Hockey in Hilton? Ever happened?

[rebecacy]

I was at one of the first hockey games ever played in Hilton. There also was a concert that weekend which limited the ice making time. Accordingly, there were thin spots on the ice which when skated over would create sparks. The refs would stop the game, get a watering can, and sprinkle water on the spot then resume play..

Another time, they used to have cheerleaders play broomball out on the ice during an intermission. To pick up attendance they had Chris Taylor, ISU heavyweight thought to be around 450 pounds (didn't have a scale large enough to wiegh him), play broomball with them. Chris was a great sport and didn't even fall down on the ice once. Watching the girls buzz around him like gnats was really funny. He showed up in a short sleeve shirt as he didn't wear a coat even in the dead of winter.

I remember seeing Chis Taylor on ice !!!!!

[ZeaMaize]

I worked in Hilton from 79-83 as student taking care of the concession stands. Before Johnny came, Lynn Nance complained about the floor being cold for BB practices and games. They laid the BB floor over the ice; there were sheets of something between the ice and the wood floor of course. I don't remember Johnny saying that for sure about no more ice; but that would make a lot of sense that he did.

The coils to make ice would of course still be in the concrete in the floor; I assume the refrigeration equipment is still there to pump cool stuff through those coils? Don't they still do a show like Disney on Ice or something like that that needs ice?

They used to open Hilton up one night (a week i think) for students to come in and ice skate back then. I still have the pair of ice skates I bought when that program was ended; about the time Johnny came.

Oh, yes they did play hockey in Hilton in response to the main question!!! Remember the games very well; having never seen hockey, it was pretty neat seeing guys getting checked into the plexiglass!

Then of course we had the US Hockey team playing and beating the Russians in 80. Remember watching one of the games over break (or right at the start of break) in the den at the Towers with some of the guys who really knew hockey.

Just a few of us were left around; but we were all watching the game that night.

[MileHiCyclone]

ISU has hosted the ACHA Nationals three times, 93-94, 97-98, and 03-04. I attended some of the games in 97-98, they were all played at Hilton. I have a puck from one of the games. It would be awesome to make it a D1 program but it will be hard to find the support(money) for it as well as a women's sport.

[jbhtexas]

I'd certainly do it before baseball.

Which is why I'm thankful that you aren't ISU's AD.

If you were going to add a major sport at ISU, why would you add a sport that

1) Isn't sponsored by the athletic conference to which ISU belongs
2) Presently played by only 58 Div 1 teams
3) Doesn't crack the top ten in high school particiaption (i.e. grass roots interest)

When you could add a sport like baseball that:

1) Is sponsored by the athletic conference to which ISU belongs
2) Presently has 293 particiapting teams
3) Number 3 (shool-wise) / 4 (athlete-wise) in high school particiaption

NCAA Publications - Student-Athlete Participation - 1981-82 — 2010-11 NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Report

http://www.edweek.org/media/201011sp...ation-blog.pdf

[ZeaMaize]

I remember seeing Chis Taylor on ice !!!!!

Chris Taylor used to be a bouncer at bar south of downtown, just south of the railroad tracks. Can't remember the name of the place, but it was big place.

[BCClone]

Worked there between 91-94. Set up for a hockey match and stars on ice, nancy Kerrigan was there, heard many stories about her. Was a bearcat to set up. The basketball floor was a couple hours, hockey took a good day or so. The arena circle was pushed in and parquet was the closest.

Sounds like I might have worked with a few of you guys. Concerts were great back then, I was on the tech crew which set up the shows and did floor security.

[pulse]

The reason Johnny didn't want the ice in Hilton is because that would lay the BBall floor right over it and there would be condensation on the court. The ISU Hockey Club played many of their first game in Hilton until the converted an old warehouse into the first Ames/ISU ice arena.

This. Nothing compared to the atmosphere at the old ice arena. Dollar beer.

[CleetusAwreetus]

What about curling? Please tell me there was curling. I think I would drive to Ames to see even an intramural match at least once.

[rebecacy]

This. Nothing compared to the atmosphere at the old ice arena. Dollar beer.

OLD????? come on -- I remember when it was new and I took my son there to play peewee hockey.

[pulse]

OLD????? come on -- I remember when it was new and I took my son there to play peewee hockey.

Are talking the current one built in 2001, or the one before that? I was talking about the one before that.

[clonestar12]

Yes, hockey has been played in Hilton many times. We used to put the basketball court over the ice when events were scheduled close together.

[rebecacy]

Are talking the current one built in 2001, or the one before that? I was talking about the one before that.

The one my son played hockey in at the age of 3 -- in 1980.

[clonestar12]

Oh, yes they did play hockey in Hilton in response to the main question!!! Remember the games very well; having never seen hockey, it was pretty neat seeing guys getting checked into the plexiglass!

Then of course we had the US Hockey team playing and beating the Russians in 80. Remember watching one of the games over break (or right at the start of break) in the den at the Towers with some of the guys who really knew hockey.

Just a few of us were left around; but we were all watching the game that night.

I was on the tech staff from 81-85. We put in ice many times. Putting in the hockey dashers was a pain, but driving the zamboni was fun. We had to put down a fiber board over the ice, before we put in the basketball court. The temperature courtside was a bit cooler, but it was not extreme by any means.

[clonestar12]

The reason Johnny didn't want the ice in Hilton is because that would lay the BBall floor right over it and there would be condensation on the court. The ISU Hockey Club played many of their first game in Hilton until the converted an old warehouse into the first Ames/ISU ice arena.

hockey was played at Hilton during Johnny`s time, so it was an urban legend. The floor did not get that much condensation, as there was plenty of insulation between the ice and bb court. The bb court was also a few inches above the insulation that was put down, which helped.

[VeloClone]

I was on the tech staff from 81-85. We put in ice many times. Putting in the hockey dashers was a pain, but driving the zamboni was fun. We had to put down a fiber board over the ice, before we put in the basketball court. The temperature courtside was a bit cooler, but it was not extreme by any means.

Homosote. I was there '90-95. It was a real mess getting the homosote out of the storeroom after the flood. I just about bought it due to carbon monoxide poisoning. And yes, it is an official size floor for NCAA and NHL. An olympic floor is the only larger sheet of ice for hockey.

Those dashers were ridiculous; all steel construction and heavy as hell. I'm buying some dashers right now. It is incredible how far they have come.

EDIT: And by the way, back in the day it technically wasn't a Zamboni. It was a rare Tennant ice refinsher. Thing was a beast.