Monday, October 25, 2010
Kings of the Road available nationwide!
Kings of the Road: The Story of the Portland Buckaroos is now available nationwide as of October 14th through many on-line stores. Blockbuster, Walmart.com, and HMV are among the many sites set up for purchasing both Mania (the Trailblazer documentary) and Kings of the Road.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Kings of the Road is on OPB's Open Lens on August 16th!
OREGON LENS Spotlights Northwest Independent Filmmakers
Posted August 2, 2010
Promotional Contact
Carol Howard
503.977.7751
choward@opb.org
Oregon Public Broadcasting brings indie-theater directly into your home over five nights this month as the work of some of the Pacific Northwest's most talented independent producers is showcased on OREGON LENS August 16-20 at 10pm.
"We've some exceptional films in season 12," said Steve Amen, executive producer and host of OREGON LENS. "Oregon is rising fast on the independent filmmaking scene. I've had the pleasure of teaching a course in filmmaking at PSU over the past couple of years, and I continue to be amazed by the talent in our community," said Amen. "OREGON LENS provides viewers who may not have access to indie theaters in their communities a great opportunity to see the kind of innovative filmmaking for which this area is becoming known."
Monday kicks off the festival with two documentaries: "Kings of the Road” (Produced by Dan Schaefer) tells the story of the Portland Buckaroos professional hockey team. In 1959, with its future in doubt -- a handful of players, an uncompleted arena, and the press denouncing the team as the worst ever fielded in the league -- all they could do was skate. Inconceivably, they eventually rise as division leaders and champions, winning more games than any other team in professional hockey from 1960-74. Next, “Every War Has Two Losers” (Haydn Reiss) uses the journals of poet and conscientious objector William Stafford to present another point of view on war and its ability to create security.
This year, one night is devoted exclusively to short animated films. On Tuesday, August 17, humorous stories, music videos, sci-fi and poignant messages are depicted in a variety of features running from a few seconds to several minutes. Opening the evening is “operation: FISH" (Jeff Riley) which took seven years and the help of many artists from the Portland animation scene, to produce.
On Wednesday night, several short films headline the night, including: “Last Night, Long Ago” (Scott Ballard) about a woman preparing to move and her memories of the place she's leaving; “Between Night” (Scott Ballard) which shows how a rare find by a street sweeper leads to a break from routine; and “Reception,” (C.K. Lichenstein II) an unsettling story of a woman who wakes up injured, confused and lost in the woods and makes a desperate phone call to the only person she can get a hold of -- a man who wants to help her and yet seems to know more than he's letting on. "I really enjoyed these short films," said Amen. "The stories are great and the cinematography exceptional."
Thursday night stay tuned for more short documentaries. “Fumiko Hayashida The Woman Behind the Symbol” (Lucy Ostrander) looks at Japanese internment camps during WWII. “Enter the Beard” (Scott Ballard) is Matt Lawrence’s documentary about the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships in Anchorage, Alaska. And the “Adreneline Film Project" (Kate Brown) is a behind-the-scenes look at the University of Oregon's intensive narrative film production workshop in which university students and local filmmakers write, shoot and edit a film in just 72 hours. "Hook It and Book It" (Rebecca Toews) looks at "repoman" Jay Gates line of work.
Friday's finale includes two short documentaries: “Silent Conversation,” (Elizabeth Weissenborn) a beautifully shot film profiling two Argentine tango dancers and their relationship with the dance, and “Pushing It” (Elizabeth Weissenborn) -- a conversation with a motorcycle high-speed racer. The evening and our series concludes with, “Know Your Stuff: What’s in a cup of coffee” (Wen Lee). This behind-the scenes look at production of coffee is followed by a trip to Costa Rica in search of a coffee adventure.
About OPB
OPB is the largest cultural and education institution in the region, delivering excellence in public broadcasting to 1.5 million people each week through television, radio and the Internet. Widely recognized as a national leader in the public broadcasting arena, OPB is a major contributor to the program schedule that serves the entire country. OPB is one of the most-used and most-supported public broadcasting services in the country and is generously supported by 120,000 contributors.
Posted August 2, 2010
Promotional Contact
Carol Howard
503.977.7751
choward@opb.org
Oregon Public Broadcasting brings indie-theater directly into your home over five nights this month as the work of some of the Pacific Northwest's most talented independent producers is showcased on OREGON LENS August 16-20 at 10pm.
"We've some exceptional films in season 12," said Steve Amen, executive producer and host of OREGON LENS. "Oregon is rising fast on the independent filmmaking scene. I've had the pleasure of teaching a course in filmmaking at PSU over the past couple of years, and I continue to be amazed by the talent in our community," said Amen. "OREGON LENS provides viewers who may not have access to indie theaters in their communities a great opportunity to see the kind of innovative filmmaking for which this area is becoming known."
