Roller Hockey International (1993-1994)
Tombstone
Born: 1993 – RHI founding franchise
Folded: Postseason 1994
First Game: July 10, 1993 (L 10-9 @ Connecticut Coasters)
Last Game: August 15, 1994 (L 11-5 vs. Atlanta Fire Ants)
Murphy Cup Championships: None
Arenas
1993: Miami Arena (16,000)11993 Calgary Rad’z Program
Opened: 1988
Demolished: 2008
1993: West Palm Beach Auditorium
Opened: 1965
Marketing
Team Colors: Sea Green, Ocean Blue & Shark Silver21993 Calgary Rad’z Program
Ownership
Owners:
- 1993: Julia Neal
- 1994: Arthur Barr, Sol Zuckerman & Dan Elituv
FWIL FAVORITE
Florida Hammerheads Logo T-Shirt
Trivia for logo-heads: Roller Hockey International’s Florida Hammerheads franchise unveiled their logo to the public just one week before the team’s debut game in July 1993.
Somewhat better organized, our partners at Streaker Sports included the Hammerheads in the huge collection of Roller Hockey International throwback Tees in their signature Vintage Wash design.
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Background
The Florida Hammerheads were one of twelve founding franchises in Roller Hockey International (RHI) during the summer of 1993. RHI was an effort to convert the recreational craze for in-line skating (AKA “roller blading”) during the early 1990’s into support for a fully professional team sport.
RHI rules were similar enough to ice hockey that the league filled its rosters primarily with active minor league ice hockey players who were in their summer offseason. But there were significant differences to both the rink and the rule book:
- Games consisted of four 12-minute quarters with a 15-minute halftime, similar to the NBA
- Teams skated 4 v 4, plus goaltenders rather than ice hockey’s 5 v 5.
- Two different playing surfaces were acceptable: Sport Court or cement treated with sealant rather (this varied from arena to arena). The rink size of 200′ x 85′ was the same as NHL standards.
- The JOFA Speedpuck was a 3.5 ounce puck that travelled on embedded nylon runners
- No blue lines and loosened offsides regulations
- Far less fighting due to stiffer penalties for infractions
During the RHI’s first season in 1993, Hammerheads founder Julia Neal was the league’s only female owner. Neal gave the team back to the league following the inaugural season and was not part of RHI for the Hammerheads second and final season in 1994.
In Competition
The Hammerheads were unquestionably the weakest entry in Roller Hockey International during the league’s first two seasons.
In 1993, the ‘Heads endured an 11-game winless streak to start the 14-game schedule. Head coach Brad Buetow resigned and the team managed to salvage a couple of meaningless late seasons victories under his replacement, Harris Marks. The Hammerheads final record of 2-11-1 tied for the worst mark in the league. Don Martin was the team’s leading scorer in 1993 with 27 goals and 23 assists.
After playing several games in a virtually empty Miami Arena, the 16,000-seat home of the NBA’s Miami Heat, the Hammerheads moved their final three home contests of 1993 to the more sympathetically scaled West Palm Beach Auditorium.
New owners took over the Hammerheads in 1994 and the team moved back to Miami Arena. RHI expanded from 12 teams to 24 for the 1994 season and lengthened its schedule from 14 to 22 games. The Hammerheads remained the league’s doormat, finishing with a league worst 4-17-1 record. Ed Ljubicic (20 goals, 21 assists) was the top scorer for 1994.
The Florida Hammerheads quietly folded at the end of the 1994 season.
Roller Hockey International Shop
Editor's Pick
Wheelers, Dealers, Pucks & Bucks
A Rocking History of Roller Hockey International
Who won the first professional sports championship for the city of Anaheim? Which Roller Hockey International team owner posed for Playboy? Which RHI team’s logo did Sports Illustrated describe as looking like “a malevolent vacuum-cleaner attachment?” Which coach won two championships for two different teams in RHI’s first two seasons? Why were fans nearly ejected from the Oakland Skates’ arena for celebrating a hat trick?
Author Richard Graham takes you behind the scenes to show how Dennis Murphy created Roller Hockey International, and why Murphy might be the most unlikely, least known and most influential visionary in North American professional sports history.
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
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