Calgary Cowboys
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| Calgary Cowboys | |
| Missing image CalgaryCowboys_100.png Calgary Cowboys | |
| Founded | 1972 (as Miami Screaming Eagles) |
| Home ice | Stampede Corral |
| Based in | Calgary |
| Colours | Red, white |
| League | World Hockey Association |
| Head coach | Joe Crozier |
| General manager | n/a |
The Calgary Cowboys were a professional ice hockey team that played in the World Hockey Association in the 1970s in Calgary, Alberta.
Their jersey colors were red and white, their home rink was the Calgary Corral, and their coach for both seasons was Joe Crozier.
History
The franchise started as the Miami Screaming Eagles in 1972. Before playing a single game they moved to Philadelphia to become the Philadelphia Blazers. After only one season in Philadelphia, the franchise moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, becoming the Vancouver Blazers. The last two seasons of the franchise history were then played in Calgary from 1975 to 1977.
The first season in Calgary netted them a 41-35-4 record. During a match in the playoffs, between the Cowboys and the Quebec Nordiques, Cowboy forward Rick Jodzio attacked Nordiques star Marc Tardif. This attack created one of the largest bench clearing brawls in pro-hockey history. Tardif suffered major injuries to the head, he lost teeth, and sustained brain damage. Jodzio later plead guilty to the attack in a court of law and was fined and suspended. Even though this happened, Calgary was able beat the Nordiques in the playoffs in 5 games, but were stopped in the second round by the Winnipeg Jets.
The second season brought out opinions that a move to Ottawa was going to happen, but because of past problems with WHA teams in Ottawa that the Cowboys stayed in Calgary. In one infamous game as a protest for the referee's call, the coach Joe Crozier dumped the spare hockey sticks onto the ice. The team missed the playoffs with a 31-43-7 record, and because a satisfactory number of season tickets weren't sold by May 31, 1977, management elected to abandon the franchise.
Attendance Figures
1975-1976 Avg. Per Game: 4,948 Total: 197,913
1976-1977 Avg. Per Game: 4,313 Total: 172,535
Team Affiliations
1975-1976 Johnston Jets (NAHL) and Charlotte Checkers (SHL)
1976-1977 Tidewater Sharks (SHL) and Erie Blades (NAHL)