RIP Pavelich

[MR. ELITE RUNNER]

I wasn't alive when this happened but I get pretty pumped up and choked up everytime I watch highlights of the game or the movie. Mark Pavelich had the assist on the game winning goal.

 

[Alaskajim]

Sad, Sad, Sad. Mark had as many as 50 concussions during his hockey career according to his family. These last 10 years or so you could definitely tell that something wasn’t right up there in his head. All b/c of a game. It’s just so sad, RIP to you Mark, rest easy.

 

[Trial153]

Terrible. We are only just starting to understand the long effects of this has, and how people suffer with it.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I remember that game. I was just a kid, but I recall the excitement clearly. There are still signs up in Lake Placid that say, "home of the miracle on ice."

RIP Mark.

 

[MR. ELITE RUNNER]

Yea his final years were not good to say the least. Its sad for sure. Anybody know If his brain is gonna be used for science? I haven't read anything that said if they were.

 

[Big Fin]

For those who remember this as the sporting event of their formative life, as it was for me, seeing him suffer through some serious brain and mental health issues the last decade is sad to watch.

When this Olympics happened, I was 15 years old. I remember watching everyone of those games in family rooms stacked full of people, all joining at whatever neighbor had the nicest TV and the best antenna reception. You could have robbed any business in Northern MN on those February nights and nobody would have paid much attention; we were all too busy watching the local boys shock the world.

These were the players we were all excited about, as they were all from the North Country (north of Highway 2), though the team had just as many of those "cake eaters" from down south of Hwy 2.

Mark Pavelich - Eveleth
Bill Baker - Grand Rapids
Phil Verchota - Duluth
Neal Broten - Roseau
Dave Christian - Warroad
Buzz Schneider - Babbitt
John Harrington - Virginia

All of these were towns within an hour or two drive from my hometown, making these guys the regular sporting news stories since back when they were in high school. We played their schools in other sports, given our school was too small for a hockey team. My Dad was born in Eveleth and grew up between Eveleth and Virginia, so it was almost insufferable the number of times I heard his four-beer recital of the Pavelich and Harrington family histories.

The context of the Russians being the Cold War villains we hated only served to make this so much more of a David v. Goliath, likely not well understood for those who did not live it. The paid Commie (truly was at that time) pros against a bunch of 20-22 year old amateurs who didn't know what a big spotlight they were in.

RIP Mr. Pavelich.

 

[BuzzH]

I remember watching those games as well...best sports story in history for all kinds of reasons.

 

[Western Traveler1]

I was drawn in to watching the series with a lady i was datings brother. I was like 30 at the time and she thought “oh look how well they are getting along.” It helped a lot.
What an incredible event.

 

[F250]

One of my buddies on the local small town PD was driving back and forth on Main Street in a cruiser shouting USA !! USA !! USA !! over the loud speaker during the final minutes of the final game !!

 

[OntarioHunter]

For those who remember this as the sporting event of their formative life, as it was for me, seeing him suffer through some serious brain and mental health issues the last decade is sad to watch.

When this Olympics happened, I was 15 years old. I remember watching everyone of those games in family rooms stacked full of people, all joining at whatever neighbor had the nicest TV and the best antenna reception. You could have robbed any business in Northern MN on those February nights and nobody would have paid much attention; we were all too busy watching the local boys shock the world.

These were the players we were all excited about, as they were all from the North Country (north of Highway 2), though the team had just as many of those "cake eaters" from down south of Hwy 2.

Mark Pavelich - Eveleth
Bill Baker - Grand Rapids
Phil Verchota - Duluth
Neal Broten - Roseau
Dave Christian - Warroad
Buzz Schneider - Babbitt
John Harrington - Virginia

All of these were towns within an hour or two drive from my hometown, making these guys the regular sporting news stories since back when they were in high school. We played their schools in other sports, given our school was too small for a hockey team. My Dad was born in Eveleth and grew up between Eveleth and Virginia, so it was almost insufferable the number of times I heard his four-beer recital of the Pavelich and Harrington family histories.

The context of the Russians being the Cold War villains we hated only served to make this so much more of a David v. Goliath, likely not well understood for those who did not live it. The paid Commie (truly was at that time) pros against a bunch of 20-22 year old amateurs who didn't know what a big spotlight they were in.

RIP Mr. Pavelich.

I know your home turf well. Sometimes going "home" to Montana I jump over the hump to Virginia and catch Hwy 2 at Bemidji. Usually cross the line at Baudette and take #11 to the freeway then south to Hwy 2 at Grand Forks. Used to be a big sign coming into Warroad bragging that it's the home of seven NHLers. Maybe more of them now. If the city fathers put one of those signs up on the edge of town here it would be a helluva eyesore to hold all the names and still be readable.

 

[stillkickin]

RIP Mark, gone but never forgotten

 

[WHOCARES]

Remember the game well! Yes, his sister said his brain is being studied for CTE.

 

[duckhunt]

Classic

 

[mdhunter]

I was in 8th grade when the "miracle" happened. It seems like yesterday, lol. RIP Mark P.

 

[TheGrayRider]

“WE BEAT THE RUSSIANS!”

Greatest moment in American sports history ever. Hands down.

God bless his soul. I wish our younger generation could experience such an event. We won the Cold War at that moment, although we probably didn’t realize it.

I miss Dutch. USA still #1.

 

[Harrier]

Very sad. I was 13, in hockey-mad Michigan, in 1980 and the game vs the Soviets and the gold medal were HUGE.

Check out the book “Boys of Winter” for more details about the team members, or of course the movie “Miracle.”

 

[JEL]

I was a senior in HS. MT wasn’t big on hockey at that time but I remember the game and the pride that came with it. It was a big deal. RIP Mark.

 

[MNElkNut]

I was 10 and it was an incredible moment in our history. Chants of USA! USA! USA! were everywhere and to this day, if I hear 3 USA!s in a row, I think back to that time.