Tondas are first NY State team in Junior A Hockey, article 2 of 2 (Courier-Express, 1973-09-27).pdf
Tondas are first NY State team in Junior A Hockey, article (Courier-Express, 1973-09-27).pdf
Marshall, Tondas coach, charges "Discrimination," article (Courier Express, 1974-10-01).pdf
Conspiracy suit filed by Tondas, article (Courier Express, 1974-10-17).pdf
Buffalo Tondas at Tonawanda Sports Center, ad (Courier Express, 1974-09-07).pdf
Tondas v Wolves, ad (Courier-Express, 1974-09-13).pdf
Former Tonawanda Sports Center, home of the Buffalo Norsemen, photo set (Dennis Reed Jr., 2025).gal
Oliver Hotel, 910 Oliver Street, token (c1920).png
Former Frontier Chocolate Factory, Modu-Craft, photo (Google, 2025).jpg
Champagne flows, Norsemen enter playoffs, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-17).pdf
Turecki, bio (NCCC Spirit, 1985-02-19).jpg
See the other hockey team play at the aud, illustrated ad, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-07).pdf
Philly wins game as coach sits in jail, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-07).pdf
Norsemen win forfeit, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-27).pdf
Norsemen trim Comets on 3rd period surge, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-13).pdf
Norsemen take 4-1 win in Philly; Home tonight, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-28).pdf
Norsemen tag Jets behind goalie Makey, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-19).pdf
Norsemen surprise Beauce in Aud, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-19).pdf
Norsemen still slipping, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-09).pdf
Norsemen square playoff series, Enough is enough on goon tactics, articles (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-26).pdf
Norsemen reach an unbelievable end, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-29).pdf
Norsemen open playoffs against Johnstown, spirit running high, Keke Mortson photo, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-20).pdf
Norsemen open first NAHL season tonight, logo, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-17).pdf
Norsemen nicked in overtime 3-2, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-26).pdf
Norsemen need boost to continue ice play, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-06-18).pdf
Norsemen lose out 8-2, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-27).pdf
Norsemen lose out--off and on ice, McSheffrey's revenge, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-11).pdf
Norsemen lose in overtime, photos, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-18).pdf
Norsemen lose as late goal against Erie is disallowed, Keke Mortsen photo, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-12).pdf
Norsemen lose (Game 3) as Guy's misdeed proves costly, Paul Newman in Johnstown (Guy delay penalty), article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-25).pdf
Norsemen in big drop face tough assignment, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-12).pdf
Norsemen host to Nordiques, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-28).pdf
Norsemen hope to end streak, ad promising free ticket if they lose, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-05).pdf
Norsemen hope to clinch playoff series tonight, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-27).pdf
Norsemen halt long string, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-12).pdf
Norsemen found guilty, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-05-15).pdf
Norsemen face key road tilt, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-03).pdf
Norsemen face Erie in final exhibition, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-14).pdf
Norsemen explode for 12 goals, 602 in attendance, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-22).pdf
Norsemen edge Erie Blades, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-29).pdf
Norsemen drop 6th straight, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-05).pdf
Norsemen cruise by Maine, photo, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-29).pdf
Norsemen by 3-1, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-11).pdf
Norsemen boosters to meet, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-05).pdf
Norsemen blast Comets in Aud, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-14).pdf
Norsemen battle Beauce tonight, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-22).pdf
Norsemen, ad (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-31).pdf
Norsemen's Morin eyes future, player photo, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-31).pdf
Norsemen's idleness inevitable, Turecki pic, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-06-21).pdf
Norsemen's forfeit victory nullified, Trottier in suit photo, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-13).pdf
N-Men's protest results in win against Binghamton, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-11).pdf
Neeld suspension irks Norsemen, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-24).pdf
Neeld, LaBelle talk about Jets incidents, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-30).pdf
NAHL recesses until June, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-05-17).pdf
N-men off to walking start in NAHL wars, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-20).pdf
N-men duel the leaders, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-13).pdf
League meetings key to Norsemen's future, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-04-29).pdf
Johnstown nips Norsemen, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-14).pdf
Jets check Norsemen in rough 6-4 battle, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-03-23).pdf
Jets bomb Norsemen, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-03).pdf
Hockey, Anyone? article (UB Reporter 1975-09-25).pdf
Erie edges Norsemen, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-08).pdf
Defense is only chink in Norsemen armor, article (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-15).pdf
Comets belt N-Men 7-1, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-02).pdf
Codders beat N-Men, photo, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-31).pdf
Beauce Jaros, Mainiacs, Philly here for fan night, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-24).pdf
Bad decision, letter to editor, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-04-02).pdf
A memorable weekend with Norsemen, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-02-20).pdf
19-second spree for Norsemen is record, article (Tonawanda News, 1976-01-16).pdf