Monday kicks off the festival with two documentaries: "Kings of the Road” (Produced by Dan Schaefer) tells the story of the Portland Buckaroos professional hockey team. In 1959, with its future in doubt -- a handful of players, an uncompleted arena, and the press denouncing the team as the worst ever fielded in the league -- all they could do was skate. Inconceivably, they eventually rise as division leaders and champions, winning more games than any other team in professional hockey from 1960-74. Next, “Every War Has Two Losers” (Haydn Reiss) uses the journals of poet and conscientious objector William Stafford to present another point of view on war and its ability to create security.
This year, one night is devoted exclusively to short animated films. On Tuesday, August 17, humorous stories, music videos, sci-fi and poignant messages are depicted in a variety of features running from a few seconds to several minutes. Opening the evening is “operation: FISH" (Jeff Riley) which took seven years and the help of many artists from the Portland animation scene, to produce.
On Wednesday night, several short films headline the night, including: “Last Night, Long Ago” (Scott Ballard) about a woman preparing to move and her memories of the place she's leaving; “Between Night” (Scott Ballard) which shows how a rare find by a street sweeper leads to a break from routine; and “Reception,” (C.K. Lichenstein II) an unsettling story of a woman who wakes up injured, confused and lost in the woods and makes a desperate phone call to the only person she can get a hold of -- a man who wants to help her and yet seems to know more than he's letting on. "I really enjoyed these short films," said Amen. "The stories are great and the cinematography exceptional."
Thursday night stay tuned for more short documentaries. “Fumiko Hayashida The Woman Behind the Symbol” (Lucy Ostrander) looks at Japanese internment camps during WWII. “Enter the Beard” (Scott Ballard) is Matt Lawrence’s documentary about the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships in Anchorage, Alaska. And the “Adreneline Film Project" (Kate Brown) is a behind-the-scenes look at the University of Oregon's intensive narrative film production workshop in which university students and local filmmakers write, shoot and edit a film in just 72 hours. "Hook It and Book It" (Rebecca Toews) looks at "repoman" Jay Gates line of work.
Friday's finale includes two short documentaries: “Silent Conversation,” (Elizabeth Weissenborn) a beautifully shot film profiling two Argentine tango dancers and their relationship with the dance, and “Pushing It” (Elizabeth Weissenborn) -- a conversation with a motorcycle high-speed racer. The evening and our series concludes with, “Know Your Stuff: What’s in a cup of coffee” (Wen Lee). This behind-the scenes look at production of coffee is followed by a trip to Costa Rica in search of a coffee adventure.
About OPB
OPB is the largest cultural and education institution in the region, delivering excellence in public broadcasting to 1.5 million people each week through television, radio and the Internet. Widely recognized as a national leader in the public broadcasting arena, OPB is a major contributor to the program schedule that serves the entire country. OPB is one of the most-used and most-supported public broadcasting services in the country and is generously supported by 120,000 contributors.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Extended Edition of Kings of the Road Available now!
The Extended edition of Kings of the Road is available now at www.filmbaby.com. 71 minutes were added to bring KOTR to feature length and add over 20 new interviews with former players and management associated with the team from it beginning in 1960 through 1974. The DVD also includes newly found audio games from 1966 and 1972 and a revised photo gallery. The descriptive text was written by former team assistant Jerry Farmer who worked with the team when it moved to the Pacific Coast League briefly in 1975-6. Below are 4 versions of the text:
Kings of the Road
Synopsis A
Portland, Oregon, a professional ice hockey hot bed? Yes, during a marvelous 14 year run, Portland’s Cinderella love affair with professional ice hockey dominated the sports scene in only the 27th largest sports market in the country. Kings of the Road tells the story about how the Portland Buckaroos captivated a city and how the loyal fans responded by continuously selling out the 10,500 seat Memorial Coliseum. Award winning producer, Dan Schaefer, has contributed his skills and artistry in an extremely entertaining documentary that highlights the Buckaroos’ eventual rise as champions and division leaders in the highly competitive Western Hockey League, a league second only to the National Hockey League. During this Cinderella notch in sports history, no team, including any NHL team, won more games than the Portland Buckaroos.
Synopsis B
The Montreal Canadians dominated professional ice hockey during the 1960’s but there was a team way out West in Portland, Oregon, that dominated the sport even more. With a brand new 10,500 seat state of the art facility waiting for a tenant, Portland landed its first professional sports franchise, the Portland Buckaroos. The local media scoffed at this rag tag bunch of players and mocked the sport of ice hockey. The fans didn’t, however, and they came out in droves, packing out the Coliseum to record “sell outs” which caught the eye of the National Hockey League. Kings of the Road exquisitely tells the story of a cities Cinderella love affair with its home town team and how the Buckaroos embraced their fans, an affair that has lasted for more than 50 years.
Synopsis C
“What, a professional ice hockey team out here in Portland, Oregon?” That’s what the local media said but they soon had to eat their words. Kings of the Road entertainingly, and factually, tells the story of a team, the Portland Buckaroos, and how they rose to dominance as league champions and division leaders year after year from 1960-1974. Director Dan Schaefer has artfully, and with great detail, brought back to the screen those Cinderella years when going to a Buckaroos game was “the thing to do” in Portland. No other venue dominated Portland’s entertainment scene as did going to the packed out Memorial Coliseum for a hockey game with over ten thousand other rabid fans. This documentary will put your mind into rewind and will bring back those wonderful years when the Buckaroos dominated the sport of professional ice hockey, and yes, it was in Portland, Oregon.
