Kristen Robinson writes...
>My understanding of the Taffy Abel situation was also that the rink, but
not
>the complex, was to be renamed.  However, I believe Abel's significance is
>that he was the first Native American in the NHL--I'm not sure if he's from
>the Sault tribe or not.  The Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians put up $1.5
>million of the $4 million needed to complete renovations, so they got to
pick
>the new name, and chose a Native American hockey hero.
 
From the LSSU media guide:
 
                           Taffy Abel
                 May 29, 1900 -- August 1, 1964
 
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan's hockey pioneer.  Abel was a member of
two Stanley Cup Championship teams.  The Native American defenseman
carried the flag for the United States in the first-ever Winter
Olympic Games in Chamonix, France in 1924.  He was known as the
"Michigan Mountain"  He was the largest player in the National
Hockey League (6-0,215 pounds) during the era of the "60-minute
man".  Following his professional career, Abel returned to Sault
Ste. Marie where he became a key player in both the business and
hockey communities.  Abel was the first player ever inducted into
the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and was also inducted into the
American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.
 
 
                          James Norris
 
Former owner of the Detroit Red Wings.  Norris brought professional
hockey to Sault Ste. Marie by having the Wings conduct their annual
fall training camp in the Pullar Stadium in the early 1950s.
Norris' family also provided the seed money to build the James
Norris Physical Education Center, home of Laker Athletics.
 
 
  John H
  U Mich