Ironton Land Co. gives Village of North Tonawanda land for Avenues, others (Grantor Index, New York Land Records, 1894).jpg
Ironton Land Co. entry (Grantor Index, New York Land Records, 1894).jpg
Niagara Radiator breaks ground opposite Ironton furnace, article (Daily Cataract, 1893-11-02).jpg
Treat of Ironton slashes own throat, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1878-12-11).jpg
Polish boarders rob Ironton woman, article (Daily Cataract, 1893-09-12).jpg
Oliver Street Irontonians unhappy with village and electric railroad, article (Daily Cataract, 1892-09-07).jpg
New opera house at Ironton, article (Niagara Falls Journal, 1892-10-08).jpg
Ironton Mrs. Dorrity is left by drinking husband, tries to drown herself, taken in by neighbors, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1880-07-14).jpg
George P. Smith to Ironton Land Co., real estate transfer (Daily Sun, 1891-07-31).jpg
George P. Smith and A. J. Hathaway purchase Ironton tract east of railroad for building lots, article (Suspension Bridge Journal, 1889-11-02).jpg
Clothes-line thieves at Ironton, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1880-01-28).jpg
Can't close all of them, Ironton saloons on Sundays, article (Daily Cataract, 1893-10-13).jpg
Works at Ironton resume, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1889-09-04).jpg
Thirty men at iron works, article (Suspension Bridge Journal, 1889-03-02).jpg
Smelting furnace out of blast, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1874-10-21).jpg
Rebuilt iron works at 3x, article (Suspension Bridge Journal, 1889-09-21).jpg
Plush factory of Buffalo may buy old furnace buildings at Ironton, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1888-08-15).jpg
Ore arriving in great quantities for iron works, article (Suspension Bridge Journal, 1889-06-01).jpg
No prospect of Niagara River Iron Works resumption, iron trade depression, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1875-11-17).jpg
No prospect again this spring of Ironton works resumption, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1877-04-25).jpg
Niagara River Iron Company debt approaches paid-up capital, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1875-10-13).jpg
Niagara County supervisors permit city expansion; Iron works owner's wife lights furnace, article (Suspension Bridge Journal, 1891-01-24).jpg
Iron works started up Wednesdays, article (Suspension Bridge Journal, 1889-08-31).jpg
Head furnace man dies in Buffalo when furnace fails, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1874-10-28).jpg
Fire damages iron works, article (Lockport Daily Journal, 1891-07-11).jpg
Explosion at Ironton, article (Daily Cataract, 1893-12-06).jpg
Baird bros. to put Niagara River Iron Works into full operation, article (Suspension Bridge Journal, 1889-01-05).jpg
50K needed for plant, workers moving here, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1889-01-30).jpg
Voluntary action of the Tonawanda Iron and Steel Works, article (Daily Cataract, 1895-07-01).jpg
Under iron ore, narrow escape, article (Niagara Sun, 1898-02-22).jpg
Steel plant to re-open, police install radio, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1922-05-08).jpg
Rumors that Iron Works will resume, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1879-01-01).jpg
Reisterer succeeds Reid as Iron Works Supt., article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1880-12-29).jpg
Molten iron on the bodies of men, article (Niagara Sun, 1908-11-01).jpg
Iron Works in trust, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1879-06-04).jpg
Description of Iron Works, mention of Ironton, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1874-03-18).jpg
Blast shook Tonawanda, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1917-08-02.jpg
Working the mails, article (Niagara Sun, 1905-12-05).jpg
Tonawandas' spasm of morality, article (Niagara Sun, 1897-02-09).jpg
Tonawanda Night School Thursday, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1927-09-27).jpg
Tonawanda anarchists, article (Lockport Journal, 1901-09-16).jpg
Connection alleged to McKinley assassin Csolgosz
Suspicious about woman's injury, coal colletion, article (Niagara Sun, 1909-10-01).jpg
Smashed neighbor's head, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1923-04-25).jpg
Sad accident at Tonawanda, Ironton mention, article (Lockport Daily Journal, 1874-01-24).jpg
AI Transcription: SAD ACCIDENT AT TONAWANDA. A Sailboat Capsized with three Men in it, one of Whom was Drowned. TONAWANDA, Jan. 23, 1874. To the Editors of the Lockport Daily Journal: About twelve o’clock to-day, as H. A. Rose, Joseph Gerean and his brother, were returning from Grand Island in a sail boat, where they had been duck shooting, their boat struck a cake of ice when about half way across the river and capsized, the three men being thrown into the water. Unable to cling to the boat, the three endeavored to save themselves by clinging to the floating ice. Rose, who is a one-legged man, and the younger Gerean, by the aid of the oars which they had secured when capsized, succeeded in getting upon the ice; but Joseph, less fortunate than his companions, being unable to get upon the ice, finally became chilled, and when near the foot of Carney Island sank and was seen no more. The surviving men continued to float down the river. The wind blowing quite freshly from the southwest had driven the ice in the river to the easterly shore, and it being very thin and badly broken up, it was next to impossible to reach them or afford them any relief from this side, and they were unnoticed or at least no boats started for their rescue from the Island shore. Their perilous condition was, however, comprehended by parties at Ironton, and a messenger was started up the river to the steam ferry some two miles above, in hope of getting a tug to go to their rescue. Meantime the frail field of ice borne along by the rapid current was hurrying them down the river and toward the Falls. But no sooner had word reached the Captain of the ferry tug Addah, than he steamed down the river and finally succeeded in reaching them at a point near the residence of the late Eugene Ransom, five miles below where the boat capsized. Thus the two men after this perilous journey were saved. The village is all excitement over the affair this morning, and the escape is considered well nigh miraculous, considering the weak and broken condition of the ice. Had the weather been colder the men must have perished before help could have reached them. The drowned man was a mechanic, about thirty-five years of age, and leaves a wife and children.