Synopsis D
What, the Portland Buckaroos won more games, championships and league titles than the world famous Montreal Canadians did? Award winning Director/Producer Dan Schaefer takes you through those Cinderella years where Portland, Oregon’s professional hockey team dominated the sport. See first hand how the team, and their rabid fans, embraced each other in a manner never equaled elsewhere and why so many ex-professional hockey players now call Portland home. No doubt will be left in your mind as to why the National Hockey league coveted Portland as an expansion city. Through vintage video, and player interviews, you’ll relive the nostalgia, and euphoria, of how the 1960-74 Portland Buckaroos forever changed a city and the sport of professional ice hockey. To this day, they are icons
Kings of the Road
Synopsis A
Portland, Oregon, a professional ice hockey hot bed? Yes, during a marvelous 14 year run, Portland’s Cinderella love affair with professional ice hockey dominated the sports scene in only the 27th largest sports market in the country. Kings of the Road tells the story about how the Portland Buckaroos captivated a city and how the loyal fans responded by continuously selling out the 10,500 seat Memorial Coliseum. Award winning producer, Dan Schaefer, has contributed his skills and artistry in an extremely entertaining documentary that highlights the Buckaroos’ eventual rise as champions and division leaders in the highly competitive Western Hockey League, a league second only to the National Hockey League. During this Cinderella notch in sports history, no team, including any NHL team, won more games than the Portland Buckaroos.
Synopsis B
The Montreal Canadians dominated professional ice hockey during the 1960’s but there was a team way out West in Portland, Oregon, that dominated the sport even more. With a brand new 10,500 seat state of the art facility waiting for a tenant, Portland landed its first professional sports franchise, the Portland Buckaroos. The local media scoffed at this rag tag bunch of players and mocked the sport of ice hockey. The fans didn’t, however, and they came out in droves, packing out the Coliseum to record “sell outs” which caught the eye of the National Hockey League. Kings of the Road exquisitely tells the story of a cities Cinderella love affair with its home town team and how the Buckaroos embraced their fans, an affair that has lasted for more than 50 years.
Synopsis C
“What, a professional ice hockey team out here in Portland, Oregon?” That’s what the local media said but they soon had to eat their words. Kings of the Road entertainingly, and factually, tells the story of a team, the Portland Buckaroos, and how they rose to dominance as league champions and division leaders year after year from 1960-1974. Director Dan Schaefer has artfully, and with great detail, brought back to the screen those Cinderella years when going to a Buckaroos game was “the thing to do” in Portland. No other venue dominated Portland’s entertainment scene as did going to the packed out Memorial Coliseum for a hockey game with over ten thousand other rabid fans. This documentary will put your mind into rewind and will bring back those wonderful years when the Buckaroos dominated the sport of professional ice hockey, and yes, it was in Portland, Oregon.
Synopsis D
What, the Portland Buckaroos won more games, championships and league titles than the world famous Montreal Canadians did? Award winning Director/Producer Dan Schaefer takes you through those Cinderella years where Portland, Oregon’s professional hockey team dominated the sport. See first hand how the team, and their rabid fans, embraced each other in a manner never equaled elsewhere and why so many ex-professional hockey players now call Portland home. No doubt will be left in your mind as to why the National Hockey league coveted Portland as an expansion city. Through vintage video, and player interviews, you’ll relive the nostalgia, and euphoria, of how the 1960-74 Portland Buckaroos forever changed a city and the sport of professional ice hockey. To this day, they are icons
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Portland Buckaroos receive documentary treatment
Portland Buckaroos receive documentary treatment; film airs Wednesday
by Scott Sepich, special to The Oregonian
Monday August 24, 2009, 3:29 PM
Portland's original sports dynasty is finally getting its due.
The Western Hockey League's Buckaroos, who ruled the ice at Memorial Coliseum from 1960 to 1974, have been celebrated over the years through tributes, reunions and, most recently, a permanent banner.
But Wednesday night, the Buckaroos legacy will get another lift when a 90-minute documentary about the team premieres at the Portland Art Museum's Northwest Film Center at 7 p.m. The screening is open to the public.
"Kings of the Road" is Portland-based director Dan Schaefer's look at the rich history of the Buckaroos, from their shocking Lester Patrick Cup championship in their first year of existence, to the decline and eventual demise of the WHL in 1974. Schaefer mixes archival photos and film footage with interviews with former players such as Connie Madigan, Don Head and Andy Hebenton.
"They were the most successful professional team in Oregon's history," Schaefer said of the Buckaroos, who won three league championships and finished in first place in their division in eight of their first 11 years. "They were so vital and important at that time, and it's important to preserve that."
Although the film might appeal more to nostalgic fans eager for a glimpse of the past, Schaefer said fans of all ages will take something away.
"Hockey has an image as a rough, rowdy sport," he said. "But these guys are such super examples to hold up to people in this generation."
