International Hockey League (1970-1974)
Tombstone
Born: 1970 – Toledo Blades re-branded as Toledo Hornets
Moved: May 10, 1974 (Lansing Lancers)
First Game:
Last Game: March 29, 1974 (L 7-3 vs. Flint Generals)
Turner Cup Championships: None
Arena
Toledo Sports Arena (5,200)
Opened: 1947
Demolished: 2007
Marketing
Team Colors: Gold, Black & White
Ownership
Owner: Paul Bright
Background
Toledo, Ohio supported the International Hockey League’s rough-and-tumble brand of minor league hockey for nearly four decades from 1947 to 1986. The names changed a few times over the years. The Toledo Mercurys were the original franchise (1947-1962), followed by the Blades (1963-1970), who won two IHL Turner Cups in the ’60’s, then the short-lived Toledo Hornets (1970-1974). Finally the Goaldiggers (1974-1986) won four more Turner Cups before pro hockey expired in the city during the mid-1980’s.
Key Players
Today we’ll look at Toledo’s least distinguished entry in the IHL: the Hornets.
The Hornets were a continuation of the Toledo Blades franchise, which changed its name during the 1970 off season. Many of the Hornets players were former Blades mainstays and fan favorites, such as Chick Chalmers, Greg Jablonski and goaltender Glenn Ramsay.
Career minor-league Harold White was the club’s all-time leading scorer during the Hornets years, scoring 90 goals and 115 assists between 1970 and 1974.
No players on the Hornets went on to any significant level of success in the NHL or World Hockey Association. The most accomplished Hornet at the Major League level was Bob Dillabough, who played 355 games in the NHL and WHA before arriving in Toledo to finish out his career in the winter of 1973-74.
Lancers & Goaldiggers
At the end of the 1973-74 season, Hornets owner Paul Bright announced he would no longer operate the club in Toledo. He explored selling the team to local interests, but ultimately chose to keep it himself and move to Lansing, Michigan. The IHL quickly awarded an new expansion franchise to Toledo, which was to be known as the Toledo Goaldiggers (1974-1986).
Bright’s Lansing Lancers were a flop and folded midway through the 1974-75 season. Meanwhile, back in Toledo the expansion Goaldiggers won the Turner Cup championship in their first season of play.
Toledo Hornets Shop
Contains Affiliate Links
Hornets Logo T from Old School Shirts
In Memoriam
Long-time Blades star Chick Chalmers, who finished his career with the Hornets in 1971, died on December 7, 1994 at age 60.
Former Blades owner Paul Bright passed away on September 26, 1996 at age 72.
NHL and WHA veteran Bob Dillabough, who skated for the Hornets in their final season of 1973-74, died of March 27, 1997 at age 55.
Links
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