Robbed Falls-bound car, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1917-10-22).jpg
Railroad accident, tramps near Ironton, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1875-08-04).jpg
Police had to guard diggers, article (Niagara Sun, 1908-05-19).pdf
Ironton men unhappy about Gillespie bringing in workers from out of town to dig Lockport line. AI Transcription: Tuesday, May 19, 1908 POLICE HAD TO GUARD DIGGERS All Kinds of Trouble and Riot on the Lockport Pipeline NORTH TONAWANDA: ITALIANS ATTACK THOSE EMPLOYED BY GILLESPIE CO., DEMANDING THAT THEY GIVE WORK North Tonawanda, May 18.—A riot that was threatened yesterday morning when the T. A. Gillespie Co. imported about 100 Italians to begin the construction of Lockport’s main supply pipe through East Avenue and Wheatfield streets occurred yesterday afternoon. It was not the city authorities, as had been expected, but about 100 foreign laborers, brought from points near Buffalo, through which the main line is being constructed. The Poles and Hungarians employed by the Gillespie company claimed that they should be employed instead of the Italians imported on the job. They demanded this from the local representatives of the company, who emphatically refused to countenance the demand, and the Poles and Hungarians left the work in disgust. Shortly after 3 o’clock the 200 foreign laborers refused to work, assembled and demanded that the Gillespie foreman, John E. Ryan and the Gillespie company pay house-rent for their families through the summer. The contractors thoroughly angered the foreigners that it was only with the utmost difficulty that Gillespie men were able to control them. The end of labor troubles was not in sight, when more demonstrations of violence threatened to break out. Mayor Eugene de Kleist being out of town when it became known that the contractors were about to start operations in North Tonawanda early yesterday, Chief Ryan consulted with City Attorney Norman D. Fish on the rights of the local authorities to interrupt the operations of the Gillespie company. Attorney Fish stated that he did not believe the city could legally stop the work in local territory, even with no work started in the streets. While the police sent to guard the Italians was absent at 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon, the Hungarians and Poles swooped down on the imported laborers with stones and clubs and drove them from the trench in Wheatfield street, near Ironton street. The Italians, being greatly outnumbered, decided wisely not to try to return the attack, but took to their heels. They ran through adjoining lots and lumber yards, followed by a fusillade of stones and clubs. Their assailants made no attempts to pursue them, being satisfied with having driven them from the street. Word was received at police headquarters of the riot, and Patrolmen Kinzly, Kent, Hoefert, Smith, Sequin, Sullivan, Tunis and Thompkins were soon on the scene. At the sight of the officers hostilities ceased. Under the protection of the officers the Italians returned to work. The officers will remain on duty guarding the Italians. If the trouble assumes more serious proportions, the State militia may be called out to preserve order. Several of the Italians were cut and bruised by the missiles but none was injured sufficiently to require the services of a physician. It was stated during the afternoon that several arrests would likely result from the riot yesterday.
Perfume drunk fined, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1926-05-15).jpg
No wonder a riot occurred, article (Niagara Sun, 1908-05-19).pdf
Man was just a plain tramp, article (Lockport Journal, 1905-11-16).jpg
Jabbed wife with hot poker, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1915-12-20).jpg
Ironton man found drowned, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1923-05-10).jpg
Ironton Italians?, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1901-05-21).jpg
Ironton brawl, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1925-09-04) .jpg
Improvements in Ironton, Grateick, article (Niagara Falls Journal, 1895-07-06).jpg
Hurls saw at brother, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1932-08-03).jpg
Hungarian intrigue in Ironton, article (Niagara Sun, 1897-03-09).jpg
Hungarian church is to be built, article (Niagara Sun, 1909-03-30).jpg
Fine drunken violinist, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1926-09-09).jpg
Fined for striking teacher, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1919-11-21).jpg
Falls man aids burglar capture, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1927-12-29).jpg
Drunk found in chicken coop, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1927-08-23).jpg
Discover still in operation, 44 7th Ave., article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1921-12-01).jpg
Children's playground, Ironton, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1925-07-21).jpg
Car burglars get big haul, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1916-10-20).jpg
Brownie Wrazin of Ironton Street claims wine prescription, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1926-05-15).jpg
Bachelor's humble home arouses ire of Tonawanda aldermen, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1924-11-19).jpg
Attempted murder at Ironton, article (Niagara Courier, 1903-09-19).jpg
A Railroad Riot, article (Daily Gazette, 1882-07-04_004).pdf
An Ironton brute, article (Niagara Sun, 1897-01-12).jpg
Tonawanda Cemetery on 1866 map, map detail (1866).jpg
The Erie Canal (Chapter 31 History of Erie County pp 306-313, c1883).pdf
A good, brief overview of the Erie Canal project. The part pertaining to Tonawanda: The first work done on the canal in Erie county was at Tonawanda, or rather at the point where Tonawanda now stands, for that village is entirely an outgrowth of the canal. The commissioners, having deter mined to use a portion of Tonawanda creek as a part of the canal, con tracted in the winter of 1822-’23 with Judge Samuel Wilkeson and Dr. Ebenezer Johnson to build a dam across that stream, near its mouth. Work was soon begun and was continued through the summer of 1823.
Lumber Laden Vessel, North Tonawanda, postcard (1919).jpg
Robert Hope Jones suicide noted in St. Mark's Parish Registry (1914-09-12).jpg
Gillie Machine Co., illustration (c.1900).jpg
Col Lewis S Payne, engraved portrait (c1862).jpg
Buffalo Norsemen, Tonawanda Sports Center, NAHL ticket stub (1975).jpg
Ironton District School No. 7 ready by fall, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1926-08-13).jpg
High school and School No. 7 open (Wurlitzer?), article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1926-09-09).jpg
Former Tonawanda Sports Center and Twin City Racquet Club, photo set (Dennis Reed Jr., 2025).jpg
Twin City Racquet Club, Soccer World, Sportsplex; Tonawanda Ice Time, NT Inter-Church Food Pantry, Twin Cities Community Outreach, Inc.