Schaefer first entertained the idea of a Buckaroos film while he was making "Mania," a documentary about the history of the Trail Blazers. As he interviewed Blazers founder Harry Glickman, Schaefer found that Glickman had just as many good stories about the hockey team he had started a decade before the founding of the Blazers.
Eventually, Schaefer was introduced to Buckaroos collector and historian Scott Petterson, and they discussed collaborating on a film. Petterson, who owns the team's trademark, said he would do whatever it took to make it happen.
Most of the photos and footage in the film is from Petterson's collection. He also used his personal relationships with many of the players to set up interviews for Schaefer.
Portland might be a rarity as a pro hockey city in that many players who played for the Buckaroos decided to make the city their home when they finished their playing careers.
"The nucleus of all those great teams is still literally right here in Portland, and it really helped in getting this film made," Petterson said.
The reward for Petterson is not just getting to show off his collection to fans in Portland, but to help honor a part of Oregon's history.
"These guys were loved just like the Blazers in their glory years," Petterson said. "They're getting up there in age, so my goal has always been to keep their memory alive forever, and a film like this helps to do that."
Petterson also notes that the Portland Winterhawks, a junior hockey team, have taken an active role in the production of the film and in promoting the Buckaroos' history.
"Our feeling is that the Buckaroos are an important part of the hockey heritage here," Winterhawks president Doug Piper said. "It's in our best interest to help people understand how important hockey has been in this city."
Piper, Petterson and some of the players featured in the film are expected to attend Wednesday's screening. Schaefer will introduce the film.
"Sports help form the common bond among all the people who live here," Schaefer said. "I'm happy to be able to show what this team meant to Portland."
-- Scott Sepich; sports@news.oregonian.com
by Scott Sepich, special to The Oregonian
Monday August 24, 2009, 3:29 PM
Portland's original sports dynasty is finally getting its due.
The Western Hockey League's Buckaroos, who ruled the ice at Memorial Coliseum from 1960 to 1974, have been celebrated over the years through tributes, reunions and, most recently, a permanent banner.
But Wednesday night, the Buckaroos legacy will get another lift when a 90-minute documentary about the team premieres at the Portland Art Museum's Northwest Film Center at 7 p.m. The screening is open to the public.
"Kings of the Road" is Portland-based director Dan Schaefer's look at the rich history of the Buckaroos, from their shocking Lester Patrick Cup championship in their first year of existence, to the decline and eventual demise of the WHL in 1974. Schaefer mixes archival photos and film footage with interviews with former players such as Connie Madigan, Don Head and Andy Hebenton.
"They were the most successful professional team in Oregon's history," Schaefer said of the Buckaroos, who won three league championships and finished in first place in their division in eight of their first 11 years. "They were so vital and important at that time, and it's important to preserve that."
Although the film might appeal more to nostalgic fans eager for a glimpse of the past, Schaefer said fans of all ages will take something away.
"Hockey has an image as a rough, rowdy sport," he said. "But these guys are such super examples to hold up to people in this generation."
Schaefer first entertained the idea of a Buckaroos film while he was making "Mania," a documentary about the history of the Trail Blazers. As he interviewed Blazers founder Harry Glickman, Schaefer found that Glickman had just as many good stories about the hockey team he had started a decade before the founding of the Blazers.
Eventually, Schaefer was introduced to Buckaroos collector and historian Scott Petterson, and they discussed collaborating on a film. Petterson, who owns the team's trademark, said he would do whatever it took to make it happen.
Most of the photos and footage in the film is from Petterson's collection. He also used his personal relationships with many of the players to set up interviews for Schaefer.
Portland might be a rarity as a pro hockey city in that many players who played for the Buckaroos decided to make the city their home when they finished their playing careers.
"The nucleus of all those great teams is still literally right here in Portland, and it really helped in getting this film made," Petterson said.
The reward for Petterson is not just getting to show off his collection to fans in Portland, but to help honor a part of Oregon's history.
"These guys were loved just like the Blazers in their glory years," Petterson said. "They're getting up there in age, so my goal has always been to keep their memory alive forever, and a film like this helps to do that."
Petterson also notes that the Portland Winterhawks, a junior hockey team, have taken an active role in the production of the film and in promoting the Buckaroos' history.
"Our feeling is that the Buckaroos are an important part of the hockey heritage here," Winterhawks president Doug Piper said. "It's in our best interest to help people understand how important hockey has been in this city."
Piper, Petterson and some of the players featured in the film are expected to attend Wednesday's screening. Schaefer will introduce the film.
"Sports help form the common bond among all the people who live here," Schaefer said. "I'm happy to be able to show what this team meant to Portland."
-- Scott Sepich; sports@news.oregonian.com
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
KOTR: Screening at Whitsell Auditorium
Kings of the Road
When: Wed., Aug. 26, 7 p.m.
Phone: 221-1156
Price: $8
Have you ever seen that movie Hoop Dreams, where inner-city kids have big dreams of playing in the NBA? Well, Kings of the Road is just like that, only instead of inner-city kids, it's Canadian professional athletes, and instead of basketball, they play hockey! Before we had the Trail Blazers, Portland's sports heroes were the Buckaroos, and they were winners.
