david weinberg writes:
>         During the last year that I've have been a member of hockey-l many
> people have talked about John Mariucci  and his importance to college and
> Minnesota hockey. I understand that he is the father of Minnesota hockey
> but what exactly did he do? Could anybody help me by posting a short
> biogrpahy and what exactly were his major contributions to hockey.
>
This is from the U.S. Hall of Fame Handbook, as quoted in "Gopher Hockey by the
Hockey Gopher" by Ross Bernstein:
 
John Mariucci, an Eveleth native, played on the 1939-40 undefeated team at the
University of Minnesota.  He was also an outstanding football player at the U of
M as well.  Mariucci played briefly for Providence before joining the Blackhawks
where he played until 1948.  Before retiring after the 1951 season, he played
for the Coast Guard Team in the Eastern League.  Returning to his alma mater as
varsity head coach in 1952, he remained until 1966.  There he made it to two
NCAA finals and several final fours.  He also coached the 1956 Olympic team to a
silver medal in Cortina, Italy, and the 1977 National team.  He later served as
Assistant G. M. of the North Stars for several years.  In 1977 he was awarded
the Lester Patrick Award for his contributions to American hockey.  He will long
be remembered for being a champion of the American player, and promoting amateur
hockey in Minnesota.
 
<end quoted stuff>
 
To fill in a few blanks there, from later in the book:
Maroosh might have had a long and spectacular career in the NHL, but instead had
to settle for a short spectacular career,  "In those days, the four years of
college set me back, and then after two years at Chicago I spent three years in
the service during World War II. I went back to Chicago, but I had really lost
seven years that I might have been playing pro."
 
He was one of the game's truly tough players, and his fights with Black Jack
Stewart remain an NHL legend as the most rugged battles ever.
 
<end quotes again;  elsewhere in the book it says that one of Mariucci's fights
with Stewart was the NHL's longest fight, lasting nearly half an hour.>
 
Two more facts from the Chronology in the book:
In 1973 Mariucci was one of the charter members of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
 
In 1985 he was inducted into the NHL's Hall of Fame.
 
Maybe the most important sentence in that summary (way up above, sorry) was the
last one: "He will long be remembered for being a champion of the American
player, and promoting amateur hockey in Minnesota."  He used his fame as a
Blackhawks player to tour the state speaking and helping raise money to build
arenas.  And Doug's post has already addressed how he pushed for college hockey
to offer more opportunities to Americans, and how, as Minnesota's coach from
1952-1966, he started the tradition of having predominantly home-grown players
on the Gophers.  Elsewhere in the book is this quote from an article by John
Gilbert, quoting Bob Ridder at the John Mariucci Day ceremony (to rename the old
arena):  "During the 1980 Olympics, a U.S. destroyer passed a Russian ship and
signaled to it: 'USA 4, Russia 3.'  Probably nobody on that boat ever heard of
John Mariucci, but it wouldn't have been possible without John Mariucci."
 
 
Pam Sweeney                            Go Gophers!!!
[log in to unmask]         1993 WCHA Playoff Champions!!!
[log in to unmask]              Ski-U-Mah!!!