Rosebrook Block on Oliver destroyed by fire, article (Tonawanda News, c 1893 0411).jpg
AI transcription: **DISASTROUS FLAMES** They Totally Wreck an Oliver Street Block This Morning. Ere the first streaks of dawn had lighted up the eastern sky this morning, a large business block on Oliver street was laid in ruins by devouring flames. It was 2:45 o’clock when Mr. D. F. Higgins, proprietor of the Hotel Archer, chancing to look out of the bed-room window, was startled to see red forks of fire shooting upward in the dim light of early morning from the Rosebrook Block opposite. Hastily arising he hurried across the street and pounded on the door until he succeeded in arousing the Wattengel family, who occupied a portion of the building. Mr. and Mrs. Wattengel and three children barely escaped with their lives, losing all wearing apparel. The alarm was promptly sent in over the telephone by H. U. Berger, and seven fire companies responded to the call. The flames had gained such headway, however, that it was impossible to subdue them until the building was a total wreck. The fire started the rear of John Burns shoe store, situated in this block. Robert Riddle lived over the store and lost everything. Louis Wattengel occupied the rooms on the corner of Thompson street with a saloon. His total loss will reach \$1,500. Insurance, \$1,200. Mrs. Forsythe’s building, used as a boarding house, was damaged to the extent of about \$200. The total loss is between \$4,000 and \$5,000. **Notes of the Fire.** The boys of the fire department desire to extend their thanks to Mrs. Forsythe for an excellent breakfast.
Big Blaze of Boxes, Royal fire extinguisher demo outside Archer Hotel, article (Tonawanda News, 1903-02-28).jpg
Also, May 14, 1903, from the NEWS: "E. Satchel of Niagara Falls will give an exhibition of the Badger Chemical fire extinguisher at the corner of Oliver and Thompson streets in front of the Archer Hotel tonight. The display has been arranged for 8:30 o’clock."
The Norsemen's Wild Ride, article (Tim Warchocki, 2025)
Article and photo by Tim Warchocki appearing in the Facebook Group "Buffalo: A Toast to the Town" in August 2025. The Norsemen's Wild Ride How a One-Season Hockey Team Inspired the Greatest Hockey Movie Ever Made In the pantheon of Buffalo hockey lore, no team burns brighter or briefer than the Buffalo Norsemen. They existed for exactly one season—1975-76—yet their story encompasses everything that made minor league hockey both magnificent and insane: overflow crowds, aging legends, young dreamers, financial chaos, controversy, and violence that would inspire Hollywood's most beloved hockey film. This is the story of the Vikings who sailed into North Tonawanda with horned helmet logos and sailed out in disgrace, leaving behind a forfeit that became movie legend. A Hockey-Hungry City Buffalo in 1975 had a beautiful dilemma: too many hockey fans, not enough hockey seats. The Sabres had captured the city's heart, but getting tickets required either deep pockets, deeper connections, or the patience to camp out all night for orange section seats at Memorial Auditorium. "People who wouldn't have bought Manhattan for $24 will stand in line all night and body check their mothers if necessary to purchase a ticket," observed Buffalo News Sports Editor Paul Moran Jr., capturing the fever that gripped Western New York. Enter doctors Syde Taheri and Dudley Turecki, who saw opportunity in arithmetic. More hockey fans than hockey seats equals money waiting to be made. They announced the Buffalo Norsemen of the North American Hockey League with promotional bravado that would make P.T. Barnum proud. The public response was overwhelming. A simple "name-the-team" contest generated over 4,000 entries. More than 100 season ticket requests arrived unsolicited, most from fans who didn't even ask about pricing. As Paul Moran Jr. noted: "Damn the price." The team would play at the Tonawanda Sports Center, a 2,800-seat arena 12 miles north of Buffalo. It was supposed to be part of a grander vision—a three-rink complex with a 6,000-seat showpiece. But dreams cost money, and the big arena never materialized, leaving the team in quarters so cramped that visiting players routinely mocked the conditions. Still, Paul Moran Jr.'s confidence was infectious: "The Norsemen can't miss, even if they try. They are bound to succeed simply by picking up the Sabres' overflow." Famous last words. Building a Team of Misfits and Legends At the center was Guy Trottier, the 34-year-old player-coach from Hull, Quebec, who had terrorized AHL goalies as a Buffalo Bison. Trottier had tied the league goal record with 35 tallies in 1969-70, making him local hockey royalty. "Guy was a favorite with the fans when he played here in Buffalo," recalled GM Willie Marshall—himself a Hockey Hall of Fame legend who served as the bridge between the Bisons' glory days and this new Norse experiment. The supporting cast read like a hockey fever dream: Larry Gould led the offensive charge with 100 points (32 goals, 68 assists) in 71 games, making him one of the NAHL's top scorers. The brother of Sabres forward John Gould, Larry brought skill and family connections that lent the franchise credibility. Steve Atkinson, a 26-year-old former Sabre, posted 61 points in just 37 games—a pace that would have led most professional leagues. The catch? He was frequently playing defense despite being a natural right winger, because the Norsemen were perpetually short of defensemen. Claude Noël, just 19 years old from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, recorded 61 points in 74 games and represented the team's future potential. After the season, he'd try out for the Sabres but fail to make the cut. Undeterred, he'd eventually play one NHL game for Washington and later become an NHL coach with Columbus and Vancouver—making him arguably the Norsemen's most successful alumnus. Charles LaBelle from Stratford, Ontario, contributed 59 points and would later become a central figure in the team's