Northwest Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium
o Downtown 1219 SW Park
o phone 221-1156
When: Wed., Aug. 26, 7 p.m.
Phone: 221-1156
Price: $8
Have you ever seen that movie Hoop Dreams, where inner-city kids have big dreams of playing in the NBA? Well, Kings of the Road is just like that, only instead of inner-city kids, it's Canadian professional athletes, and instead of basketball, they play hockey! Before we had the Trail Blazers, Portland's sports heroes were the Buckaroos, and they were winners.
Northwest Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium
o Downtown 1219 SW Park
o phone 221-1156
Kings of the Road: Extended Version to be screened!
Portland Buckaroos receive documentary treatment; film airs Wednesday
by Scott Sepich, special to The Oregonian
Monday August 24, 2009, 3:29 PM
Portland's original sports dynasty is finally getting its due.
The Western Hockey League's Buckaroos, who ruled the ice at Memorial Coliseum from 1960 to 1974, have been celebrated over the years through tributes, reunions and, most recently, a permanent banner.
But Wednesday night, the Buckaroos legacy will get another lift when a 90-minute documentary about the team premieres at the Portland Art Museum's Northwest Film Center at 7 p.m. The screening is open to the public.
"Kings of the Road" is Portland-based director Dan Schaefer's look at the rich history of the Buckaroos, from their shocking Lester Patrick Cup championship in their first year of existence, to the decline and eventual demise of the WHL in 1974. Schaefer mixes archival photos and film footage with interviews with former players such as Connie Madigan, Don Head and Andy Hebenton.
"They were the most successful professional team in Oregon's history," Schaefer said of the Buckaroos, who won three league championships and finished in first place in their division in eight of their first 11 years. "They were so vital and important at that time, and it's important to preserve that."
Although the film might appeal more to nostalgic fans eager for a glimpse of the past, Schaefer said fans of all ages will take something away.
"Hockey has an image as a rough, rowdy sport," he said. "But these guys are such super examples to hold up to people in this generation."
Schaefer first entertained the idea of a Buckaroos film while he was making "Mania," a documentary about the history of the Trail Blazers. As he interviewed Blazers founder Harry Glickman, Schaefer found that Glickman had just as many good stories about the hockey team he had started a decade before the founding of the Blazers.
Eventually, Schaefer was introduced to Buckaroos collector and historian Scott Petterson, and they discussed collaborating on a film. Petterson, who owns the team's trademark, said he would do whatever it took to make it happen.
Most of the photos and footage in the film is from Petterson's collection. He also used his personal relationships with many of the players to set up interviews for Schaefer.
Portland might be a rarity as a pro hockey city in that many players who played for the Buckaroos decided to make the city their home when they finished their playing careers.
"The nucleus of all those great teams is still literally right here in Portland, and it really helped in getting this film made," Petterson said.
The reward for Petterson is not just getting to show off his collection to fans in Portland, but to help honor a part of Oregon's history.
"These guys were loved just like the Blazers in their glory years," Petterson said. "They're getting up there in age, so my goal has always been to keep their memory alive forever, and a film like this helps to do that."
Petterson also notes that the Portland Winterhawks, a junior hockey team, have taken an active role in the production of the film and in promoting the Buckaroos' history.
"Our feeling is that the Buckaroos are an important part of the hockey heritage here," Winterhawks president Doug Piper said. "It's in our best interest to help people understand how important hockey has been in this city."
Piper, Petterson and some of the players featured in the film are expected to attend Wednesday's screening. Schaefer will introduce the film.
"Sports help form the common bond among all the people who live here," Schaefer said. "I'm happy to be able to show what this team meant to Portland."
-- Scott Sepich; sports@news.oregonian.com
by Scott Sepich, special to The Oregonian
Monday August 24, 2009, 3:29 PM
Portland's original sports dynasty is finally getting its due.
The Western Hockey League's Buckaroos, who ruled the ice at Memorial Coliseum from 1960 to 1974, have been celebrated over the years through tributes, reunions and, most recently, a permanent banner.
But Wednesday night, the Buckaroos legacy will get another lift when a 90-minute documentary about the team premieres at the Portland Art Museum's Northwest Film Center at 7 p.m. The screening is open to the public.
"Kings of the Road" is Portland-based director Dan Schaefer's look at the rich history of the Buckaroos, from their shocking Lester Patrick Cup championship in their first year of existence, to the decline and eventual demise of the WHL in 1974. Schaefer mixes archival photos and film footage with interviews with former players such as Connie Madigan, Don Head and Andy Hebenton.
"They were the most successful professional team in Oregon's history," Schaefer said of the Buckaroos, who won three league championships and finished in first place in their division in eight of their first 11 years. "They were so vital and important at that time, and it's important to preserve that."
Although the film might appeal more to nostalgic fans eager for a glimpse of the past, Schaefer said fans of all ages will take something away.
"Hockey has an image as a rough, rowdy sport," he said. "But these guys are such super examples to hold up to people in this generation."
