“There’s just some kind of feeling when your flag is going up and you’re listening to the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ and there’s 10,000 Russians in the stand and armed guards in each corner,” he said at the time. 385 Broadway, Suite 105 in the Citizens Bank Building, Revere, MA 02151, ← Ambroz named as new Boys & Girls Club of Boston president, Charlestown Community Impact Fund Grant Awards April 15 2017, Information Packet from Engaged Charlestown Residents Meeting with Wynn, Feb. 11, 2015. "I had hurt my knee and couldn't play the rest of the year. Factions existed, until Brooks masterfully united all with his autocratic genius. In the Charlestown Patriot newspaper some 41 years ago, on page 3 of the Feb. 14, 1980, edition, an easily missed article appeared about a Charlestown hockey player headed off to the Olympics. As a first-time actor, Mantenuto starred as Jack O'Callahan in the 2004 Disney film based on the U.S. hockey team's 1980 Winter Olympics "Miracle on Ice" game against the Soviet Union. Herb Brooks, their coach, rode them hard. He was claimed by New Jersey on October 5, 1987. More Jack O'Callahan videos. Jack O'Callahan is 55 years old, living in the Chicago area, and for ther past twenty years has been the co-owner of Beanpot Financial Services. Factual error: The movie makes it clear that Jack O'Callahan's first game since his injury was the game against the Soviet Union. I'll tell you this too. O'Callahan co-founded Beanpot Financial Services with former NHL player Jack Hughes, who also played college hockey at Harvard. We had nukes. “Though considered the underdog by some, the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team hopes to be ‘standing there’ listening to their National Anthem during the next week,” read the article. The Chicago Blackhawks and Blackhawks.com are trademarks of Chicago Blackhawk Hockey Team, Inc. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. The anguished look on O’Callahan’s face in the locker room at Madison Square Garden said it all. He put his equipment back on, went out and scored some key goals. The Americans were outshot, 18-8, in the first period, but emerged with a 2-2 tie. "Never gets old," said O'Callahan, who recently relocated from Chicago to Florida with wife, Jenny, and his golf clubs. Mission accomplished. Required fields are marked *. We had no idea what effect we were having outside Lake Placid. That Monday in the United States might as well have been closed for business. A few nights later, O'Callahan came to Chicago Stadium. The article also quoted him talking in an interview about how great it was to hear the National Anthem while competing for the National Team in 1979 in Moscow. Like I said, I never get tired of talking about 1980. Charlestown’s Jack O’Callahan made his return to the ice after sustaining an injury against this same Soviet team in New York City. We wonder if he immediately purchased a dishwasher—since he cut his hand in the process. The Soviets outgunned the U.S., 12-2, in the second period and took a 3-2 lead. 1987-1988 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (2) 1986-1987 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (3) 1985-1986 Regular Season Fight Card NHL (4) 1984-1985 Postseason Fight … Very tense time. He earned a degree, launching a hugely successful business career. During the opening game of the Olympic tournament against Sweden, McClanahan sustained a bruise on the upper thigh, which left the US team's roster short a second player, as teammate Jack O'Callahan had been injured during the exhibition game against the Soviet Union only three days prior to the Olympics. The Soviets were unbelievable. Thus, a tape delay. And the overwhelming feedback is positive. Your email address will not be published. Not exactly hockey hotbeds. At a Christmas party, they presented him with a whip. Find Jack O'Callahan stats, teams, height, weight, Position: Defenseman Experts also diagnosed him with a mild neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury, likely related to repeated head injuries. 'Oh, you were on that team….' "That got our attention," O'Callahan went on. THE VERDICT: 'Miracle on Ice' 40 Years Later Former Blackhawks defenseman and member of 1980 team Jack O'Callahan to drop ceremonial puck … USA vs. Soviet Union. Copyright © 1999-2020 Chicago Blackhawk Hockey Team, Inc. and the National Hockey League. A snowy hamlet erupted, along with a nation. Maybe we'd see a New York Post that was two days old. Blackhawks.com is the official website of the Chicago Blackhawks. The visitors are coached by David Quinn, a pal who came to the National Hockey League from Boston University, where O'Callahan showed enough to be drafted by the Blackhawks in 1977. The Soviets had nukes. Bob Verdi Jack O'Callahan, a defenseman for the Devils, was suspended for three games by the National Hockey League today as a result of an intent-to-injure match penalty he was assessed in … America won, 4-2. Our whole country, pulling for us. He was good enough to make it onto the world championship team in 1979, … Jim Craig, the U.S. goalie, was stellar. Had they lost, it was mathematically possible for them to leave Lake Placid without any medal. 