Volume 1 Issue 11/12 March/April 2011 Thanks Tom! Who Are We? ... The Cleveland Hockey Booster Club, Inc. was founded in 1948 as By Bill Walch, Editor the Cleveland Barons Booster Club and was the original fan club for the AHL Cleveland Barons. The club continued through the Baron If it wasn’t for Tom years, then became the Booster Club in 1972, Schamerhorn, this when Cleveland entered the WHA. Although the Barons started the edition of Faceoff, season and played some doubleheaders with the Crusaders, they and past editions, moved to Jacksonville, Florida mid-season and folded in 1973. wouldn’t even exist. When the Crusaders merged with the Minnesota Fighting Saints Tom wanted to and left town in 1976, the NHL then came to Cleveland. The club improve communication between booster clubs. He again became the Barons Boosters until the NHL left in 1978. asked the AAHLBC Board if it would be possible to have time during our yearly convention for people to Over the 14 years without a team in meet and share ideas with each other...like what Cleveland, the club changed its name to worked for your club could work for another and vice the Cleveland Hockey Booster Club versa. (CHBC). This was done not only because there was no team to support, but also to Unfortunately, the following year, Tom wasn’t feeling show that the club intended to stay intact well and was unable to make the convention so this by having social functions and meetings meeting never took place. Instead, I spoke with Tom and enjoying and supporting hockey by at an Albany home game last season about possibly traveling to see hockey games in other working on an association newsletter. He liked the cities. Over the years without a team the idea and said it was something he was thinking CHBC also continued to support local charities and stay active in about too. I told him I would gladly do the bulk of the the AHLBCC and NHLBCC. work, but at any time, I would gladly accept his help when he was up to it. When the Lumberjacks of the IHL came to town in 1992, the CHBC became the official booster club of the Lumberjacks and decided to Tom never got the chance to help, as he was dealing keep its generic name to reflect the fact that they support all local with more important things, but I can’t thank him hockey. When the 'Jacks folded in 2001, and the Kentucky enough for the ideas he gave me. Tom’s idea was Thoroughblades of the AHL were moved to Cleveland and renamed for the best of all booster clubs around the league, the Barons, the CHBC became the Barons official Booster Club. not just his own and we have him to thank for it. I for Following the relocation of the Barons to Worcester, MA in 2005 one will not forget it and this newsletter will continue and another year without hockey, the formation of the Lake Erie on without him, but I will never forget where the idea Monsters AHL club brought hockey back to Cleveland once again. came from. Cleveland...Continued on page 3…

Look for the Association of AHL Booster Clubs is on Facebook In Thanks Who Are We? Contact Proposed AHLBC Booster Club Tom Information Side Trips Happenings This Issue Page 1 & 2 Page 1 & 3 Page 2 Page 4 Page 4

In Memory of Tom

Board of Directors

President:

Howie Lewis [email protected]

Vice President:

Jeff Krupel [email protected]

Treasurer:

Chris O’Shea [email protected]

Secretary:

Cindy Haluszczak [email protected]

Convention Chair:

Melinda Harty [email protected]

Mission Statement

The purpose of this organization will be: a. To promote better understanding between Booster Clubs and the Organization. b. To Compare and attempt to alleviate problems confronting each individual Booster Club. c. To act as a social organization for Booster Club members.

Submitting an Article

To submit an article to this newsletter, please email it to [email protected] with “AAHLBC Newsletter” in the subject line.

Please note: Your club must be a member of the AAHLBC in order to submit an article to this newsletter.

