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WITH THE KOMETS ON YOUR SPORT PAGES 1954-55

Bob Renner, assistant Sports Editor of the News-Sentinel, is now in his third season of presenting to you his fine detailed description and commentary on the Komet games.

Renner's fine analysis of the play of the International Hockey League has truly established him as one of the better hockey writers around the circuit. We know that his timely articles and periodical columns appearing in the News- Sentinel are looked forward to by all of the hockey fans in the area.

THE VOICE OF HOCKEY FROM FORT WAYNE

In a short span of two hockey seasons here in Fort Wayne, Ernie Ashley, Sports Director of Radio Station WOWO, has established himself as one of the top-notch announcers in the business today.

With a station power of 50,000 Watts, Westinghouse WOWO has carried the story of the Komet games to vast reaches in the United States and Canada and hockey fans throughout the International Hockey League have tuned in when their favorite teams were playing the Komets at Memorial Coliseum to follow their team on their road games.

KOMET Komments 1954-55

Big Joe Kastelic is now in his second season with the Komets. Joe is the property of the Buffalo Bisons and is in Fort Wayne on option.

Kastelic is considered one of the better young players in the I.H.L. loop and in his second season, he should be a tower of strength for Pat Wilson's squad. Coming to the Komets, Kastelic skated on the right wing but later Wilson moved him into a defense position due to injuries on the squad. Needless to say, Joe came through in great stye.

Pat Wilson

"Pat" Wilson, Coach of the Komets is now serving his first full season in that capacity. Pat came into the Komet organization at the end of January last season and immediately added a spark to the team. Taking over one of the defense positions and making a few changes with his injury riddled squad, Wilson sparked the team to a nine game winning streak in the home stretch and ended up with a fifth place tie in the International League.

Eddie Olson Playing Coach

If the pre-season training period and the advance preparations necessary to produce a winner are any criterion, Fort Wayne fans can confidently place all of their yearnings and hopes on Eddie Olson, the new Komet Playing Coach.

Olson has taken over the leadership of the Komets and this marks his initial season. A veteran of ten years of American Hockey League warfare, Eddie, has written his mark in the records of Hockey during the past decade and, now, in his third year of coaching, will continue to set a successful pace and further enhance his growing reputation of being one of the finest in the business.

Toledo Shuts Out Komets, 4-0

Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette Oct. 26, 1952
By Bob Reed
Toledo's champion Mercurys with a 3-goal attack in the second period, and backed by the stellar goaltending of Bill Tibbs defeated the Fort Wayne Komets in their first hockey venture of the International Hockey League at the Coliseum last night, 4-0 before a crowd of approximately 5,000.

KOMET FLASHBACK ... Len Thomson The Most Outstanding Center in the History of the IHL

by Bob Chase

In 1956-57 the IHL yearbook listed Len Thomson's statistics as 14 goals, 19 assists and 33 total points in 56 games ... a very misleading entry, as history would reveal.

In the next 12 seasons Len Thornson would average better than 34 goals, 65 assists, 99 points and 63 games per year, to become one of the most outstanding skaters to ever wear the uniform of the Fort Wayne Komets.

We Saw it Happen, But Did It Really?

By Bud Gallmeier

Muskegon, Mich. The land of Make Believe has lost its fascination. Fantasy-has faded intooblivion. Fact has become more unbelievable than fiction. All because of 13 courageous guys who just won't be beaten.

Fort Wayne News-Sentinel April 20, 1963

By Bud Gallmeier

Two Little Changes Help Chuck, Komets

MINNEAPOLIS- Sometimes it's the littlethings in sports which are resposible for the most significant developments.
A batter may alterhis hitting stance a fraction of an inch and add 100 points to his average. A slight change in pitching motion - or on the grip of the ball - may make a 20-game winner out of a tired bullpen pitcher.

IHL Champions Have "New Look"

Saturday October 24, 1964

By Bud Gallmeier

For the first time since Don Westbrook slipped the puck in behind a sprawling Chuck Adamson back on April 21, hockey returns to the Memorial Coliseum tonight.
Westbrook was the "villain" who snapped the Komets' reign as Turner Cup champions of the International Hockey League at the minimum range - one year. Westbrook scored at 3:23 of the second sudden-death overtime period to give the Toledo Blades a 3-2 triumph - and the best of seven series, four games to two.

