The Fort Wayne Komets opened their agenda within the International League on Oct. 25, 1952, with a 4-0 loss to the Toledo Mercurys in entrance of about 5,000 other people at Memorial Coliseum.
The opening faceoff used to be scheduled for 8:15 p.m. and the staff used to be going into the opener with two main gamers sidelined: Captain Jack Timmins and Billy Taylor from the entrance line, in step with an Oct. 25 tale in The Journal Gazette. Timmins had a hand fracture.
The Komets had presented a loose demonstration consultation on Oct. 23 earlier than taking a break day whilst there used to be public skating Oct. 25 on the Coliseum, in step with an Oct. 25 tale in The Journal Gazette.
The Komets have been coached via Alex Wood, who had led the Mercury’s to the championship name the yr earlier than.
Among preview pieces for the primary common Komets recreation used to be an Oct. 25 tale in regards to the including of a hockey program on the new Coliseum (the venue had simply been devoted in September). It contains this gem from JG sports activities creator Bob Reed:
“Hockey, we believe more than the average sport, develops individual favorites and probably the Komets will be no exception. Pick them out for yourselves – blonde and youthful Eddie Long; swarthy and speedy Vic DeMarco; rough and rugged Jack Timmins, when he gets back into the lineup; the pudgy goalie, Stan Fogg; smiling Len Wharton – everyone on the squad probably will have his individual following.”
The JG’s sports activities staff together with Justin A. Cohn percentage information and insights at the Fort Wayne Komets.
“Hockey Makes Its Debut” [excerpts], via Bob Reed (Oct. 25, 1952)
Fort Wayne, the country’s “biggest little sport center,” provides hockey to its program this night. That rapid and tough game strikes in as handiest some other results of the development of the brand new Memorial Coliseum.
Judging from the capability turnout for Thursday evening’s hospital, there may be really extensive pastime – or let’s consider interest? – over the ice game. It is to be remembered, in fact, that the Thursday evening consultation used to be strictly at the area – loose, free of charge – however there used to be additionally the honor that the ones consumers needed to take the difficulty to jot down in for his or her ducats, enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Several 1000’s of such requests needed to be grew to become down for a loss of seats, the hockey other people knowledgeable us.
We assume that Fort Wayne and neighborhood will like hockey. Much of its luck in making its debut will depend on whether or not the Komets turn out to be a successful staff. It will have to be identified on this connection that during coming into the International League, Fort Wayne needed to get started from scratch to construct a staff. There used to be no staff, now not even a nucleus from which to construct. …
For something, Fort Wayne has a tender and hustling membership. As is also observed via the roster, there are handiest 3 who may well be known as previous timers – Stan Fogg, George Harrison and Jack Timmins. The last-named, out at first with a hand fracture, would have without a doubt had a tremendous occupation within the National League however for the truth that he used to be taken into the Canadian Army for 4 or 5 years when he used to be simply on the height of his occupation.
Hockey, we imagine greater than the common game, develops person favorites and almost certainly the Komets can be no exception. Pick them out for yourselves – blonde and younger Eddie Long; swarthy and rapid Vic DeMarco; tough and rugged Jack Timmins, when he will get again into the lineup; the pudgy goalie, Stan Fogg; smiling Len Wharton – everybody at the squad almost certainly may have his person following.
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“Toledo Shuts Out Komets, 4-0,” via Bob Reed (Oct. 26, 1952)
Toledo’s champion Mercurys with a 3-goal assault in the second one duration and sponsored up via the stellar goaltending of Bill Tibbs defeated the Fort Wayne Komets of their first hockey mission of the International League on the Coliseum final evening, 4-0, earlier than a crowd of roughly 5,000.
Toledo scored its 3 first objectives in a blistering 2nd duration when the Fort Wayne protection busted broad open. Until this level it used to be an excellent fight, however Tibbs, all-league goalie a yr in the past, used to be at his submit. Time and once more he stopped what gave the look of a success photographs from the rapid Vic DeMarco, Frank Facto, Doug Houston and Bob Braganola.
The recreation used to be enlivened within the ultimate duration with some actual fisticuffs as George Burke of Toledo and Eddie Long of Fort Wayne and Paul Emms and Braganola started to flail away. The 4 were given the key consequences and noticed the remainder of the sport from that field.
The goalies were given the largest exercise of all within the first duration.
Alex Wood, the Fort Wayne trainer who led his fighters to the name a yr in the past, guided them via a combating and competitive first duration and so they attacked all over, the use of energy performs for which Coach Wood is a professional.
So tough used to be the primary duration that six hit the penalty field and each groups have been skating quick as a rule.
Stan Fogg, Komet goalie, won himself a gang of supporters via his defensive paintings on the nets. He had no less than a part dozen tremendous saves. In the Komet offensive finish Bob Braganola and Doug Houston have been in the middle of the drives carried out via the Komets.
It used to be after the primary scoreless duration, the extra skilled and most-times speedier Toledo Mercurys cracked the Fort Wayne Komet protection broad open, scoring in 1:40 with Booth taking an help from Cunningham. Then McCuaig, trainer and participant of the guests, discovered the Komet protection open once more and unassisted he attached at 3.56.
The 3rd Toledo target of the second one duration for the Mercurys got here with Bob Braganola within the penalty field. Booth getting an help from Pontarollo at 14:25.
The 2nd duration used to be a quick one and Bill Tibbs used to be stored lovely busy on the nets, creating a reported 9 saves. Fogg had 6 for the Komets.