controversial demise. Paul Crowley, a 19-year-old from Montreal, added 60 points and 138 penalty minutes—the kind of skill-and-snarl combination that defined NAHL hockey. Fred Hunt Jr., son of Buffalo Bisons legend Fred Hunt Sr., played 35 games and tallied 22 points, carrying on a family tradition that connected the old Bisons era to this new chapter in Buffalo hockey. Even the backup plan was legendary. When things got desperate, GM Willie Marshall—the all-time AHL scoring leader—actually suited up for a game. Because nothing says "professional sports franchise" like your general manager grabbing a stick. Between the Pipes: Les Binkley's Final Stand In goal, the Norsemen found a living piece of hockey history in Les Binkley, the 41-year-old veteran who had backstopped the Pittsburgh Penguins during their expansion years in the late 1960s. Binkley was one of the original Penguins, playing 54 games in Pittsburgh's inaugural 1967-68 season and serving as their primary goaltender through their early NHL struggles. By 1975, Binkley was in the twilight of his career, but he brought NHL credibility to a franchise that desperately needed it. His 11 wins for the Norsemen represented the final chapter of a career that had spanned the transformation of professional hockey from the Original Six era through expansion. For fans who remembered watching Binkley face down the likes of Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull, seeing him between the pipes at the cramped Tonawanda Sports Center was both nostalgic and poignant—a reminder that hockey dreams don't always end in glory, but they can still end with dignity. A Surprising Season Despite their shoestring budget and subpar facilities, the Norsemen proved surprisingly competitive. They started slowly but caught fire late in the season with an incredible winning streak that propelled them into the playoffs. They finished 30-44, earning fourth place in the NAHL's Western Division and a playoff berth—no small feat for a first-year franchise. At home, they created an intimate, raucous atmosphere that stood in stark contrast to the polished NHL experience. The breakthrough moment came in December when they demolished the Maine Nordiques 8-2, with Larry Gould earning first-star honors. The team's promotional efforts were relentlessly creative. The City of North Tonawanda proclaimed "Buffalo Norsemen Week," complete with an official ceremony featuring local dignitaries and WKBW disc jockey Dan Neaverth at center ice. The legitimacy of this traveling circus received an unexpected boost on September 26, 1975, when the NHL's Buffalo Sabres visited the Tonawanda Sports Center for an exhibition game. The meeting between major league and minor league neighbors was both symbolic and practical—it showed the hockey world that the Norsemen were more than just another failed startup. The game raised funds for SUNY-Buffalo scholarships and gave the new franchise instant credibility. Special promotional nights at Memorial Auditorium featured "orange seat" pricing and tie-ins with Arthur Treacher's fish-and-chips restaurants. The "See the Other Hockey Team" campaign successfully leveraged Sabres mania into minor league curiosity. But success bred its own problems. As the season progressed, tensions mounted with league officials. Player-coach Trottier, never one to bite his tongue, began publicly criticizing what he saw as preferential treatment for teams with higher attendance. "There is apparently a conspiracy going on in the NAHL to get the Buffalo Norsemen out of the playoffs because our attendance is low," Trottier declared. The league's response was swift and harsh. NAHL Commissioner Jack Timmins suspended Trottier indefinitely and fined him $1,000 for "conduct unbecoming a coach and detrimental to the league." GM Willie Marshall took over behind the bench. The Playoffs That Ended Everything In March 1976, the Norsemen faced the Johnstown Jets in the first round of the NAHL playoffs. What followed wasn't just a hockey series—it was the raw material for cinematic legend. The Jets featured a trio of enforcers who would become household names: Jeff Carlson, Steve Carlson, and Dave Hanson. While not all related by blood, they functioned as a unit of controlled chaos that perfectly embodied the NAHL's anything-goes philosophy. The series began at Memorial Auditorium (Johnstown's rink was occupied by a boat show), with the Norsemen winning 5-1. Game 2 went to Johnstown 6-4, but tensions escalated when a handful of Norsemen players remained on the ice to protest a late call. Johnstown fans hurled abuse and debris at the players, and Norsemen defenseman Greg Neeld—the one-eyed former Sabres draft pick—responded by throwing his stick into the stands, earning a two-game suspension. Game 4 returned to the Tonawanda Sports Center and became what the Courier-Express called "a penalty-packed thriller." The first period alone featured 67 penalty minutes. According to Dave Hanson's book "Slap Shot Original," tensions reached a breaking point when Norsemen fans directed racist taunts at Johnstown's Black player Hank Taylor, with fans holding a sign that said Taylor should be playing basketball, not hockey. As players left the ice after the Norsemen's 3-2 victory, Jets center Vern Campigotto began screaming at the suspended Neeld, who was sitting in street clothes with reporters: "Hey you one-eyed bastard, we're going to run you out of the building Saturday." When Steve Carlson—who would later play one of the Hanson Brothers in "Slap Shot"—came off the ice and threw a punch at Neeld, chaos erupted. The punch missed Neeld and instead connected with Tonawanda News reporter Mike Billoni, sending his glasses flying. "As I bent over to look for my glasses, a crowd of Johnstown players surrounded me," Billoni later wrote. "Fearing for my life, I grabbed a stick and started backing up." But the real violence came during Game 5's pregame warmups in Johnstown. During the warmup, a full brawl erupted involving multiple players. Greg