surface. The combined Golden Blades-Knights went 32-42-4 left in March, effectively folding the team. The players chose on the season. Andre Lacroix was the team’s scoring star with to play without pay. Should the Mariners make the playoffs, 111 points, while the blue line was manned by the legendary the players could recoup some salary since the league covered Harry Howell, who also served as the team’s coach. playoff payments. There was also the hope that a local owner Unfortunately, the grand arena-building schemes fell through. could be found. The Mariners did in fact make the 1976 Eventually, the Meadowlands Complex would develop and playoffs and even lasted two rounds. In June 1976, Ray Kroc, become reality in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Knights, owner of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball and on the other hand, were sold to Baltimore-based businessman of the McDonalds fast-food chain, stepped in to assume control Joseph Schwartz in January 1974. At the season’s end, of the team. The Mariners would live to play for 1976-77. His Schwartz moved the team as far from the New York-New patronage was appreciated, but it was clear this was a short- Jersey region as possible, planting them in San Diego, term deal: Kroc was not going to prop up the team indefinitely. California, now nicknamed the Mariners. The 1976-77 season would be the team’s last. The team The San Diego Gulls were one of the more successful played well for the first two-thirds of the season, but then teams in the Western Hockey League between 1966 and 1974, endured a 14-game winless streak at the worst possible time. often leading the league in attendance. Owner Bob Breitbard Although the Mariners made the playoffs, it was clear the team attempted to leverage this fact when applying for an NHL had simply run out of steam in San Diego. Andre Lacroix and franchise in 1974. However, Vancouver-based Peter Graham, Ernie Wakely were the team’s big stars. Joe Noris came from who owned the Sports Arena, worked a deal on his own with nowhere to post 92 points. The Mariners fought valiantly to the Schwartz in April 1974 to bring the WHA to his arena, nixing end, pushing Winnipeg to seven games in its playoff round. But the NHL application. The Gulls were evicted, and the Western the team’s future in San Diego was finished. Ray Kroc wanted League folded that summer. Hockey fans in San Diego were out, and on May 1, 1977, sold the team to Jerry Saperstein unhappy about the proceedings and were very skeptical of the (fronting a group of over a dozen investors), who planned to Mariners when they first came to town, especially being run by move the team to Hollywood, Florida. By this time, the WHA two outsiders, Graham (of Vancouver) and Schwartz (of and NHL were into negotiations for merger, and neither league Baltimore). Attendance at Mariner games was low at first. felt having a team in Florida was wise. The WHA would not The Mariners, now coached by Ron Ingram, started 1974- approve the franchise shift; it was then returned to the league, 75 playing break-even, but then gained steam after acquiring which disbanded it. The San Diego Mariners were finished. goaltender Ernie Wakely midway through the season. Andre That summer of 1977, two other WHA teams would also Lacroix collected a record 106 assists, Wayne Rivers scored 54 disband (Phoenix and Calgary). But a shell of the San Diego goals, while Gene Peacosh and Dick Sentes formed the 40-goal Mariners lived on in two forms. Ron Ingram had assumed the club. The improved club finished second in the Western coaching duties in Indianapolis and brought over a half-dozen Division at 43-31-4, and went two rounds before losing to of his players to the Racers for the 1977-78 season. Meanwhile, Houston in the playoffs. The Mariners had a built-in rival with in December 1977, a new version of the San Diego Mariners, the Phoenix Roadrunners, both teams relying somewhat on lead again by Peter Graham, was formed in the Pacific Hockey their rivalries from the Western League to attract fans. The League, featuring a number of out-of-work WHA players. That competitive Mariners were able to win some San Diego fans to team lasted a season, then morphed into the San Diego Hawks its games over the course of the season, but still suffered from for the 1978-79 season, coached by Ron Ingram, which lasted financial insecurity. just that single season. The Mariners slipped to 36 wins in 1975-76. Lacroix There was no professional hockey in San Diego until collected 101 points and Ernie Wakely accounted for 35 of the 1990, when the Gulls were resurrected as part of the team’s 36 wins. Wayne Rivers dropped to 19 goals, but Ray International Hockey League. Since that time, various versions Adduono picked up the slack with a 90-point season. By now, of the Gulls have come and gone, but no team since 1978 has the financial situation had reached a breaking point. Schwartz used the Mariners nickname.

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