An unfortunate and completely bush league display by SOME of the
Union fans punctuated RPI's 5-3 win over the Dutchmen Saturday
night.  I am talking about the hurling of what I would conservatively
estimate as 175+ Oranges onto the ice following Union's first goal.
I have subsequently heard that it has been a Union tradition to
throw oranges onto the ice following the first goal when they played
against chief Div III rival Hamilton College.  Since moving to Div I,
RPI has taken Hamilton's place as "The Game" for Union. In my opinion
as a former college player, the throwing of oranges is a disgrace.
For one it is dangerous for the players. RPI goalie Neil Little was
pegged by what he said was at least four or five oranges, and other
RPI and Union players were pegged as well.  Secondly, it caused a
considerable delay in the game when the rink staff came on to sweep up
the ice.  Dan Murphy told Asst. Capt Todd Hilditch that he could only
issue a warning to the Union fans but could not penalize Union for the
first offense. After Union's second goal, about six Oranges were thrown
onto the ice, and Union did get a penalty.  Thirdly, after the orange
storm, the Union bench emptied to help pick up the oranges. While this
was going on, some pushing and shoving insued between Ron Pasco of RPI
and an unidentified Union player. Well, needless to say the other players
on the ice (5 for RPI and about 16 for Union) got involved. Now I'm not
accusing Union or RPI of gooning it up, but the fact is that if the
oranges were not thrown onto the ice, chances are that the altercation would
not have occured, or could of at least been a little bit more contained without
the excess of people on the ice.
  My suggestions are as follows: First, at the beginning of each game,
fans should be warned via Public Adress that littering the ice with
debris will be an automatic penalty to the home team. Now I realize that
someone will say "what if a visiting fan throws the debris??", but typically
it is fairly obvious who the offending (or offensive) fans are.  Also,
I not saying penalize Cornell because their fans throw crumpled up
newspaper onto the ice before the game, but I will say that throwing
oranges, dead fish, snakes, badgers, skunks, rocks, chairs....etc, should
be penalized ...get the point ????  Finally, the rink security ought to
throw the jerks who do things like this out of the building just like
they threw the people out of the Union / RPI game for fighting in the
stands (but the fight is a story for another time).  The bottom line
is smarten up!!
By the way when Union recieved a bench penalty for the second orange
infraction, a continued 4 on 3 advantage for Union was nullified, and
RPI scored on the resulting 3 on 3.  So much for the fans helping out
the team!!!!
                    --Tony