Neeld and Charles LaBelle were both hospitalized with injuries severe enough to require ambulance transport. With two of his players leaving the arena in ambulances, Norsemen coach Guy Trottier refused to allow his team to take the ice. Officials started the game clock, and when the Norsemen failed to appear after five minutes, they forfeited both the game and the series. "They brought in some goons to rough us up," GM Willie Marshall said afterward, while Johnstown police with K-9 units escorted the Norsemen to their bus. That pregame skirmish was the last time the Buffalo Norsemen ever took the ice. From Failure to Film History Nancy Dowd was already working on a screenplay about minor league hockey when the Norsemen's season imploded. Her brother Ned played for the Johnstown Jets and witnessed the chaos firsthand, providing raw material that would become the backbone of "Slap Shot." The fictional Charlestown Chiefs were based on the Jets. The notorious Hanson Brothers were inspired by Jeff Carlson, Steve Carlson, and Dave Hanson—who not only lived the real-life mayhem but would later star as themselves in the film. The movie's iconic pregame brawl scene was lifted directly from the violence that ended the Norsemen. According to Dave Hanson, who played one of the Hanson Brothers: "It's not really acting because it's natural. Most of the things that go on might be exaggerated a little, but it has happened to us." When "Slap Shot" began filming just weeks after the Norsemen's final game, many of the Jets players who had been involved in the real violence were cast as themselves. The line between reality and fiction became deliberately blurred, with the movie serving as both entertainment and inadvertent documentary of a specific moment in hockey history. The Norsemen's white uniforms with green and gold trim even appeared in the film as the Hyannisport Presidents, ensuring that Buffalo's failed franchise would achieve immortality through Hollywood. Ironically, the Johnstown Jets and the entire NAHL folded in 1977—the same year "Slap Shot" was released. The league that had provided the raw material for the greatest hockey movie ever made disappeared just as the film hit theaters, making the movie an inadvertent time capsule of a vanished era. Epilogue: Legends in Their Own Time The Buffalo Norsemen disbanded after searching unsuccessfully for new investors. Guy Trottier moved to Europe. Charles LaBelle became an accountant in St. Louis. Claude Noël eventually made the NHL as both player and coach. Les Binkley retired from professional hockey, his long career finally at an end. But in failing spectacularly, the Norsemen achieved immortality. Their story captures a unique moment in Buffalo hockey—between the Bisons era and the Sabres dynasty. Their Viking uniforms remain cult favorites among collectors, and their connection to "Slap Shot" ensures their place in hockey lore. Today, nearly fifty years later, the Norsemen prove that sometimes failure creates a more lasting legacy than success. They came as Vikings seeking glory. They left as legends who didn't know they were legends yet. The Buffalo Norsemen: too wild to survive, too good to forget. "Old-time hockey!" Facebook comments Terry Hunter: "The franchise, the building, and the attendance, was awful. I had season tickets, and there were fewer than 100 season ticket holders. Average attendance was around 750. A few things the author got wrong in this article. The team stated off the season hot, with the top line of Atkinson, Gould, and another fringe NHL’er, Bryan McSheffrey, leading the way. The team had one of the best records in the league into November, but then call-ups by the Toronto Toros of the WHA started hurting. December, January, and February were dismal months. Several players who were assigned to Buffalo by the Toros did not report. Willie Marshall was combing thru other minor leagues, and Sr. A hockey, for warm bodies. He even signed the aged Keke Mortson, a former enemy of the Buffalo Bisons AHL team, for the last dozen games of the season. A few players Toronto did send down, goaltender Mario Vien, and defenseman Greg Neeld, did help down the stretch, and Norsemen finished 4 points ahead of the Broome Dusters, for the last playoff spot in the division, but they still had the 3rd worst record in the league."
St. Mark's Episcopal Church microfilm card.jpg
John Johnson burial record (St. Mark's Parish Register Book 1, 1873-07-11).jpg
The age at death of 73-74 (even its uncertainty) make this a good candidate for being John Johnson, husband of Hannah Johnson. July 9, 1873 is given as the date of death, with the burial July 11 in Sweeney Cemetery. Albert Woods is the clergyman of record. In searching (page by page) through the rest of this register (on familysearch.org), no mention of the Johnsons belonging to the church. The Chadwicks do, however, and probably John arranged for the burial. This grave is also mussing in Sweeney Cemetery (if indeed Hannah and John received headstones).
John, Hannah and Daniel Chadwick, Sweeney street (St. Mark's Parish Register 2, c1879).jpg
John, sister and son on Sweeney Street. Not really sure of the date since not dated in register.
Chadwick pays $1500 fine for assault on woman, article (Niagara Gazette, 1894-02-10).jpg
Caroline Bateman (Chadwick) communicant at St. Mark's Episcopal Church (1871).jpg
New Brunswick-born wife of John Chadwick, who will be dropped off the rolls according to the note in 1874, having not been to church in three years.
Lewis S. Payne, portrait (Civil War Centennial Commission of the Tonawandas, 1965).jpg
Letter (Civil War Centennial Commission of the Tonawandas, 1965).jpg
Sweeney Cemetery vandalism, reader letters (Tonawanda News, 1943-05-03).png
Vandals wreck NT monuments in Sweeney Cemetery, article (Tonawanda News, 1943-03-29).png
Kluxers carry holiday cheer at Tonawanda, article (Courier-Express, 1924-12-24).jpg
The cross they burn is near the old Felton High School, a block away from Sweeney Cemetery.
