On Fri, 18 Dec 1998, Edward N. Moller wrote:
 
> BU won the game on the ice, 9-0.  They then had to forfeit that game and ten
> others due to an ineligible player, whose name was Dick Decloe.  As Arthur Berman
> mentioned, it was Cornell coach Dick Bertrand who blew the whistle on the
> Terriers, after he learned that one of his players, Peter Titanic, played
> with/against Decloe in the Canadian junior leagues.  I have long since gotten over
> my anger toward the late Mr. Bertrand, as blame should be pointed toward where
> blame is due, i.e., former BU coach Leon Abbott.  It was this situation that
> ultimately led to the appointment of Jack Parker as Abbott's replacement.  Regular
> readers of this list are well aware that cheaters should bear the responsibility
> of their actions, not the whistle blowers.
>
I'm not sure that cheater is an appropriate appelation for Leon Abbott who
was aware of Decloe's situation and, I believe, thought it was within the
rules.  Having said that I want to stroll down memory lane a bit for
another reason.  Those 11 forfeits did not prevent BU from having home ice
in the playoffs that year (they finished fourth) and played Penn in the
quarterfinals where BU was defeated.  This was, for some of us, poetic
justice because the coach of Penn was Bob Crocker, Jack Kelley's long time
assistant who had been passed over for the head job in favour of Abbott.
One can only guess at what would have happened over the years had loyalty
been rewarded.  That is my only criticism of BU for that year.  Bertrand's
actions showed petulance rather than any concern for the integrity of the
game.  In fact, BU's win showed him that Cornell would have to find a way
to defeat BU off the ice since they couldn't acheive parity even on their
home ice that year.
 
This thread has my juices flowing and makes me miss those ECAC days.
Except for those of us with long memories these rivalries hardly attract
any emotion at all these days.
 
Arthur Berman [log in to unmask]
 
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