Winter 2007 • Volume 13, Issue 1
Oldest BU sports club celebrates 40 years of hockey
by Justin Phelps ‘05
 Ask about the late Pete BardezBanian ’54 (at left with player Bill Taylor ‘72), and those who knew him will likely mention the Bradley hockey club founder was a hockey guy.
It’s quite the understatement. “His one thing was, hockey is the best thing in the world,” said Jack Thorp ’71 MS ’72, who played under BardezBanian for five years and was an assistant coach from 1972 to 1982. “If you didn’t like hockey, you’d have to come see a game. Then, you’d like hockey.”
Talk of BardezBanian abounded during the October 21st celebration of the Hockey Club’s 40th season at Bradley where the “Heroes of Yesteryear” took on the 2006-2007 Bradley club team at Owens Center. It is the longest-running sports club on campus. Kevin Schmaltz ’88, who has organized the alumni hockey game since its inception in 1989, added, “Coach Pete would always come to the games and try to be in the background. We wouldn’t let him. The alums would always want him behind the bench. He was “The Coach,” and even if he didn’t coach in an alumni game, we all wanted him behind the bench. That’s how he was, but we all knew that it started because of him, and for that we are eternally grateful.”
Peoria’s Mr. Hockey
It’s not a stretch to say BardezBanian had a hand in everything hockey in Peoria. After all, he was once called Peoria’s “Mr. Hockey.” Stories about BardezBanian include the times he jumped a fence with a handful of other hockey players to get early morning ice time at an outdoor rink at Lakeview Park. Eventually officials gave BardezBanian ice time, which he used to teach Peoria’s youth the game he loved. And so Peoria’s youth hockey asso-ciation was born.
In the 1960s, the 5-foot-7, 137-pound BardezBanian created, played for, and coached the Peoria Stars, which he later moved to Pekin. In the early 1970s, he was the captain and president of the Peoria Blades, the forerunner to minor league hockey in Peoria. Meanwhile, he created and coached the Bradley club, starting in 1966. He was also among the founders of the Central States Collegiate Hockey League, made up of teams from the Midwest.
A Detroit native and longtime comptroller for the city of Peoria, BardezBanian started the Bradley club by visiting dorm rooms and fraternity houses across campus looking for hockey players. As coach of the club, BardezBanian led Bradley to the 1971 CSCHL title. His coaching style included his own participation. “I did not realize how good he was until now,” said Taylor, who played in the alumni game in October. “He was able to keep up with us, which at his age was not that easy.” During Taylor’s four years at Bradley, BardezBanian was in his forties.
For at least one player, BardezBanian was the reason he came to Bradley. “When I was an incoming freshman, I called Pete about the hockey games because I wanted to play in college,” said Bruce Becker ’75. “Pete was responsible for me coming to Bradley. At that time, Pete had visions of this club growing into a Division I club.” The club is currently classified as a Division II Club affiliated with the American Collegiate Hockey Association, the national governing body for intercollegiate club hockey.
BardezBanian died of cancer in 1999. Of the man whose name is on the annual award given to the Bradley club MVP and the Most Popular Rivermen Player, Thorp said, “He was skating right up until the end.”
Above: About 25 alumni laced up skates for the Hockey Club’s 40th anniversary last October, and played in a reunion game at Owens Center. In front: Matt Strutzel ’03; Kneeling: Bill Taylor ’72, Bruce Becker ’75, Doug Dylo ’91, Dave Neuman ’84, Adam Hammer ’96, Andrew Hansen ’96, Todd Fox ’97, Matt Fisette ’96 Standing: Kyle Chipman ‘06, Will Ruona ’87, Matt O’Sullivan ’88, Joel Steger ‘93, Brendan Mongey ‘06, Matt McClure ’04, Kevin Schmaltz ’88, Torrey Marbury ’03, Thomas Goodman ’06, Peter Hornik ’92, Terry Lyman ’74, Mike Zilch ’05; Not pictured: Joe Domzal ’05, Paul Domzal ’03, Chris Sabey ’07, and Adam Tatro ’07.
Logan Park and Bradley’s “home ice” advantage
The ice surface at Logan Park would be considered nothing less than a home field advantage today.
The bitter wind, black boards, and ice that felt more like sand paper created quite the atmosphere for the early years of Bradley’s club hockey team. “It wasn’t so bad to play there during the day in the winter,” says Thorp, who was the club’s first captain.
Even during the day, Logan Park had its challenges. The boards surrounding the surface, which were black to keep the sun from reflecting off a white board and melting the ice, made it difficult for anyone to see the black puck as it slid near the boards. “It was really tough on the goalies,” said Becker. “But it was tough on anybody to pick the puck up.”
And at night, the difficulties were multiplied. “There was one game I remember that no one wanted to come off the ice,” said Taylor. “It was not because they were selfish. It was just so cold that sitting on the bench meant that, if you were sweating, it may freeze before your next turn.” In similar conditions, Thorp recalled players crouching down on the bench to get out of the wind. “They may poke their head up, or their stick would be up hanging up, and you’d hit a stick if you wanted to come off,” Thorp said.
Even the warmer temperatures of spring created a challenge on the ice, which would start melting and re-freezing in February. “It would be like skating in sand,” Thorp said. “You’d get some glide, but if you fell, you’d rip your socks or shirt.”
In 1972, an inflatable dome was put over the ice. While it remained a cold experience, the quality of the ice improved. The team bounced around to various venues before landing at its current home, the Owens Center.
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