385 Broadway, Suite 105 in the Citizens Bank Building, Revere, MA 02151 He was a power in the NHL. Michael Mantenuto, 32, was charged with injury to real property, injury to personal property and resisting arrest. The kids were mostly from Minnesota, a few from New England. glimpsesfromanivorytower Musings on hockey, gymnastics, literature, and life in general ... sport where the team is literally down a man and can’t bring in a replacement if someone leaves mid-game owing to an injury. Learn how your comment data is processed. On Feb. 22, 1980, the Olympic Field House was packed with 8,500 spectators. Remember telegrams? Scary.". **Also in 2004, Jack O’Callahan was involved in one of the most basic kitchen chores—washing dishes. I wound up playing five years in Chicago and loved it. Top to bottom. "The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan, which prompted President Carter to declare a U.S. boycott of the Summer Olympics in Moscow. In the article, there was hope that the USA Hockey team would make it to the medal round, but perhaps not a lot of confidence that they could make it past the incredibly challenging Soviet Union (Russia) team. Jack O'Callahan. "Somewhere in that first week, we came to the practice rink one day and our trainers had plastered the walls with telegrams. Wednesday night, their former defenseman shall venture to center ice of the United Center as a preamble to an Original Six tiff against the New York Rangers. HOW HE GOT AWAY: WAIVER DRAFT: Chicago left O'Callahan unprotected for the 1987 NHL Waiver Draft. Drafted by Calgary Cowboys - round 8 #68 overall 1977 WHA Amateur Draft … Defense Born Jul 24 1957 -- Charlestown, MA [63 yrs. **Oh! "Then we started the tournament with a good game against Sweden, and we beat the Czechs, who were really talented. He also played for Team USA at the 1979 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Moscow. Lake Placid is a village in upstate New York, too tiny to stage what the Winter Games have become. Bill Wirtz was not only running the Blackhawks. Wednesday night's puck drop will serve as a celebration of Saturday's 40th anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice," a tale sanctified by a stunning triumph over a prohibitively favored "amateur" Soviet Union machine, the ultimate dream team. In actuality, he had some playing time in … Before the Blackhawks took on the Rangers Wednesday night, former Hawks defenseman and member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, Jack O'Callahan, dropped the puck to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the night Team USA defeated the Soviet Union in Lake Placid, New York on Feb. 22, 1980. At that juncture, Soviet Coach Viktor Tikhonov pulled Vladislav Tretiak, nominally the world's best goalie, for Vladimir Myshkin. Can't you tell?". But the Americans still were given no chance, especially after they got drilled, 10-3, by the Soviets in their last exhibition game at Madison Square Garden. Iron Curtain. ... On the injury front, Zack Smith practiced in the morning but didn’t play Wednesday. The Magazine Basic Theme by bavotasan.com. The game against the Soviets has been named the greatest sporting event in American history time and again – and Charlestown’s O’Callahan was an indelible part of that effort. "People I don't know, I'll bump into them in a restaurant or wherever. "Now, I was a Blackhawk," recalled O'Callahan. He dropped the ceremonial puck. Everybody remembers where they were when it happened.". “But first they must face some tough competitors.”. Jack O’Callahan The only member of the team from Boston proper, O’Callahan grew up in Charlestown and graduated from Boston Latin School before a four-year career at Boston University. We have a 40th reunion in Las Vegas after I leave Chicago. Al Michaels, en route to broadcast greatness after breaking in as radio voice of the Cincinnati Reds, counted down the seconds with analyst Ken Dryden by his side. Michael Mantenuto, known for his role as Jack O'Callahan in the Disney sports film Miracle, about the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, has died. The article indicates O’Callahan was suffering from a knee injury, but expected to play in the games that stretched from Feb. 12 to Feb. 24, 1980. by American college kids weren't thought of as NHL caliber. The next 10 minutes, the last 10 minutes, were amazing because they were true. From Arkansas, Nevada, Texas, Louisiana. The U.S. Hockey Team would eventually beat the Soviets in 1980 to advance to the gold medal game. O’Callahan had just graduated from Boston University in 1979, where he had a stellar career, and had previously attended Boston Latin School as a young man. Yes!" All Rights Reserved. But I remember the night. Our country needed something.". Herb had to hand in his 20 man Olympic roster in … All Rights Reserved. … / Blackhawks.com. They were tough, they were smart, they didn't take penalties. