams since the Montreal Nationals were shut down when New York Shamrocks owner Sam Bigsby purchased the struggling club, moved its top players to the Shamrocks and then folded the team. Could a repeat of that situation happen again with the Eagles?
DUKES SET TO MAKE CHANGE BEHIND THE BENCH
It seems assured that Norb Hickey's days as head coach of the Toronto Dukes are very close to coming to an end. The 46 year old led the Dukes to back-to-back Challenge Cup wins in 1944 and 1945 but being swept by the fourth place Montreal Valiants in the semi-finals last spring certainly did not go over well with Dukes owner David Welcombe. Hickey's job was still quite safe at the time but Welcombe brought in a new General Manager.
This season has been a nightmare for all involved with the Dukes as the club, after posting the best regular season mark in the NAHC a year ago, is all but assured of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1938 and could finish last for the first time since 1927-28 when they were at the bottom of the old Canadian Division.
Whether Hickey is allowed to finish out the season or will be fired in the coming days remains to be seen. It is clear that nothing short of a miracle run to reach the playoffs will save the coach's job and Toronto reportedly already has his replacement in mind.
*** Barrell Returning to Toronto? ***
Jack Barrell will almost assuredly be the next coach of the Toronto Dukes as the former long-time Dukes star player has been told the job is his. After an illustrious playing career, Barrell coached the Detroit Motors until a falling out with Motors owner John Connelly Jr. following the 1944-45 season led to his dismissal. Barrell resurfaced with Tacoma of the coast league but recently left that club to take a job with the Cleveland Eries of the Hockey Association of America. Cleveland just happens to have a working agreement with the Dukes and it is believed Toronto wanted Barrell nearby for when they pull the trigger to jettison Hickey. Barrell had led the Tacoma Lions to the top of GWHL with a 33-3-4 record when he abruptly left a week ago to accept the position in Cleveland.
Code:
NAHC STANINGS
TEAM GP W L T PTS
Boston Bees 37 23 9 5 51
Chicago Packers 38 21 11 6 48
Detroit Motors 37 17 14 6 40
New York Shamrocks 39 17 20 2 36
Brooklyn Eagles 36 13 17 6 32
Montreal Valiants 39 13 23 3 29
Toronto Dukes 36 11 21 4 26
SCORING LEADERS
NAME TEAM GP G A PTS
Tommy Burns CHI 38 27 29 56
Quinton Pollack BKN 36 25 16 41
Tommy Hart BOS 36 24 17 41
Marty Mahoney CHI 38 12 28 40
Orval Cabbell NY 36 19 19 38
Laurel Albers NY 40 9 28 37
Wes Burns CHI 34 19 17 36
Bobbie Sauer TOR 36 16 19 35
Wilbur Chandler BOS 35 15 20 35
Ed Delarue CHI 35 15 20 35
Graham Comeau DET 37 14 20 34
Tom Brescia NY 33 13 19 32
Sam Coates BKN 35 10 22 32
GOALIE LEADERS
NAME TEAM W L T ShO GAA
Pierre Melancon BOS 17-7-5 4 2.47
Norm Hanson CHI 20-11-3 3 2.51
Tom Brockers BKN 13-15-6 3 2.62
Henri Chasse DET 17-14-5 4 2.71
Etienne Tremblay NY 14-18-2 3 2.98
Millard Touhey MON 9-19-3 0 3.59
Gordie Broadway TOR 9-19-2 0 3.70
LAST WEEK'S RECAPS
Tuesday February 11
Tommy Hart scored with 1:08 remaining in the third period to allow first place Boston to escape Detroit with a single point and a 3-3 tie. In New York, the Shamrocks handed Montreal its 7th straight loss, blasting the Valiants 5-1 in a game they outshot Montreal 32-10. Laurel Alberts had 3 points for the Greenshirts while Tom Brescia added two goals.
Thursday February 13
The Valiants losing skid came to an end with a 4-3 win over Chicago at the Montreal Arena. Tony Narand scored the game winner and assisted on another goal while Marty Mahoney had 2 points and Tommy Burns scored for the Packers, who were playing without the third member of their big line, Wes Burns -out indefinitely with a broken jaw. In the other game this evening, George Anderson and Waldemar Rupp each had 3 points to pace Boston to a 4-1 win on home ice over the visiting New York Shamrocks.
Friday February 14
The lone Valentine's Day contest saw Norm Hanson make 30 saves to lead Chicago to a 2-1 win over Detroit. Jarrett McGlynn's 13th goal of the season, early in the third period, stood up as the winner.
Saturday February 15
Another win for the Boston Bees, who improved to 6-0-2 in their last 8 games and are 12-3-2 since the beginning of January after beating Montreal 3-0. Pierre Melancon had an easy time in the Boston net, facing just 16 shots for his 4th shutout of the season while Boston peppered the Valiants Millard Touhey with 41 shots on goal. In other action the Toronto Dukes snapped a 5-game losing streak and won for the first time in February, dumping New York 5-2 behind a goal and two assists from Trevor Parker.
Sunday February 16
Plenty of scoring two fronts in a busy Sunday. New York blasted Toronto 8-0 in the back half of their weekend home-and-home series. Adam Greenham had 2 goals and 2 assists for New York with Gilbert Chandler picking up 4 helpers as Shamrocks backup goaltender Ronnie Flanagan earned his second shutout of the season. Chicago also lit the lamp 8 times as the Packers blasted Brooklyn 8-3 behind 3 point nights from Marsh Mansfield and Norm Fraser while in Montreal the visiting Detroit Motors doubled the Valiants 4-2 with defenseman Joe Todd scoring once and adding an assist for the winners.
UPCOMING GAMES
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18
Boston at Toronto
Brooklyn at New York
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20
Brooklyn at Chicago
Toronto at Montreal
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22
Montreal at Chicago
Toronto at Detroit
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 23
Boston at Brooklyn
Detroit at Toronto
New York at Chicago
OTHER HEADLINES THIS WEEK
- Baseball added 5 players to the Hall of Fame including T.R. Goins, John Lawson and Pete Layton.
- Long Werth, the AIAA collegiate player of the year last season, is considered the top prospect for this summer's pro cage draft.
- Former middleweight contender Jack Rainey returned to the ring amidst a chorus of boos in his first fight since being released from prison after serving a year for draft evasion.
- The greatest fuel famine in British history closes down more than half of the kingdom's industries while throwing more than 4 million workers into idleness. Prime Minister Attlee says he cannot forecast when the crisis will end.
Full national sports coverage is available in this week's edition of
THIS WEEK IN FIGMENT BASEBALL.