All photos in this edition of Faceoff are by Editor: Bill Walch David Sturm, of the Rochester Americans Booster Club Who Are We? Cleveland, Milwaukee & Bridgeport Cleveland...Continued on page 3... Founded in The Bridgeport 1998, the Sound Tigers The CHBC continues to be the official Admirals Crew Booster Club is booster club of the Monsters to date. Inc. operates as celebrating its The Cleveland Hockey Booster Club a non-profit ninth year. The works closely with the Monsters organization purpose of the organization on events and aimed at BSTBC is to promotions, and they also continue to enhancing the show our raise money for charity and remain Admirals support to both active in the AHLBCC, the NHLBCC hockey the team & local and the HBCA (formerly IHLBCC). community and communities and the City of Milwaukee through promote the love of hockey with the The club now also supports local fundraising, charity donations and players, fans and other booster clubs. youth hockey by sending players to volunteer work. hockey camp each year and donating To help our players and coaches get to various youth hockey causes with Over the years the Crew has acquainted to the area we fill a money raised for the club's Charitable developed several ways to support welcome bag with information, Fund as well as its Jock Callander the Admirals organization, and coupons, goodies and assist them in Scholarship Fund. interact fans with the team. Like road finding services they may need while trips to away games, the Admirals living in our community. The CHBC continues to follow its "Celebrity Serve" to benefit the Power objectives as set forth in the club's play Foundation, end of the regular By-Laws: We sponsor road trips in order to season Awards Banquet, scrapbooks provide support to our team on the for players, bingo fundraising events, To promote interest in hockey road. We also provide the team bus summer picnics, Admirals with food when they are going on the and other lawful sports in the memorabilia auctions and much road. We host visiting booster clubs community more. when they visit the arena here in Bridgeport. To promote and provide social The Crew has also attended summer and athletic recreation for its hockey conventions, and played members The booster club hosts a Snowflake broomball with other booster clubs. dinner in January and an Awards To promote sportsmanship and dinner at the end of the season. We morale among hockey players In addition to the Milwaukee Admirals also assist the front office with and their families Power Play Foundation, the Admirals volunteers to help hand out Crew has also made charitable promotional material at home games To promote and provide contributions to Milwaukee's and welcome fans to the Arena. entertainment, lectures, social Children's Hospital, Wisconsin's affairs, exhibitions, games and Timber Wolf Preservation Society, Our fundraisers helped us provide amusements of any and all Penfield Children's Center, the Make over $75,000 in support to some very descriptions for the general A Wish Foundation, and the special charitable organizations like enjoyment and instruction of its Sojourner Truth House. the Ronald McDonald House, PT members Barnum Pediatric Center, the As the primary booster club of the Umbrella Group, Make a Wish To promote dissemination of Milwaukee Admirals, the Crew will Foundation, American Diabetes information regarding the sport of continue to support our team and our Association, American Cancer hockey to its members and to the communities. Now in our 13th year of Society, Special Olympics, CdL community at large service! GO ADMIRALS! Foundation, Community Closet, Special Olympics and the New York To support and promote You can visit the Milwaukee Admirals Islanders Children’s Foundation. We charitable causes and Crew website at also support the Siberian Tigers at organizations. www.milwaukeeadmiralscrew.com the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport.

You can visit the Cleveland Hockey You can visit the Bridgeport Sound Booster Club website at Tiger Booster Club website at www.clevelandhockeybc.org www.soundtigerboosters.com

AAHLBC Convention Booster Club Happenings Proposed Side Trips The Chicago Wolves Booster Club will be participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life on July 29 & 30… Friday: The Hershey Bears Booster Club will be participating in the American Cancer 1. Gettysburg Society’s Relay for Life on June 10 & 11 at the Susquehanna High School in Harrisburg, PA. 2. Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Lancaster Oulets The Houston Aeros Booster Club’s new website is www.houstonaerosboosterclub.org. Check it out… (depending on response, one of these trips may be moved The Syracuse Crunch Corps Booster Club will be hosting the 2011 AHL to Thursday) Booster Club Broomball Tournament at Cicero Twin Rinks in Cicero, NY on July 10th. 1. Brewery tours/pub crawl The Booster Club will be participating in the American 2. Golf Outing Cancer Society’s Relay for Life on June 17 & 18 at the Holy Cross - Freshman Field in Worcester, MA.

Saturday: PPHBC Supports Daubenspeck

1. Harley Davidson Factory Tour

2. Hollywood Casino

3. AACA Museum Hershey Museum Hershey Trolley

Please be advised: Faceoff has not received any update on side trips. The list above is a list of proposed trips from a prior list.

AAHLBC Broomball At a recent Portland home game, the Portland Professional Hockey Booster Club Tournament was selling jersey raffle tickets. The winner was to receive a Kirk Daubenspeck jersey. All proceeds from this raffle was going to help pay for Kirk’s medical expenses. Kirk was involved is a car/semi traffic accident, which left him July 9, 2011 critically injured (coma and a severe brain injury) on February 17, 2011.

Cicero Twin Rinks Kirk played for the University or Wisconsin Badgers before being drafted by the in 1992 and he played for the back in 2004- Cicero, NY 2005. Other AHL teams Kirk played for were the Rochester Americans, Worcester IceCats, and the Hershey Bears. Games begin around 7 am. We wish Kirk the best with his recovery.