Brian "Butch" MacKay - Greensboro Generals and US National Team

The last few weeks, I've been collecting articles about the 1962 US World Championships. The Canadian team had EHLers Butch Martin (Johnstown), and future EHLer Bobby Brown (Johnstown, Long Island, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Jersey). The US team had EHLers Don Hall & Dick Roberge (Johnstown), Reggie Meserve (Philadelphia), Gord Tottle (Charlotte) and the Greensboro Generals defenseman and captain, Brian "Butch" MacKay. These articles are posted on the EHL Discussion Boards http://theehl.yuku.com/topic/71/EHL-stars-at-the-1962-WORLD-CHAMPIONSHIPS As you read through, you'll see that the EHLers, including MacKay represented the U.S. and Canada well.

Butch MacKay was one of a handful of Troy Bruins (IHL), who stayed with the team when they became the nucleus of the EHL Greensboro Generals in 1959, along with Pat Kelly, Don Carter, and Max Szturm. The first year Kelly was team captain, with MacKay an alternate. The next three years MacKay was team captain, until his retirement after the Generals won the EHL Championship in 1962-63 to work at a meat packing company in Greensboro. MacKay was a high-scoring, yet rugged defenseman, as the article on the right would suggest - and that's before he entered the EHL. He was an EHL 2nd-team All-Star in 1960-61.

The photo below is from a game at Clinton on November 7, 1962. MacKay, #2, has the "C".
The program cover is from the Generals first season, with MacKay wearing the "A".





















Butch MacKay's Obituary from the Greensboro News & Record, May 19, 2011
http://obituaries.news-record.com/obituaries/news-record/obituary.aspx?n=brian-edward-mackay-butch&pid=151134587&fhid=6071

Brian Edward "Butch" MacKay Sr. Visit Guest Book

GREENSBORO — Brian Edward "Butch" MacKay, Sr., 78, passed away on May 17, 2011 at Moses Cone Hospital.
A graveside service will be held on Friday, May 20, 2011 at 2 p.m. at Westminster Gardens Cemetery with Father John Eckert officiating.
A native of Montreal, Canada, Brian was born September 29, 1932 to the late Louis Edward Turner MacKay and Agnus Brady MacKay. He was self-employed and worked in the beverage industry.
Butch MacKay's stats at hockeydb.com:
http://hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=12768

Martin Brodeur's Father Played Goal for the EHL Charlotte Clippers

From A Look at Martin Brodeur's Beginnings at NHL.com, Martin Brodeur's father, Denis Sr., played goal for the Charlotte Clippers in the 1958-59 season.

Denis has a pair of identical images of himself as a goalie in 1958-59 for the Charlotte Clippers of the Eastern Hockey League and Martin in a Devils white uniform during the late 1990s. Denis is not wearing a mask in his photo -- and amazingly, Martin isn't either. "His mask had just fallen off and they got that shot," Denis said.

The November 4, 1958 Florence (SC) Morning News lets us know that Denis (the Menace) Brodeur beat out Les Binkley for the lone goaltender position.

Clippers Make Limit For Hockey Squad
CHARLOTTE — Three veteran players and a rookie were sliced by Charlotte Clipper coach Andy Brown as dixie's only ice hockey team got down to the Eastern Hockey League limit of 14.
Cut from the squad were defenseman Bobby Maxwell, goalkeep Les Binkley, winger Yvan
Houle and Rookie defenseman Pete Tuggard.
Binkley had been with the club two and one-half seasons, while Maxwell and Houle have spent two campaigns with the Clippers. The pink slip barrage left the Clipper squad list as follows:
Goalie — Denis (The Menace) Brodeur.
Defense -- Gordie Tottle, Red Barrett, John Muckler and John Brophy.
Centers — Jim McNulty, Chucky Stuart and Herve Lalonde.
Right Wingers — Bibber O'Hearn, Bill Sinnett and Red Murphy.
Left Wingers — Gerry Sullivan, Bobby Ewer and Mike Mahoney.
Both Ewer and Mahoney are 20-year-old junior players. Their presence
on the Clipper roster fulfills the Eastern League requirement that each club use two juniors this season.
Tottle, a massive 214-pound veteran of 10 American League seaions, and Barrett are also newcomers to the squad, as Brodeur, the goalie.

From an October 30th Article in the same paper:

The Clippers, have added five now faces to the squad of 14 including a new goalie. Replacing Les Binkley, a three-season veteran, in the Charlotte nets will be Denny Brodeur, a pint-sized Frenchman.

The Clippers went from first to worst in 1958-59, while the Clinton Comets went from worst to first.

In case, like me, you were wondering, Martin Brodeur was born May 6, 1972, when his father was 42 and been out of hockey since that one season with Charlotte.

50 Years ago this week - Clinton Comets Finish First in EHL

From today's Utica Observer-Dispatch, This Week In History ....
The Clinton Comets win the Eastern Hockey League pennant. Last year, the team finished in last place. Players include Fern Bernaquez (5), Norm Defelice (1) (league’s leading goalie), Tim Hook (6), Dick Wray (league’s top scorer)(9), Leon Bouchard (3), Angie Defelice (8), Gordon “Spider” Brown (12), Jerry Stringle (14), Mike Kardask 2), Ed Calhoun(5), Rudy Balone (4), Doug MacPhee (11) and Willie Pawchuk (10). They’re coached by Bill Watson (7).

The Comets went on to win the 1959 EHL Championship, beating the Johnstown Jets in the finals.

An article in the April 8, 1959 Oneonta Star states:

Except for the use of 'Al "Nipper" O'Hearn and John Lehner as temporary subslitutes for ailing regulars, the Cornets closed the season with the same 14 players they started with last October.

The March 1, 1959 Utica Observer states that it was actually Ed Giacomin, Washington's 19-year-old backup goalie, who played for the Comets in a 2-1 loss against the Lions, who had O'Hearn in net.

Also, the 1959 EHL All-Star Teams were announced on Mar 9 :

First Team:
Dick Wray - LW - Clinton
Billy Watson - C - Clinton
Dick Roberge - RW - Johnstown
Gordon Tottle - D - Charlotte Clippers
Moose Lallo - D - Washington Presidents (tie)
Steve Brklacich - D - Johnstown (tie)
Leon Bouchard - D - Clinton (tie)
Norm DeFelice - G - Clinton

Second Team:
Don Hall - LW - Johnstown
Don Davidson - C - New Haven
Doug Adam - RW - Philadelphia
(Since there were 4 1st team Defensemen, the 2nd team was considered filled.)
Jim Shirley - G - Johnstown