Hints were all wasted, Black Hannah, article (...Times, 1903-12-13).jpg
Mistake-riddled account only 20 years after Hannah's death. AI Transcription: Special to THE TIMES, NORTH TONAWANDA, Dec. 12.—While negroes have never settled here in any great numbers there was one “black mammy” who defied for many years all hints to move on. She came here when a middle-aged woman, and died in a little hut, built by her own hands, in what has since been called “Black Hannah’s” woods. Attempts were often made to learn something of the old negro woman’s early days, but up to the time of her death, nearly ten years ago, she would not give an inkling of her past history, for fear, it was thought, that she might be taken back into slavery, from which it is believed she escaped and sought refuge here. “Black Hannah” was a Tartar. In her last years she would allow no one to approach within several rods of her hut. She supported herself by doing odd jobs for neighboring farmers and by cultivating a small clearing. She was undoubtedly a centenarian when she died. In spite of her life of a recluse she showed signs of refinement and previous surroundings that placed her above the average slave. She died as she had lived, however, and never divulged anything as to her life before coming here. Definition of “Tartar”: In 19th–early 20th century usage, calling someone a “Tartar” was an idiomatic expression meaning a person who is fierce, harsh, irritable, or difficult to deal with. It derived from the European stereotype of the Central Asian Tatar/Turkic peoples as warlike and formidable. In this article, it’s not meant literally (not her ethnicity), but rather to imply she was tough, unyielding, and forbidding toward others.
Jets coach (Claude) Noel fond of North Tonawanda hockey memories, article (Niagara Gazette, 2012-01-18).jpg
Photo: Liam Richards. Article: Bill Hoppe. Looking for a local connection to the NHL? In 1975-76, Winnipeg Jets coach Claude Noel started his professional hockey career playing forward for the Buffalo Norsemen, the wild North American Hockey League team that enjoyed a one-year run at Sportsplex. A 20-year-old Noel didn’t even have his driver’s license yet. He walked to and from the rink, then known as the Tonawanda Sports Center, on Ridge Road in North Tonawanda. The NAHL was so brutal the Norsemen forfeited a deciding playoff game in Johnstown, Pa., following a brawl during warm-ups. The hockey film “Slap Shot” based a scene on that melee. Still, 36 years later, Noel couldn’t stop smiling while recalling his rookie season on Jan. 7 inside the First Niagara Center prior to the Jets’ 2-1 overtime win against the Sabres. “I really enjoyed my memories here because I was young and I was single and I had a one-bedroom apartment. It was great,” said a nostalgic Noel, whose Jets host the Sabres tonight. “I was starting my pro career. I was making $250 a week. What more can you ask?” The Norsemen featured some familiar names, including early Sabre Steve Atkinson, former NHL goalie Les Binkley and player-coach Guy Trottier, a star with the American Hockey League’s Buffalo Bisons. The league even had players from “Slap Shot,” including the legendary Hanson Brothers – Jeff Carlson, Steve Carlson and Dave Hanson. “This was in ’75. They had black-rimmed glasses and they had, I think, the white tape on it. I’m not sure about the knuckles because I was allergic to wood. I would go nowhere near the corners,” Noel cracked. “I never really dealt with them too much. They were tough boys. They’re friends of mine now. But they were tough boys. I remember. “Whew. You had a fear when you play in the mid-70s under those conditions. I learned that lesson pretty good. It was some pretty wild moments. In Buffalo there’s so many stories. Great stuff.” Noel recalled a 12-hour bus trip to play Beauce Jaros outside Quebec City. “Just before that a player in the league got suspended for a game for biting off the bottom of a guy’s ear, and I thought, ‘What kind of league are we in here?’” Noel said. “The game started at 9 so the merchants could go to the game, and it was just crazy. And we got veteran players, and we got down to two lines quickly. The veterans were like, ‘Oh, my back.’ What’s going on here? It’s pro hockey.” Noel called the year an “eye-opener,” especially the Johnstown incident. “I remember the ride back on the bus I thought, ‘This is going to be a heck of a career if we got to play in this league for five or six years,’” Noel said. “I think it scared me to death enough to work out in the summer and hope I get an opportunity.” Noel signed with the Sabres in 1976, although he never played for them. He spent four productive years with the Hershey Bears, their AHL affiliate, however. “So it scared the bejesus out of me,” Noel said about his NAHL season. “It helped my career actually because I ended up signing a contract and ended up playing in the American League for five years.” He eventually earned seven NHL games with the Washington Capitals in 1979-80. By the way, Noel began driving at the end of his Norsemen campaign. “I borrowed my friend’s car,” he said, “and drove across the border to Niagara Falls and got my license.”
Roster and stats, Buffalo Norsemen (As of 10/28/1975).tab
No. Name Position GP G A Pts. PIM 1 Bill Cheropite Goal 5 0 1 1 11 2 Wayne Morin Defense 7 0 1 1 12 3 Shane McConvey Defense 6 0 4 4 0 4 Dave Syret Defense 7 0 2 2 2 5 Paul Heaver Defense 6 0 1 1 0 6 Reggie Lahley Right Wing 7 3 2 5 20 7 Dave Peace Center 6 3 9 12 0 8 Larry Gould Left Wing 5 0 3 3 2 9 Randy Montgomery Center 6 0 4 4 5 10 Charlie LaSalle Center 7 2 1 3 8 11 Steve Atkinson Right Wing 5 5 5 10 11 12 Byron McShaffrey Right Wing 7 2 3 5 10 14 Fred Hunt Left Wing 7 2 2 4 7 15 Claude Noel Center 6 6 2 8 4 16 Guy Trottier Right Wing 7 4 0 4 12 19 Paul Crowley Right Wing 7 2 0 2 13 20 George Kuzmicx Defense 7 0 1 1 8 Goalie Stats No. Name GP GA SO AVG PIM 1 Bill Cheropite 5 15 0 2.94 — 30 Les Binkley 2 10 0 5.00 — Team Totals GP GF GA W L T 7 31 25 4 3 0 Staff General Manager: Willie Marshall Coach: Guy Trottier Trainer: Gary Stevens Affiliations: Toronto Toros (WHA), Houston Aeros (WHA), Buffalo Sabres (NHL)
Buffalo Norsemen vs. Buffalo Sabres exhibition game, stills from video, rosters (1975-09-26).
