Former owner of the Salt Lake Golden Eagles (minor league hockey club) passed away last night. For many years, he worked hard to keep the team afloat despite having to twice find a new league for the team when an existing league folded. Lots of fond times in my childhood attending hockey games in the old Salt Palace and having Crazy Ray Brown lead the crowd in cheers. The atmosphere was as boisterous as anything seen in this state for a pro team until RSL came to town. Use to love the cheer when each side of the arena would yell out EAGLES! one at a time. Great times. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/51695615-77/teece-sports-lake-salt.html.csp
my parents used to know a guy that played on the Eagles, we would go to games every now and then. I was very very young but i remember the games, fun stuff for a kid my age. dude was 98, thats crazy. RIP Art.
My dad was an avid Eagles fan when they were here in Utah. Before I was born he was a member of the booster club and would travel to the away games. I attended my first Eagles game in 1984 at the age of 1. A stray puck sailed out of the rink and would have nailed me in the face if it were not for my dad deflecting it away with a gloveless save. He received a plaque that night for "catching" the first puck.
I remember going to a GE game at the Salt Palace when I was around 7-8 years old with my grandfather. I found it quite fun to watch, but he became bored after a while, so we agreed to stay until we saw a fight, which ended up being around the middle of the second period. It was a good introduction to hockey, and I've been to several Grizzlies games since. On a side note, I never understood what happened to the GE. I remember being in 6th grade and the Grizzlies mascot came to an assembly to promote the new team. I thought we now had two teams, but later found out the GE had moved. Wikipedia cites LHM as selling the team, but doesn't list why. Was there any other reason that he sold the team other than losing money? (i.e. low fan interest, low TV exposure, etc.)
LHM bought the team around the time they were starting to plan/build the Delta Center. While the Salt Palace was simply a magnificent arena for hockey, the DC is simply not suited at all for hockey. (Bad sight lines, about 1/3 of the seats which are on the ends can't be used because you literally cannot see large parts of the ice from them, the luxury boxes push the upper bowl spectators way too far from the action, etc.) Attendance dropped considerably after that move and LHM decided he'd lost enough money and sold the franchise back east (to Detroit I believe). I really do miss the Golden Eagles. I try to get to a Grizzlies game every so often, but it just isn't the same. At the old Salt Palace you would have Ray Brown leading the crowds in yelling out "EAGLES EAGLES FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!" but at the E-Center you have the loud speakers blasting Metallica and the Village People every time there's a break in the action.
Boycott Miller! The Eagle Killer! Use to love the games. As a kid I learned how to play old time hockey watching the Eagles play. RIP Art!
For me, hockey was my first love. Went to nearly every game from when I was a toddler to the day they moved away. Played street hockey, and then on the ice once I was old enough to skate. But for me, it was getting to know the players (like with RSL) that was the special part. I was fortunate in that I lived down the street from a guy who managed Tape Head Company, one of the Eagles main sponsors back then. He used to throw a lot of parties with the players. Wasn't allowed to go to most of them (it was the late 70's, early 80's after all), but occasionally.... For me I was a huge Joe Mullen fan, and he had given me several of his game used sticks (because I bugged him incessantly). Wish I had those things now. God bless Art Teece (and the Acords as well).
Joey Mullen! He was awesome. I went a ton as a kid as well to GE games. My favorite player was a guy named Doug Palazzari (sp?). As a little kid, I remember just calling him Pizza. I don't know if that was his real nickname or just what I called him. Good memories. RIP Art.
His real nickname was Pizza. I think he was from Denver, IIRC. PS. As I was taking a trip down memory lane I just ran across this cool site all about the Golden Eagles: http://texliebmann.tripod.com/hockey/eagles/eagles.htm
I seem to have lost it in the midst of other sports memorabilia hanging in my office, but today my Salt Lake Golden Eagles jersey hangs prouder than ever.
RIP Art Teese. I lived just down the street from the Capitol Building in the 80's and watched tons of games. I would sit behind the goal and switch ends between periods to see all the Eagles shots on goal. Larry Jazz bought the the Golden Eagles just so he could build the Delta Center. The Eagles were at the Salt Palace first, so the owners could veto any arena that wasn't built with hockey in mind. Larry Jazz bought them so he could get rid of the Eagles hockey veto and as a result, you have the Delta Center, the worse place in the nation to watch a hockey game and the Eagles soon left the state.
