Western Professional Hockey League (1996-2001)
Tombstone
Born: 1996 – WPHL founding franchise
Folded: January 6, 20011ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Stampede franchise drops out”. The Caller-Times (Corpus Christi, TX). January 8, 2001
First Game: October 16, 1996 (W 5-4 vs. Waco Wizards)
Last Game: January 6, 2001 (L 6-1 vs. Austin Ice Bats)
President’s Cup Championships: None
Arena
Bell County Expo Center (6,700)21996-97 Central Texas Stampede Program
Opened: 1987
Marketing
Team Colors: Red, Gold, Black & White31996-97 Central Texas Stampede Program
Radio:
- 1996-97:KTEM (1400 AM)
Radio Broadcasters:
- 1996-97:Jim Mirabello (play-by-play) & Mark McLain (color)
Ownership
Owners:
- 1996-????: John Jordan, et al.
- 2000-2001: Dick Young, et al.
Attendance
We are missing Central Texas Stampede attendance figures for the 2000-01 WPHL season, when they team folded midway through the regular season.
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Source: 2004-05 Central Hockey League Guide & Record Book
Background
The Central Texas Stampede were a minor professional hockey team based in Belton that played four full seasons and part of a fifth between 1996 and 2001.
The Stampede were one of the six original franchises in the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL), a circuit that began play with five clubs in Texas and one in New Mexico in October 1996. The WPHL expanded at a breakneck pace, growing to 17 clubs by the 1998-99 season including clubs in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
In Competition
The Stampede were a consistently strong entry on the ice. The team never posted a losing record in four complete seasons of WPHL action. In April 1997, Central Texas advanced to the WPHL’s first championship series before falling to the El Paso Buzzards 4 games to 1.
Right wing Ron Newhook (Stampede ’99-’01) won the Western Professional Hockey League’s Most Valuable Player award during the 1999-00 season. The 22-year old right wing potted 35 goals and added 76 assists while sparking the Stampede to the league’s best record season record (50-17-3) that winter.
A handful of NHL veterans suited up for the Stampede over the years. The most notable were journeyman goaltender Daniel Berthiaume and ex-St. Louis Blues winger Herb Raglan, who both skated for Central Texas during the 1996-97 debut season. No Central Texas Stampede players ever advanced to the the National Hockey League following their time in the WPHL.
Canadian winger Gerald Tallaire (Stampede ’98-’00) was the team’s all-time leader in goals (75) and assists (112).
The Last Rodeo
Off the ice, the Stampede struggled to find stable ownership and local support to complement the team’s competitive achievements. Despite their winning ways, Central Texas cycled through four coaches in their four-and-a-half seasons.
“We’ve been actively trying to get new owners here for the past three years,” WPHL official Dan Ciarametaro told the Associated Press in January 2001. “There has never been a solid ownership group here.”4ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Stampede franchise drops out”. The Caller-Times (Corpus Christi, TX). January 8, 2001
The franchise’s ownership problems came to a head in October 1999 at the outset of the Stampede’s fourth season. Central Texas players staged a walkout at practice on October 27th and threatened to boycott games to try and pressure WPHL officials into forcing a sale of the franchise. The players complained that the Stampede’s absentee owners from British Columbia has stopped putting funds into the team, contributing to an unsafe work environment.5Button, Mark. “IceRays foursome bowls over Stampede”. The Caller-Times (Corpus Christi, TX). October 30, 1999 Stampede players ultimately pulled back on their strike threats and put together the team’s finest regular season performance during the 1999-00 season, but the club’s ownership lingered unresolved in the background for the entire campaign.
A group of local owners finally assumed control of the Stampede in April 2000. The new owners claimed to lose $750,000 over the next nine months trying to right the ship. On January 6th, 2001 the Stampede played their final game, a 6-1 home loss to the Austin Ice Bats. The team’s demise had been an open secret in league circles for several days. Stampede players threatened not to skate (again) before changing their minds at the last moment.
“If there is anybody in the house who would like to buy a hockey team, see me.” the Stampede’s public address announcer declared to the Bell County Expo Center faithful.6Cohen, Jason. “Stampede folds after ‘Bats win”. The American-Statesman (Austin, TX). January 7, 2001
Stampede management released a statement during the first period that the team would fold immediately after the game. Central Texas played only 38 games of their planned 70-game schedule for the 2000-01 season. Central Texas wasn’t the only WPHL trouble spot. The league itself ceased to exist at the end of the 2000-01 season, merging with the older and more established Central Hockey League.
Professional hockey never returned to the Bell County Expo Center after the Stampede left the scene in January 2001. The arena hosted a pair of short-lived junior amateur teams – the Central Texas Blackhawks / Marshals – from 2002 to 2005.
Central Texas Stampede Shop
Links
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