Schaefer first entertained the idea of a Buckaroos film while he was making "Mania," a documentary about the history of the Trail Blazers. As he interviewed Blazers founder Harry Glickman, Schaefer found that Glickman had just as many good stories about the hockey team he had started a decade before the founding of the Blazers.
Eventually, Schaefer was introduced to Buckaroos collector and historian Scott Petterson, and they discussed collaborating on a film. Petterson, who owns the team's trademark, said he would do whatever it took to make it happen.
Most of the photos and footage in the film is from Petterson's collection. He also used his personal relationships with many of the players to set up interviews for Schaefer.
Portland might be a rarity as a pro hockey city in that many players who played for the Buckaroos decided to make the city their home when they finished their playing careers.
"The nucleus of all those great teams is still literally right here in Portland, and it really helped in getting this film made," Petterson said.
The reward for Petterson is not just getting to show off his collection to fans in Portland, but to help honor a part of Oregon's history.
"These guys were loved just like the Blazers in their glory years," Petterson said. "They're getting up there in age, so my goal has always been to keep their memory alive forever, and a film like this helps to do that."
Petterson also notes that the Portland Winterhawks, a junior hockey team, have taken an active role in the production of the film and in promoting the Buckaroos' history.
"Our feeling is that the Buckaroos are an important part of the hockey heritage here," Winterhawks president Doug Piper said. "It's in our best interest to help people understand how important hockey has been in this city."
Piper, Petterson and some of the players featured in the film are expected to attend Wednesday's screening. Schaefer will introduce the film.
"Sports help form the common bond among all the people who live here," Schaefer said. "I'm happy to be able to show what this team meant to Portland."
-- Scott Sepich; sports@news.oregonian.com
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Another Buckaroo roundup Portland’s hockey greats return to Memorial Coliseum By jason vondersmith The Portland Tribune, Mar 12, 2009
Another Buckaroo roundup
Portland’s hockey greats return to Memorial Coliseum
By jason vondersmith
The Portland Tribune, Mar 12, 2009 (1 Reader comment)
(news photo)
COURTESY OF PORTLAND WINTER HAWKS
Cliff Schmautz (right) scores against the San Diego Gulls during the heyday of the Portland Buckaroos at Memorial Coliseum.
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Stories abound about the Portland Buckaroos hockey team of the 1960s and early ‘70s – with a few embellishments here and there – and Harry Glickman can recall all sorts of them.
One year, Glickman, the team president who would later run the Trail Blazers, sat down with rough-and-rowdy defenseman Connie Madigan for a contract negotiation session. Madigan asked for $15,000, as Glickman remembers, and the boss offered him $14,000.
“He says, ‘Nope, 15,’ “ Glickman says. “I bumped it to $14,500. He says, ‘Nope, 15,’ and then I asked him to split the difference, make it $14,750, and he said, ‘Nope, 15.’
“I told him, ‘Connie, if I had offered you $20,000, you would still say ‘15.’ And, he says, ‘Yep.’ “
The two settled on a contract, and Madigan played another fabulous season for the Buckaroos, a cast of characters and standout players who enjoyed a long love affair with Portland sports fans.
Memories will be rekindled Saturday during “Buckaroos’ Salute” at the Portland Winter Hawks-Seattle game, set for 7 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum. The arena was home to many greats moments for the Buckaroos, who won eight division titles, placed second three times and captured three Lester Patrick Cups in the old Western Hockey League from 1960-61 to 1970-71.
The WHL these days is made up of junior players on their way up. The WHL Buckaroos consisted of professional players who called Portland home – as many of them still do.
They came, they played, they stayed and the Buckaroo dynasty has a special spot in the history of Oregon sports.
“For the 13 years we were all together, we won more games than any team in hockey. The runner-up was Montreal,” Glickman says. “They were a wonderful collection of athletes and people. I’m proud many of them stayed in Portland.”
The Buckaroos were formed in 1960 to correspond with the opening of the coliseum – and won their first Patrick Cup –and they ended play in spring 1974, the final two seasons as part of the Los Angeles Kings’ organization. During the first 12 years, the Buckaroos ran as an independent organization, making deals for players through loans, purchases and signings and attracting some of the best talent around, compared to the NHL and otherwise.
“Every year we were able to buy one,” Glickman says, of a player. “We were pretty aggressive … we wanted to own our own players and not rely on the NHL (to designate players). So we kept consistency.”
Stars included Madigan, Jim “Red Eye” Hay, Art Jones, Andy Hebenton and goalie Don Head. Jones, the team captain, was the WHL’s all-time leading scorer with 492 goals and 865 assists in 977 games, playing all 14 years of the Buckaroos.
Arnie Schmautz, another star along with his late brother, Cliff, still lives in Portland. He ran a roofing company that dates to his 1960-61 start – and he got big-time business after the Columbus Day storm of 1962.
Great glory years
About 25 former Buckaroos will be at the coliseum on Saturday. Video highlights will be shown during breaks in the Winter Hawk game. A DVD will be for sale. A signed championship banner will be raised.
