U.S. HOCKEY HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 2003
INDUCTEES LaFONTAINE FIRST TO BE ELECTED TO BOTH HALLS IN SAME YEAR
EVELETH, MN, June 20, 2003
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame announced today, four individual inductees and one team to the American ice shrine in Eveleth, Minnesota. The new inductees are John Cunniff (deceased), a native of South Boston, Massachusetts; Dick Dougherty of International Falls, Minnesota; Mark Howe, of Detroit, Michigan; Pat LaFontaine, born in St. Louis, Missouri and raised in Pontiac, Michigan and the 1980 Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Team.
LaFontaine is the first individual to ever be elected to both the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame (Toronto) in the same year. The 1980 Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Team is the second team to be inducted into the Hall. The 1960 Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Team was the first team to be inducted in 2000. In celebration of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame's 30th Anniversary, the Hall will formally induct all four men and the 1980 Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Team at the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota on Saturday, October 18th, 2003.
"In this 30th Anniversary year, we are especially proud to be honoring these four outstanding American hockey greats," said United States Hockey Hall of Fame Board of Directors, President James Findley. "We are also thrilled to be inducting the 1980 Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Team to this year's class," said Findley.
The Hall's 30th Annual Induction Ceremony and Dinner is Saturday, October 18th, 2003. The Induction Ceremony will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 18th, at the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth. The social hour will follow at 4:30 p.m. at the ROCC (curling club facility) next to the Hall of Fame, and the dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. Ticket prices are $40 per person, $20 for students 18 and under and $300 for a table of 8 people. Tickets can be obtained by calling the United States Hockey Hall of Fame at 1-800-HHF-PUCK or 1-800-443-7825.
Mark Howe - Detroit, MI - Born: May 28, 1955
A Detroit, Michigan native, Howe, was already considered one of the finest young players in the game, when at age 16, he was a key member of the silver medal -winning 1972 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team that competed in Sapporo, Japan. Howe also competed in the team's Pre-Olympic Tour that season, as well as the 1981 Canada Cup, where he notched four assists in six games played for Team USA.
Howe exploded onto the pro hockey scene in 1973-74 with 38 goals, and 41 assists. He was named WHA Rookie of the Year and was a key member of the Houston Aeros' championship team in his first year. Howe played an amazing 22 seasons in the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association, beginning with the 1973-74 season and ending with the 1994-95 season.
In his 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, (1982-83 to 1991-92), Howe is the team's all-time leader among defensemen in goals (138), assists (342) and points (480). He holds the record for the second-highest scoring defenseman in professional hockey after Paul Coffey, with 1,247 points (197-545-742 in 929 NHL games and 208-247-505 in 426 WHA games). Howe was a three-time runner up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the NHL's best defenseman in 1983, 1986 and 1987. A three-time First-Team All-Star in 1983, 1986 and 1987, Howe also played in four NHL All-Star Games in 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988. In the 1985-86 season, Howe led the NHL with a plus/minus rating of +85. Howe played in three Stanley Cup Finals in 1985, 1987 and 1995 and won two Avco Cups as a member of the WHA's Houston Aeros in 1974 and 1975. In 1974, Howe received the Lou Kaplan Award as the WHA's Rookie of the Year. Howe was inducted into the Philadelphia Flyer's Hall Of Fame in 2001.
Howe and his wife, Ginger, reside in the Philadelphia area and have three children, Travis, Nolan and Azia.
Pat LaFontaine - St. Louis, Missouri - Born: February 22, 1965
LaFontaine, born in St. Louis Missouri, and raised in Pontiac, Michigan, had an outstanding international career in addition to his 15-year National Hockey League career. He played one season (1982-83) of junior hockey for Verdun in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and was honored as the Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year. His USA Hockey playing experience includes leading his team in scoring with 10 points (5-5) in six games as a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team that competed in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. He was also a member of the 1989 U.S. National Team. LaFontaine helped lead Team USA to the title at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, scoring four points in five games. At the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, LaFontaine tallied one goal and one assist in four games played. LaFontaine was also a key component for the U.S. on the 1987 and 1991 Canada Cup tournaments.
Reaching the 1,000 point plateau in his final NHL season, LaFontaine is currently sixth all-time among Americans in points with 1,013 and third in goals with 468. LaFontaine played eight seasons with the New York Islanders (1983-84 through 1990-91 seasons), and six seasons as a Buffalo Sabre (1991-92 through 1996-97) where he captained the team from 1992-97. He finished his career with the New York Rangers in 1997-98. Remarkably, LaFontaine scored at least 40 goals in six consecutive seasons in the NHL. He played in 5 NHL All-Star Games in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1993. After posting career-best marks for points (148) and assists (95) for the Sabres, LaFontaine was elected as an NHL Second Team All-Star in the 1992-93 season.
He received the Dodge/NHL Performer of the Year Award in 1989-90 after scoring 105 points, including a career-high, 54 goals for the Islanders. He was also awarded the NHL's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1994-95 for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, and the USA Hockey Distinguished Achievement Award in 1993.
LaFontaine and his wife, Marybeth, reside in Lloyd Harbor, New York with their three children, Sarah, Brianna and Daniel.
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