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Five Hall Of Fame Legends To Attend R. I. Reds 10th Reunion

Providence, RI (7/4/2010): A cast of five Hall of Fame hockey players who once played for the Rhode Island Reds will attend the R. I. Reds Heritage Society’s 10th annual reunion at Goddard State Park on Sunday, August 1.

The non-profit organization has announced that it has received commitments to attend from Hockey Hall of Fame members Johnny Bower, Milt Schmidt and Ferny Flaman, plus American Hockey League HOF inductees Willie Marshall and Gil Mayer.

“The presence of these great hockey players of the past, who once wore the uniform of the Reds, certainly promises to make our tenth annual reunion the most memorable,” said Buster Clegg, president of the society. “These former Reds’ players continue to show their dedication to help our mission to restore and preserve the great 51-year history of the Reds.”

Schmidt, now 92, played his first pro game with the Reds back in 1936 at age of eighteen. From there he became one of the greatest centers in Boston Bruins’ history and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in 1961.

Flaman ended his playing career with the Reds in the mid-60s, first as player-coach and later general manager of the team. Before that he was a Boston Bruins’ all-star defenseman and was enshrined in the Hockey HOF in1990.

Of course, Bower was the goaltender who led the Reds to the AHL Calder Cup title in 1955-56 – the team’s last championship. Well into his age of 40-plus, he backstopped the Toronto Maple Leafs to four consecutive NHL Stanley Cup crowns in the 1960s. He was elected to the Hockey HOF in 1976 and the AHL’s in 2006.

When the AHL inaugurated its own Hall of Fame in 2006, Bower, Marshall and Mayer were three of the first selections in the first two years. Marshall - the league’s all-time leader in games played (1,205), goals (523), assists (852) and points (1,375) - spent three productive seasons with the Reds in the 1960s. In all he played 20 seasons in the AHL.

Mayer finished a brilliant goaltending career with the Reds in 1962-63. In the 1950s - with the Pittsburgh Hornets – he captured five AHL goaltender titles in a six-year span, during which he also was elected to five all-star team berths. He was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2007.

The five Hall-of-Fame superstars of hockey will be joined by at least 20 more former Reds and other pros at the 10th reunion barbecue on Sunday, August 1. Another opportunity for fans to mingle with the players will be at a Saturday evening (July 31) special New England lobster bake at the 12 Acres restaurant in Smithfield, RI.

For further information call 401-230-5905 or e-mail RIREDS15@gmail.com.

R. I. Reds Heritage Society
PO Box 504 Lincoln, RI 02895
Telephone: 401-230-5905
email: RIREDS15@gmail.com