Madigan, 74, has lived in Portland since he played here from 1964-74. He left briefly to play 20 games in the NHL with St. Louis in 1973, becoming the NHL’s oldest rookie ever at age 38. He retired in 2000 as a pipe fitter, although he still travels to Canada for a job occasionally.
He and “Red Eye” and former Buck Tommy McVie and other teammates often get together and share stories. McVie, a former NHL coach, still scouts for Boston, and lives in Vancouver, Wash.
Madigan played in Spokane, Los Angeles and Denver before joining the Buckaroos. He established himself as a tough guy who would body-check and fight anybody. He was a rival, but the rugged D-man quickly enamored himself with teammates by scoring a goal in his first game in 1964. He paired with “Red Eye” on the blueline for the first of many seasons, and the Buckaroos won their second Patrick Cup in 1964-65.
Madigan remembers playing in front of the huge coliseum crowds and the fanfare around town, and “we had a great coach in Hal Laycoe (1960-69),” he says. “He would always talk with you. I always respected that.”
In 1964-65, “we could have played in the NHL,” Madigan says, of the Buckaroos’ talent. The NHL started to expand from six teams in 1967, and the best WHL players began to find better jobs.
The coming of the Trail Blazers in 1970-71 didn’t necessarily take fans away from the Bucks, but the hockey team become less of an attraction on the city’s sports scene. That same year, the Buckaroos won their final Patrick Cup.
“The last year we were all together (1972-73), we didn’t make the playoffs, and it was total misery,” Glickman says.
Another version of the Buckaroos played in the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s. And after the WHL folded in 1974, a Buckaroos outfit competed in two fledgling semipro leagues, but folded.
When people think of the Buckaroos, they don’t think of those teams, only the great glory years of the 1960s and early ‘70s.
They think of Madigan, “Red Eye,” Jones, the Schmautz brothers, Hebenton, Head, Jack Bionda, McVie, Mike Donaldson, Arlo Goodwin, Bill Saunders, Gordon Fashoway, Larry Leach, Rick Foley, Norm Johnson, Dick Van Impe … the list goes on.
Portland’s hockey greats return to Memorial Coliseum
By jason vondersmith
The Portland Tribune, Mar 12, 2009 (1 Reader comment)
(news photo)
COURTESY OF PORTLAND WINTER HAWKS
Cliff Schmautz (right) scores against the San Diego Gulls during the heyday of the Portland Buckaroos at Memorial Coliseum.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Stories abound about the Portland Buckaroos hockey team of the 1960s and early ‘70s – with a few embellishments here and there – and Harry Glickman can recall all sorts of them.
One year, Glickman, the team president who would later run the Trail Blazers, sat down with rough-and-rowdy defenseman Connie Madigan for a contract negotiation session. Madigan asked for $15,000, as Glickman remembers, and the boss offered him $14,000.
“He says, ‘Nope, 15,’ “ Glickman says. “I bumped it to $14,500. He says, ‘Nope, 15,’ and then I asked him to split the difference, make it $14,750, and he said, ‘Nope, 15.’
“I told him, ‘Connie, if I had offered you $20,000, you would still say ‘15.’ And, he says, ‘Yep.’ “
The two settled on a contract, and Madigan played another fabulous season for the Buckaroos, a cast of characters and standout players who enjoyed a long love affair with Portland sports fans.
Memories will be rekindled Saturday during “Buckaroos’ Salute” at the Portland Winter Hawks-Seattle game, set for 7 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum. The arena was home to many greats moments for the Buckaroos, who won eight division titles, placed second three times and captured three Lester Patrick Cups in the old Western Hockey League from 1960-61 to 1970-71.
The WHL these days is made up of junior players on their way up. The WHL Buckaroos consisted of professional players who called Portland home – as many of them still do.
They came, they played, they stayed and the Buckaroo dynasty has a special spot in the history of Oregon sports.
“For the 13 years we were all together, we won more games than any team in hockey. The runner-up was Montreal,” Glickman says. “They were a wonderful collection of athletes and people. I’m proud many of them stayed in Portland.”
The Buckaroos were formed in 1960 to correspond with the opening of the coliseum – and won their first Patrick Cup –and they ended play in spring 1974, the final two seasons as part of the Los Angeles Kings’ organization. During the first 12 years, the Buckaroos ran as an independent organization, making deals for players through loans, purchases and signings and attracting some of the best talent around, compared to the NHL and otherwise.
“Every year we were able to buy one,” Glickman says, of a player. “We were pretty aggressive … we wanted to own our own players and not rely on the NHL (to designate players). So we kept consistency.”
Stars included Madigan, Jim “Red Eye” Hay, Art Jones, Andy Hebenton and goalie Don Head. Jones, the team captain, was the WHL’s all-time leading scorer with 492 goals and 865 assists in 977 games, playing all 14 years of the Buckaroos.
Arnie Schmautz, another star along with his late brother, Cliff, still lives in Portland. He ran a roofing company that dates to his 1960-61 start – and he got big-time business after the Columbus Day storm of 1962.
