>   Late breaking SportsWire Story last updated on Tue Aug 19 14:10:09 EDT
>                                   1997
>                           CCHA commish retires
>
>     - Bill Beagan, commissioner of the Central Collegiate Hockey
>     Association, announced his retirement Monday after 13 years in the
>     position.
>
>     Beagan, a native of Parry Sound, Ont., recently signed a 20-game
>     television deal between the CCHA and Fox Sports Net. During his
>     tenure, CCHA teams have won five NCAA titles.
>
>     Beagan is a former NHL referee and IHL commissioner as well as
>     president and general manager of the Toledo Goaldiggers in the IHL
>     where he won two Turner Cups.
============Reply===========
Only a mild surprise, and that only because of timing. Mr. B. had made it
known that the current season would be his last, but it sounds like he
simply moved things up by 6-8 months.
 
He has been a good commish, and the CCHA has expanded (even up here to
Alaska) and thrived under his stewardship. Anybody out there note how
seldom the CCHA refs are bashed on Hockey-L, compared to the other leagues?
Or that the entire NCAA has adopted the  1 ref/2 asst. ref CCHA scheme?
Credit Beagan and chief official Dave Fischer.
 
No word about Beagan's successor, but you'd have to give Fischer or Vice
Commish Jeff Weiss some major consideration.
--jeff partnow
 
--Jeff Partnow ([log in to unmask])
UAF-- Getting great in '98!
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.