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. Copyright © 2021 . In 2005 Manny Fernandez hurt his shoulder while using a blow dryer to dry his hair. O'Callahan graduated from Boston Latin School in 1975 and then attended Boston University from 1975–1979, where he was a team captain during the 1977–78 and 1978–79 seasons and was named All-East twice, All-New England and All-America, team MVP twice, Beanpot MVP, NCAA tournament MVP, and Cochrane award winner twice. Mind you, the Americans still had to beat Finland two days later for the gold. And Jack O'Callahan suffers a sprained knee in the process, but it's decided that he'll stay on the roster rather than be replaced. Year By Year Fight Totals. The building rocked. O’Callahan suffered a knee injury in that game and some doctors felt he would miss the Games. Interest rates were like 17 percent. Now, 40 years later, Eruzione just wrote a book. And he was behind us and the Canadian Olympic team, big time. Then, the trainers showed us another storage room. Kaplan: Early during player tryouts, Jim Craig asks Jack O'Callahan if there was a reason Joe Mullen wasn't trying out. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Brooks warned his kids that they would take a defeat there "to your graves." ago] Height 6.01 -- Weight 190 [185 cm/86 kg] Drafted by Chicago Blackhawks - round 6 #96 overall 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. In Charlestown’s Emmons Horrigan O’Neil Rink, just next to the door still lies a photo of O’Callahan, signed, with his writing expressing, “I learned to play hockey in this rink!”, Your email address will not be published. Jack O'Callahan played close to 400 NHL games for the Chicago Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils during the 1980s. If visitors to Lake Placid sought refuge in a veritable bubble - there were three TV channels available, maybe one from Canada - American players had no choice but to escape reality. Large venues mean big business now, but in 1980, athletes, fans and journalists all congregated there or nearabout, somewhat sequestered from the real world, which was on fire. The eighth installment of Breaking the Ice features #24, Rob McClanahan, as he dishes on hockey fights, team chemistry and carrying the Olympic torch. Lake Placid, though, that was special. McClanahan responded to Brooks’ challenge--thigh injury and all. O’Callahan (defense) joined the Olympic team a year after graduating from Boston University, where he served as captain for two seasons. Designed and maintained by Boston Web Design - Sparkwire Solutions Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin took the faceoff as team representatives. Mark Johnson made it 3-3, and then captain Mike Eruzione scored at 10:00 for a 4-3 lead. But we were hanging in.". The wonderful article written by former staffer Kim DePra talked about the career of Charlestown’s Jack O’Callahan, who was 23 and lived with his family on Concord Street. "Cold War at its peak," recalled O'Callahan, 62. As a simple aside unrelated to this movie but very much related to sports and health, a sprain is a stretch or partial tear of a ligament, a strain is … U.S. Olympic Hockey Coach Herb Brooks asks his superiors about Jack O’Callahan in the movie Miracle. There were no 24-hour news networks, no internet. Season Players Videos. The article also quoted him talking in an interview about how great it was to hear the National Anthem while competing for the National Team in 1979 in Moscow. The article indicates O’Callahan was suffering from a knee injury, but expected to play in the games that stretched from Feb. 12 to Feb. 24, 1980. We had 52 hostages being held in Iran, where our flag was being burned. Jack O’Callahan. But then the American kids decided they would craft what Sports Illustrated would hail as the sports story of the century. "He later called it the mistake of his life, but he probably did it to shake his team up. (781) 485-0588 | Fax (781) 485-1403 ABC requested the late afternoon start be changed to Friday night for prime time. They could do whatever they wanted with the puck. The price of vanity. Finally, Michaels' call: "Do You Believe in Miracles? Cars lining up at gas stations here according to their license plates because of shortages. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. Denied by governing poohbahs. It was an unbelievable experience. It was also while in his native New England that O'Callahan joined a group of ambitious college kids who authored what became an undeclared national holiday: a gold medal for the United States men's hockey team at the 1980 Winter Olympics. The colossal upset spawned two movies, documentaries and countless memoirs. Hundreds of boxes, more telegrams. Little did anyone know that the young man from Concord Street was headed off to make the kind of sporting history that has rarely been repeated – a feat that was as much political as it was sporting triumph. What happened in the Olympics opened some eyes. Enter Search Term. Not for the first time, Jack O'Callahan will drop a ceremonial puck before the Blackhawks play for real. 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