Comments on: Friday Night Services in a Hockey Cathedral

By: Ravensun

Ravensun — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:07:19 +0000

Hey,
I thought you might like to be able to see what’s going on in that photo… it’s great, by-the-way!

Here you go! (There’s a larger version linked behind the thumbnail.)
Go Oskar!

By: On Frozen Blog › Tales of Heroism from Hershey

On Frozen Blog › Tales of Heroism from Hershey — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:30:37 +0000

By: Lynn

Lynn — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:18:38 +0000

What a thrill! We are the parents of the young Bears fan who got the stick from Oskar on Friday night. Our son is an obsessed Bears fan, and was over the moon when Oskar handed him that stick. My husband and I are long time Bears fans, and some of our first dates were at games at the old barn. We were at the last game there and the first at Giant Center.
Friday night was such a great time for us, because we all just love our hockey, but for our family it means a little bit more. Please indulge me with a little story about why we love the Bears, and look forward each season to a few special players.
Our son (the one in the photo) was born in Guatemala. He was still there waiting for our adoption to be completed when he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 9 months. He began treatment while still in Guatemala, and continued treatment when he came home to us in October of 2003, just after his first birthday. We were thrilled when his Oncologist at Hershey Medical center told us that despite the fact that he was on Chemo, we could still take him to the Bears games. Our son LOVED hockey from the first minute. It was hysterical to watch him so focused on the game. He was so funny trying to move around and watch around those “rookies” who would get up during play. We were able to continue to take him to all of the games.
He treated with Chemotherapy until July of 2004. We thought all was clear until March of 2006 when he had a local recurrence of the cancer and once again had to start Chemo, and this time also with radiation. He treated that time from March until August of 2006.
We were fortunate to have many friends and fellow hockey fans who arranged at that time for Bruce to meet Frederic Cassivi, and from that first meeting our son had found favorite. The Cassivis were so good to us, and over the years we have come to call them friends. We were able to make every home game of the playoffs and of the Calder Cup Final, in between lengthy stays at the hospital. Just after the Calder Cup win, we were able to go to the party at the Giant Center, and the photos we have of our son and Frederic with the Cup are ones we will treasure forever. Our son had no hair and was obviously sick, but his smile is the only thing you notice in those photos. Frederic and his family came to visit Bruce in the hospital, and so did Coco the Bear. I have to tell you that we felt incredibly special to be part of such a wonderful Bears family.
Bruce is now 2 years off treatment and is doing fantastic. He is healthy and doing everything that an almost 6-year-old should be doing, and more.
We try to get to as many practices as we can, and we love going to the Arena because we can be so close to the players.
The bottom line is that we also love that old Arena…my husband and I love it because it means a lot to us to have started our lives together at the games, but we especially love it because our son LOVES it even more…he can climb all over the seats and get right up next to the glass to tease with the players and try to pick out the ones he already knows.
And every now and then he can make a connection with a player like Oskar…a young kid himself who took the time to stop and say hello to a little hockey fan, and to offer something that to Oskar was just one of his sticks, but to our son it was magic…a link to a player that means so much…and a moment that brought tears to his mother’s eyes.
Thanks for that, Oskar…and thanks to the Arena for the memories that were and the new ones that are still being made.

By: Brock Kerchner

Brock Kerchner — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:49:13 +0000

My memories of the ole barn start early. I was raised in Section 25. Anyone with a knowledge of the barn would know us as the rowdies in the corner. Some of the oldest season ticket holders held court in our section and we certainly weren’t family friendly but the amount of hockey knowledge in this section was immense. I will never forget being able to stand up in my second row seat and have a stick come right at my face over the glass in the corner. So many great, great memories, the cups, Neil Little puking, Scott parker taking on the entire Kentucky Thoroughblades team, Bob Hartley’s pre calder cup game descussion with section 25, etc.
I still miss the ole barn greatly. I was also a member of the LVC hockey team in college. My senior year we won the ECAC Northeast championship. We were honored before a Bears game on the ice and our banner raised to the rafters. What a feeling of honor in that house. Ironically, we won the championship in Matthews Arena in Boston. (known as little Hershey for it’s construction date and style) I have many great memories of Bears and LVC moments but too me the best part was always walking the crowded concourse. You never knew who might be the next person to pass you by, Frank Mathers, Tim Tookey, a current NHL player back to visit, etc. Everyone had to come see the ole barn at some time and everyone knew section 25 and the Hershey fans!

By: Scott Antoszewski

Scott Antoszewski — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:26:44 +0000

I enjoyed your article very much. I was fortunate to get to play a scrimmage game last year on that ice in the old barn. It was incredible sitting on that bench, coming out the player tunnel, and looking up at the old scoreboard. My favorite part of the experience was getting to shoot in our little shoot out. Standing at center ice, all those empty seats surrounding me. It was a great experience. To answer your question, no, I missed on my penalty shot.

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:43:20 +0000

Thank you for the article. I was able to recall many memories of my own through your experiences. I grew up about 5 miles from the Arena and although I didn’t get to too many games for financial reasons, the memories I have are rich. I remember sitting up in the “nose bleeds” watching our great Tim Tookey and Mitch Lamoureux and thinking it doesn’t get any better than this! I remember going to watch the exhibition games between the Bears and the Flyers and later the Avalanche.
The Giant Center is nice and fancy. I enjoy my partial season-ticket seats. But I miss being able to walk around the Arena while watching the game and listening to the organ during stoppages of play. And they always had the league standings listed on a manual board at the one end of the Arena so you could keep tabs with the rest of the league! Awesome.
I was one of the few in attendance for Saturday morning’s practice. I was so excited just to go watch some hockey, but the moment I stepped foot in the old barn, I was overcome by the atmosphere. It was kind of ironic, though, as we sat in the seats, my five-year-old daughter complained that they were too hard (funny I was thinking that at the GC on Sunday). And the “funniest” thing of all…..about half way through our time there, she turned to me and asked “Where’s the big tv???”

By: pepper

pepper — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:57:24 +0000

File this one under “Best of OFB.” Instant classic!

By: Jesse

Jesse — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:33:19 +0000

I myself am currently a season ticket holder and have been for years now. I do like the Giant Center for the beer and restrooms alone, but for every other reason I will take the Old Barn any day to watch a hockey game. I watched many games there, enjoyed the AHL all start game and various other types of events. Brawls /w Kentucky and Cornwall stick out in my mind. I coach my kids currently in the Hershey Inhouse program. I never overlook the fact that my kids get to play most of their games in both of the Hershey rinks. Some of the other kids who play on travel teams and Quebec get to travel, visit some nice new modern rinks, but none of those rinks have the history and banners hanging from the rafters like the Old Barn does. I’m enjoying ever second I get to skate w/ my kids and players at the Old Barn I can. Someday, there is a chance it may not be there. Get there, even if it’s just to public skate if you have not been there yet!!!!

By: pucksandbooks

pucksandbooks — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:16:42 +0000

@ Drew, you bet!

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 06:11:53 +0000

Back when I was like 10 years old my grandmother got transfered to a hospital in Harrisburg. She was in bad shape but fully recovered. I remember my father, attempting to take mine and my brother’s mind off the horribly stressful moment, took up to a bears game. It was like the second or third game iv ever been to. The other two were at US Air Arena (Also a great venue). The Arena is just absolutly a great place to watch a hockey game. We sat right behind the wooden back chairs and even being so young I could realize how special the place was. It is a great memory that came out of a pretty horrible time.