On Fri, 23 Feb 1996, peter martin wrote:
 
> Maybe some Cornell fan could tell me if these legends are fact or fiction:
> I heard that Schafer really revved up the crowd at Lynah against Harvard a
> couple times.  Once, I'm told, he broke his stick over his helmet (maybe it
> was already broken) as he was introduced in the starting lineup and shook
> the pieces at the Crimson players as the fans went wild....
 
This is truth.  But most people don't know the whole story.  The legend is
what you say it is that during the starting lineups at home vs.
Harvard in '84 ('85?) Schafer skated over to the Harvard bench, and snapped
the stick over his helmet.  The crowd went bezerk, and Cornell eventually
won the game.  When the coach came back this year, that story was told
many times, and for the Harvard game, the second game of the regular
season, the first 300 Lynah Faithful in the door got a collector's t-shirt
that says "Harvard vs. Cornell --  Lynah Rink 1995" with a cartoonish
looking Cornell player snapping a stick that reads "Harvard" over his head.
 
Now I have heard from a friend who actually asked Shafer about the whole
incident, and it boiled down to a few of his friends bet him a case of
beer that he couldn't break through a whole stick over his head.  I guess
he picked the Harvard game to do it.  If this is true, I'm sure he enjoyed
the beer.
 
> another time they say he came on the ice with his stick literally in flames,
> energizing the crowd.
 
I have heard this twice before, but it is not as publicized as the
broken stick.  I wouldn't be surprised if it did happen, though.
 
> Did the crowd really used to chant "Kill, Schafer, kill?"
 
A good friend of mine has been going to Cornell games for almost 10 years
now (he's a local boy :)) and remembers this chant.  BTW, We still chant
"Kill, Schafer, Kill" when he is arguing with refs, and the cheer has been
transfered to hard-hitting Junior winger Matt Cooney.
 
--Rich Hovorka
  Cornell '96
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  LET'S GO RED!!
 
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