From University at Buffalo: "Color, silent film showing a portion of an exhibition hockey game between the National Hockey League (NHL) Buffalo Sabres and the North American Hockey League (NAHL) Buffalo Norsemen most likely played on September 26, 1975 at the Tonawanda (NY) Sports Center." Sabres Rookies & Norsemen Rosters (as appeared in Tonawanda News that day) Sabres Rookies Norsemen No. Name / Position No. Name / Position 28 Bob Sauve (G) 1 Peter Crosbie (G) 30 Ken MacKenzie (G) 30 Dave Miller (G) 31 Don Edwards (G) 2 Wayne Morin (D) — Paul McIntosh (D) 3 Shane McConvey (D) 4 Jean Landry (D) — Scott Mabley (D) 5 Grant Rowe (D) 18 Kevin Walker (D) 6 K. Breitenbach (D) 19 Joe Greentree (D) 22 Bob Young (D) 20 Murray Markie (D) 23 Steve Warr (D) 17 Dave Coons (C) 7 Derek Smith (C) 5 Charlie Labelle (C) 10 Jack Surbey (C) 7 Jim Tunney (C) 20 Neil Korzcak (C) 15 Claude Noel (C) 8 Terry Martin (LW) 8 Larry Gould (LW) 9 Andre Deschamps (LW) 9 R. Montgomery (LW) 15 Michel Deziel (LW) 12 Jim Vanni (LW) 16 Jim Minor (LW) 6 Reg Lahey (RW) — Morris Titanic (RW) 10 T. Ampleford (RW) 17 Gary McAdam (RW) 11 S. Atkinson (RW) — Yvon Dupuis (RW) 14 F. Hunt Jr. (RW) 18 Bob Smulders (RW) 16 Mike Klym (RW)
Whats in a Name? Sometimes money (Tonawanda News, 1975-08-25ish).jpg
Uncertainty hits 3rd ice rink plan (Tonawanda News, 1975-08-06).jpg
Two N-men miss the bus (Tonawanda News, 1975-12-04).jpg
Trottier to play rookies on Friday (Tonawanda News, 1975-09-24).jpg
Trottier given Norsemen post, photo (Tonawanda News, 1975-08-28).jpg
Trottier, Gould pace Norsemens 8-1 romp, photo (Tonawanda News, 1975-12-17).jpg
Toros call up 4 Norsemen, shorthanded Norsemen beaten, Marshall plays, photos (Tonawanda News, 1975-12-27).jpg
Timmons named to NAHL top post (Tonawanda News, 1975-07-23).jpg
Tickets on sale for next four home games, illustrated ad (Tonawanda News, 1975-11-01).jpg
Third period kills Norsemen, photo (Tonawanda News, 1975-12-31).jpg
They will get together again soon, photo of Sabres and Norsemen (Tonawanda News, 1975-09-16).jpg
The Trottiers - Their wish comes true, photos (Tonawanda News, 1975-12-27).jpg
The masks OK, but will Neeld play?, photo of mask (Tonawanda News, 1975-06-17).jpg
Sabre rookies to play Norsemen in exhibition (Tonawanda News, 1975-09-10).jpg
Put your Buffalo Norsemen 10 pack on ice, illustrated ad (Tonawanda News, 1975-09-26).jpg
Phone calls, ride fruitful, Norsemen get vet, Les Binley (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-08).jpg
Penalties stiffer and fewer, Neeld recalled, stats, photos (Tonawanda News, 1975-12-12).jpg
NT City Council designates Norsemen week for economic stimulus (Tonawanda News, 1975-11-19).jpg
North Tonawanda NY Evening News 1975 Grayscale - 5181 - NOVEMBER 1 .pdf
North American League entry cant miss (Tonawanda News, 1975-05-08).jpg
North American Hockey League affiliations (Tonawanda News, 1975-05-08).jpg
Norsemen win, lose on memorable trip (Tonawanda News, 1975-11-17).jpg
Norsemen will seek Sabres aid in paying coach (Tonawanda News, 1975-06-04).jpg
Norsemen Trottier looks like a vet behind bench (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-01).jpg
Norsemen trim St Thomas, their farm team (Tonawanda News, 1975-09-29).jpg
Norsemen top Beauce in wild 11-6 encounter, action photo (Tonawanda News, 1975-11-12).jpg
Norsemen Talent on hand when camp opens (Tonawanda News, 1975-09-18).jpg
Steve Atkinson agrees to terms, training camp photos (Tonawanda News, 1975-09-23).jpg
Norsemen set for run at playoffs, league rundown (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-16).jpg
Norsemen set for NAHL foe (Tonawanda News, 1975-10-04).jpg
Norsemen set for action, rosters (Tonawanda News, 1975-09-26).jpg
Norsemen set five home games in pre-season (Tonawanda News, 1975-08-28).jpg