Welcome Hockey Fans!
Welcome to the Springfield Hockey Heritage Society!
Springfield, Massachusetts has had a reputation for many years as a "hockey town".
The Springfield Hockey Heritage Society has been formed to preserve and honor the rich history of pro hockey here in Springfield. First and foremost, the SHHS wants to recognize and honor the past heroes of the game. They have been Indians, Kings, Blades, Falcons or Whalers. At different times through the years, they were all "our" teams. The SHHS endeavors to preserve the legacy of hockey here in Springfield by keeping the memory of heroes past alive for the present as well as preserving the rich heritage for future generations.
The SHHS has been in the formative stages for nearly two years. Former archrivals, the Rhode Island Reds have been honored with their own "Historical Society". The Reds' history was a that of a single franchise that played in the CAHL and AHL between 1926 and 1977. The history of pro hockey here in Springfield has been more widespread, although also dating back to 1926 but continuing on to the present. Among the leagues represented by clubs here have been: AHL, CAHL, EHL, WHA and of course NHL. 2010 commences the tenth decade of hockey history. Nine decades thus far, and still counting - thanks to the dedicated local ownership group of the Springfield Falcons, of great hockey memories.
The Reds' society is currently in their tenth season and features a membership of over 700, including more than 100 former Reds players, players from other clubs and team officials. The SHHS has been in contact with former players and officials as well historians who have been both encouraged and excited at the prospect of such an organization to honor the rich heritage of pro hockey here in Springfield. The SHHS is proud to announce that we are now ready to embark on developing our membership base.
Membership in the SHHS is open to all fans, friends and current and former players. Annual membership mirrors a hockey season, running from fall through summer. Your annual membership will include at least three full color newsletters. The term of membership for Charter members will extend through the 2010-2011 hockey season. Your membership also entitles you to discounts on SHHS commemorative merchandise which will be available from the SHHS website or in person. Proceeds from merchandise sales will be used to fund society operations. Currently in the planning stages are live events, details of which will be posted right here at hockeyspringfield.org when they become available.
Like the Reds, we are hopeful that our membership ranks will include former Springfield players, as well as opponents who passed through town, team and league officials, members of the media and of course an undertaking of this nature wouldn't be complete without the fans who regardless of the era or competitive balance of a team, still took the time to attend games on both sides of the Connecticut River.
Thank you for visiting the Springfield Hockey Heritage Society website, and please consider becoming a member. You can learn more about membership in the Society by clicking the links in the SHHS Membership block at the bottom of this page.
The SHHS Mission Statement:
The Springfield Hockey Heritage Society preserves the legacy of pro hockey in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Society is grateful to the players of generations past and present for becoming part of Springfield life for so many passionate hockey fans in and around the Pioneer Valley. The Society, by preserving this legacy, becomes a historical record for pro hockey in Springfield. Our preservation of this rich history will be of interest to past generations and will provide current and future generations with an accurate historical record of professional hockey in Springfield.