Ullyot Impressed With rookie Crop

Fort Wayne News-Sentinel Oct. 1963

"I'm impressed with all of them" That was Komet coach-general manager Ken Ullyot's response today when asked about the rookies in the Komet training camp.
"I'm real pleased with what I have seen so far. Davidson (Doug) has displayed a real deft touch around the net. The others are working hard and I would say they have all looked good," he continued.

Minneapolis Balked Over Playing Series

Saturday April 13,1963
By Bud Gallmeier
The series that came pretty close to not being played at all, opens tonight at the Memorial Coliseum. That's right. For four hectic hours Wednesday there was more than a little doubt that Minneapolis would play for the Turner Cup, symbolic of the playoff championship in the International Hockey League.

MEET A KOMET

This week . . . it's time to meet the dynamic duo . . . the Komet box office masterminds ... the folks who provide the guidance and major manpower contributions to having the ticket office run smoothly all the time. They are . . . Mrs. Zimmerman ... or "Flossie" to the majority of our "regulars." ... and "Lee" ... Mr. Leroy Girardot, the box office manager. Mrs. Zimmerman is the team secretary and general "girl Friday." She is normally the voice you hear when calling the K's at 483-1111 for ticket reservations or other information during daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. hours on other than game dates. Mrs. "Z" has been employed by the club for the past eleven years. Hockey has been a way of life with the Zimmerman family from the late 50's to this time. Three Zimmerman boys, John, Dick and Bob have all played hockey in the Fort Wayne minor program, and have also played traveling team hockey at all levels of the sport.

IHL THIS WEEK

Scheduling in this league has always been an interesting area for comparison. True, every club plays 78 games, 39 at home and 39 on the road, but frequency of home and road games at any given time reflect on the league standings rather dramatically at any given time. For instance, between January 5th and the All Star break on January 18th . . . this is the way all clubs will play their schedules. When the All Star break arrives, let's see where each club sits in the standings.

Komet Profile: Gregg Pilling

Gregg Pilling, coach of the Fort Wayne Komets. A truly different and remarkable man, who is completely dedicated to the game of hockey. Gregg was born in Lethbridge, Alberta, September 25th, 1943. He played his junior hockey in his home town of Lethbridge, and later for the Edmonton Junior Oil Kings. In a professional career that spanned 10 years he played for Memphis Wings of the Central Pro League, the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League, the Omaha Knights of the Central Pro League, two seasons in the Eastern Hockey League, two seasons in the Southern Hockey League, and three years with the North American Hockey League. The past five years he has been doubled as both player, coach and manager. In 1971 he also coached in Lucerne, Switzerland.

QUOTES FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE: 1976-77

Folks throughout the league are now buzzing about the IHL All-Star team for this mid-season break. The team was chosen by the players and coach of each club, so there shouldn't be any beefs about who is playing. This time it's the media people who are screaming. After checking the selections, Fort Wayne News Sentinel Sports Editor Bud Gallmeier was heard to proclaim . . . "where are a couple more of our players... like Zanussi and Tudor.

. . . the players can't pick any better than the writers and broadcasters.

IHL THIS WEEK 1976-77

This week, the IHL is in a new phase of their season. The player deadline passed on March 1st at noon, and all teams had to have their rosters finalized at that time. This means that each club had to designate the 16 players who would complete the season. No more trading can take place, and the only new faces can appear is if there would be more than two injuries to any club. They then can bring in one man, until the first injury is healed.

A MESSAGE FROM KEN ULLYOT 1976-77

In the summer of 1958, Fort Wayne, Indiana seemed a great distance from Prince Albert, Sask. All I knew at that time was that there was a job there to reorganize a hockey team that was in danger of folding. I accepted the invitation of Mr. Harold Van Orman and Mr. Ramon Perry to visit Fort Wayne, and discuss the future of both myself and the team: once I met these gentlemen, I knew that, with their faith in the * fans, and in the I.H.L., I had to try to turn the Fort Wayne hockey fortunes around.