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2009 Spirit Award Winners The Sid Salomon Family Even with a rich hockey heritage, St. Louis was not considered a favorite to gain entry to the National Hockey League when in 1965, the league finally voted to expand from six to twelve teams. The franchise price was $2,000,000, and twenty-four groups representing twelve cities bid for the honor of having a major league hockey team. Within a year, five cities were admitted - Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Pittsburg, Philadelphia, and Oakland. Still out in the cold, St. Louis, if it hoped to gain entry, would have to outbid Vancouver, Buffalo, and Baltimore, among others. When the final decision had to be made, St. Louis was able to present some overwhelming assets. It had a completed arena that fulfilled the NHL's requirement that there were at least 12,500 seats, it had the support of the Chicago Blackhawks, which owned the St. Louis Arena; and it had a purchasing group with the highest credentials, which was headed by Sidney Salomon Jr. and his son Sidney Salomon III. Sid Jr. knew sports from every angle. He was a $125-a-month sportswriter for the old St. Louis Times in 1929 at the age of 19. He later entered the insurance business and the firm flourished under his lead. He also became intensely interested in politics. In time he became the treasurer of the Democratic National Committee, not before being involved in one of the turning points in modern American History. Salomon swung the 1944 Democratic Convention into putting Harry Truman on the ballot as vice-president, instead of Henry Wallace. Truman, of course, became vice-president, then President following the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1945. Salomon's interest in politics didn't wane, and in 1960 he became chairman of fund-raising for the successful John F. Kennedy-Lyndon B. Johnson Democratic campaign. Meanwhile the Salomon family maintained an avid interest in sports. Sid Jr. who excelled at golf, won an amateur championship. He served on the board of directors of the old St. Louis Browns as well as on the board of the Cardinals. He bought the Syracuse team of the international league and moved it to Miami in 1955, thereby giving the family sufficient sports-operational experience to make the new team a success. On April 6, 1966, the Blues were the last of six teams added to the NHL in the 1967expansion. St. Louis was chosen over Baltimore. The Salomons were responsible for several monumental improvements in the St. Louis sports scene, but none compare with the multi-million dollar renaissance of the Arena. In a matter of months the classic building received a complete facelift and by opening night it was superior in both design and construction to the other ultra-modern structures which housed the other NHL teams. Meanwhile the Salomons continued to explore every possible method to make hockey a success in St. Louis. "Treat your employees with respect" was their motto, "keep them happy and give the public full value for its money." Producing a winner was one of their top priorities. All was not easy at first, crowds thinned out after the opening game and although Glenn Hall performed weekly miracles in goal, by November the Blues were in the West Division cellar and Lynn Patrick turned over the coaching reins to Bowman. The Blues visited Madison Square Garden in late November and were beaten by the Rangers 1-0. More importantly was a meeting between NY Rangers' manager-coach Emile Francis and the Blues' high command. Francis had been unhappy with the performance with center Gordon "Red" Berenson, a University of Michigan graduate with esoteric interests. Francis dispatched Berenson to St. Louis, along with Barclay Plager, in return for Ron Stewart and Ron Attwell. Suddenly every move made by the Salomons and their staff seemed to have the magic touch and the Blues climbed into the playoffs and ultimately the Stanley Cup finals for three consecutive years. With the success of those early years the Arena became the place to be and one of the loudest buildings in the NHL. During the Salomon ownership, the Blues gained a reputation throughout the league as the ultimate player's team as the Salomom's gave their players cars, signed them to deferred contracts and treated them to vacations in Florida. The players responded by giving their all every night and that was the only way the players could pay the Salomons back. The Salomon family made sure the players gave back to the community and many of you experienced first hand the hockey schools at Winterland Ice Rink with such Blues players as Barc and Bob Plager, Red Berenson, and Noel Picard. Both Bob and Noel were awarded the Spirit Award last year. If it were not for the Salomon family we would not be here tonight.
Marty Vescovo
Marty Vescovo’s love for hockey started
when he was seventeen and attended a St. Louis Braves hockey game with
his dad and brother prior to leaving for the marines in 1963.
When he was discharged in
1966, he returned to find St. Louis was being awarded an NHL team.
His brother and he wasted
no time in obtaining season tickets.
After attending the first
few games, he felt watching was not enough; he had to play the game.
He bought new skates and
spent most of his extra time attending public skating sessions at
Winterland and Steinberg rinks.
It was 3 months later
that he played in his first Senior Men’s hockey league.
As the popularity of hockey increased,
much of it due to the Blues success, he began coaching.
To learn more about the
game, he attended many Blues practice sessions, taking numerous notes.
While both coaching and playing hockey,
one of his favorite techniques was to have the better players on his
Midget team participate in some of his Senior Men’s games.
The result was a
competitiveness that pushed his players to a higher level.
Marty felt that playing
alongside Dave Bates, Dan Pupilllo, Tom Ward, Gary Richterkessing,
Mike Davis and Gary Crowder was like having on the job training.
Many of Marty’s fond memories resulted
for his association with some of the early Blues Players.
Coaching and working with
the Valley and Creve Coeur associations was also memorable.
Having the opportunity to
play with some of the best amateur players in St. Louis also stands
out as something special.
But the one that is very
important is when his 1976 Midget team, having been counted out of the
competition, fought back and worked their way to the Championship
game.
Even though the lost that
game, the team had a plaque made thanking Marty for being their
Greatest Coach.
Many players on that team
expressed that the consolation prize was really the Gold Medal to
them, just realizing that they were able to make it that far.
To Marty, he will always
remember and love those kids!
But with all of those memories
withstanding, being recognized by the St. Louis Amateur Hockey Hall of
Fame is ultimately the best moment he has had concerning his hockey
life.
Just being a part of the
growing ice hockey movement since the Blues arrived in 1967 has been
an awesome experience.
Marty gets much satisfaction seeing the many Blues Alumni and
players both he and they have helped develop be involved in coaching
and participating in amateur hockey throughout the St. Louis region.
Marty would like to again thank everyone involved for honoring
him tonight.
2008 Spirit Award Winners
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St. Louis Amateur Hockey Hall of Fame
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