44 Years Ago Today...

[jdb50]

So few people attended, you could sit where you wanted. I chose right next to one of the tunnels out. No premonition regarding the storm, the scoreboard was so huge and hanging from the center of the ceiling, and the whole roof didn't look supported for it, so I never trusted it. I still think the scoreboard took it down with help from the snow, rather than the storm being the key cause. When you entered a tightly packed bar I would take note of the exits without really thinking there would be a fire. This was sort of the same thing. Kudos to you guys remembering the game itself. I've got nothing in that regard

We actually went down at halftime and sat at press row near the UMass bench. Got the halftime stats that were on a piece of paper on the table at each seat courtesy of Tim Tolokan. Saw the second half from there. There was just under 5000 fans.

 

[huskyharry]

I was 14 and watched the game with my Dad. Excited to see Al Lewis have a career night. Four years later I started in Civil Engineering at UConn which included case study about the collapse

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Wow, so many of my contemporaries on this board. I was at trinity when it collapsed and went up to Springfield to watch a couple games. Got to see one of the greatest lines ever when Bobby Hull, Wayne Gretzky and Ulf Nilsson came to town. Boy they could fly.

It was Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson, and Anders Hedberg for the Winnipeg Jets and yes they could fly.

 

[NEforceUConn]

I stand corrected, thanks. Don’t know why I thought Gretzky.

That line, the Hot line, was fantastic!!

 

[F101Voodoo]

It was Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson, and Anders Hedberg for the Winnipeg Jets and yes they could fly.

Someone remind me please. Weren’t the Whalers still playing in the WHL when the Civic Center roof collapsed? NFL period came a year or was it two later?? Geordie must have played right after that ? I being a casual fan did not get into hockey until the Whalers came to Hartford. Of course by the time we beat the Moskovliysky gang and went on to the gold beating Findland I was fully on board.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Yes, the WHA lasted through the 1978-1979 season, after that four teams (Oilers, Jets, Whalers, Nordiques) were added to the NHL.

The Whale played in the WHA for the remainder of the second to last and entirety of the last WHA seasons after the roof collapsed.