Mark Daly writes:
>What does "The Fish" represent? I'm sure that when the UNH fans
>threw it on the ice at Boston College during the Hockey East playoffs, some
>of the BC fans were indeed offended.
 
Mike Machnik replies:
>I'm not that familiar with the origin of The Fish to know what it actually
>stands for, but I do not think it is meant as an insult to the Catholic
>schools.  They throw it on the ice at all home games.
 
   To add some historical perspective, I've retrieved a post I made to Mike
some months ago when this subject first came up:
 
mike_m writes:
>    At New Hampshire's Snively Arena, when the Wildcats score their
>    first goal, someone throws a big fish onto the ice from behind
>    the team benches. It's one of those things that has been done for
>    years and years; maybe someone who knows a little more of the History
>    of the Fish can post about it.
 
and I responded:
 
     Well, "years and years" can't be more than 6, since this was certainly
not done during my 9 years following the 'Cats in Snively from 1975-1984.
At various times, students on opposite sides of the rink tried to fling
frisbees back and forth across the ice during the between-period breaks, but
this was stopped when the Zamboni ground to a halt after attempting to
digest an errant toss [ not as good a tale as the time the Zamboni conked
out after swallowing a pair of pants when someone *streaked* the ice during
an intermission :-) ].  Perhaps the "Powers That Be" have mellowed in the
intervening years, especially during those dreadful seasons following the
formation of Hockey East when I suspect most anything would have been
tolerated to get people in the Arena.  Still, I can't say I particularly
agree with this - I've always felt that coordinated cheers for the home
team and jeers for the visitors (and officials :-)) is more effective.  The
students always hang over the visitors bench at Snively, and can usually
be counted on to get the visitors attention - Jackie Parker HATES coming to
Snively because of the abuse (well, second-guessing) that's heaped on him
from behind his bench.  Fish after the first goal is reminiscent of the
cascade of newspapers that litters the ice at Lynah after the visitors are
introduced - it's cleaned up there in a hurry too, so I suppose it's OK,
but .....  Give me an inspired verbal skewering of the ref or a clever
banner any day.
 
----  end of initial response  ---------------------------------------------
 
    I'm not particularly sure of the "significance" of The Fish, but will
note that it made a splash in its debut during a Snively play-off game in
the late '70s.  Soon after the Zamboni had finished resurfacing the ice after
warm-ups, a fellow dressed up like the Gorton's Fisherman [yellow rain slicker,
boots, wide-brimmed cap] made his way to center ice toting a tackle box and a
small stool.  He sat down, pulled out a small black rubber circle that he
placed on the ice, then began "ice-fishing" through this "hole" using a giant
surf-casting rod.  The UNH squad came out of the locker room to a thunderous
ovation, and then people began pointing at the fisherman's rod which had bent
over as though he had a giant catch on the line.  Just as the Yale team
entered the rink, the rod snapped back to reveal an enormous fish that had
been coaxed from "Lake Snively" [actually hidden in the tackle box] by this
wily fisherman.  Amid another ovation, The Fish was flung at the first Eli
player to step onto the ice, who stood there in shocked amazement.  It was
one of the greatest psych-out jobs I'd ever seen [backed up by a thorough
thrashing of Yale], but alas the phantom fisherman never made another
appearance.  His spirit evidently lives on, however, as The Fish is now a
"regular" at all Snively home games (and even a few road contests :-)
 
Jim Love
UNH '79, '85G