Great glory years
About 25 former Buckaroos will be at the coliseum on Saturday. Video highlights will be shown during breaks in the Winter Hawk game. A DVD will be for sale. A signed championship banner will be raised.
Madigan, 74, has lived in Portland since he played here from 1964-74. He left briefly to play 20 games in the NHL with St. Louis in 1973, becoming the NHL’s oldest rookie ever at age 38. He retired in 2000 as a pipe fitter, although he still travels to Canada for a job occasionally.
He and “Red Eye” and former Buck Tommy McVie and other teammates often get together and share stories. McVie, a former NHL coach, still scouts for Boston, and lives in Vancouver, Wash.
Madigan played in Spokane, Los Angeles and Denver before joining the Buckaroos. He established himself as a tough guy who would body-check and fight anybody. He was a rival, but the rugged D-man quickly enamored himself with teammates by scoring a goal in his first game in 1964. He paired with “Red Eye” on the blueline for the first of many seasons, and the Buckaroos won their second Patrick Cup in 1964-65.
Madigan remembers playing in front of the huge coliseum crowds and the fanfare around town, and “we had a great coach in Hal Laycoe (1960-69),” he says. “He would always talk with you. I always respected that.”
In 1964-65, “we could have played in the NHL,” Madigan says, of the Buckaroos’ talent. The NHL started to expand from six teams in 1967, and the best WHL players began to find better jobs.
The coming of the Trail Blazers in 1970-71 didn’t necessarily take fans away from the Bucks, but the hockey team become less of an attraction on the city’s sports scene. That same year, the Buckaroos won their final Patrick Cup.
“The last year we were all together (1972-73), we didn’t make the playoffs, and it was total misery,” Glickman says.
Another version of the Buckaroos played in the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s. And after the WHL folded in 1974, a Buckaroos outfit competed in two fledgling semipro leagues, but folded.
When people think of the Buckaroos, they don’t think of those teams, only the great glory years of the 1960s and early ‘70s.
They think of Madigan, “Red Eye,” Jones, the Schmautz brothers, Hebenton, Head, Jack Bionda, McVie, Mike Donaldson, Arlo Goodwin, Bill Saunders, Gordon Fashoway, Larry Leach, Rick Foley, Norm Johnson, Dick Van Impe … the list goes on.
Portland’s hockey greats return to Memorial Coliseum
By jason vondersmith
The Portland Tribune, Mar 12, 2009 (1 Reader comment)
(news photo)
COURTESY OF PORTLAND WINTER HAWKS
Cliff Schmautz (right) scores against the San Diego Gulls during the heyday of the Portland Buckaroos at Memorial Coliseum.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Stories abound about the Portland Buckaroos hockey team of the 1960s and early ‘70s – with a few embellishments here and there – and Harry Glickman can recall all sorts of them.
One year, Glickman, the team president who would later run the Trail Blazers, sat down with rough-and-rowdy defenseman Connie Madigan for a contract negotiation session. Madigan asked for $15,000, as Glickman remembers, and the boss offered him $14,000.
“He says, ‘Nope, 15,’ “ Glickman says. “I bumped it to $14,500. He says, ‘Nope, 15,’ and then I asked him to split the difference, make it $14,750, and he said, ‘Nope, 15.’
“I told him, ‘Connie, if I had offered you $20,000, you would still say ‘15.’ And, he says, ‘Yep.’ “
The two settled on a contract, and Madigan played another fabulous season for the Buckaroos, a cast of characters and standout players who enjoyed a long love affair with Portland sports fans.
Memories will be rekindled Saturday during “Buckaroos’ Salute” at the Portland Winter Hawks-Seattle game, set for 7 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum. The arena was home to many greats moments for the Buckaroos, who won eight division titles, placed second three times and captured three Lester Patrick Cups in the old Western Hockey League from 1960-61 to 1970-71.
The WHL these days is made up of junior players on their way up. The WHL Buckaroos consisted of professional players who called Portland home – as many of them still do.
They came, they played, they stayed and the Buckaroo dynasty has a special spot in the history of Oregon sports.
“For the 13 years we were all together, we won more games than any team in hockey. The runner-up was Montreal,” Glickman says. “They were a wonderful collection of athletes and people. I’m proud many of them stayed in Portland.”
The Buckaroos were formed in 1960 to correspond with the opening of the coliseum – and won their first Patrick Cup –and they ended play in spring 1974, the final two seasons as part of the Los Angeles Kings’ organization. During the first 12 years, the Buckaroos ran as an independent organization, making deals for players through loans, purchases and signings and attracting some of the best talent around, compared to the NHL and otherwise.
“Every year we were able to buy one,” Glickman says, of a player. “We were pretty aggressive … we wanted to own our own players and not rely on the NHL (to designate players). So we kept consistency.”
Stars included Madigan, Jim “Red Eye” Hay, Art Jones, Andy Hebenton and goalie Don Head. Jones, the team captain, was the WHL’s all-time leading scorer with 492 goals and 865 assists in 977 games, playing all 14 years of the Buckaroos.
Arnie Schmautz, another star along with his late brother, Cliff, still lives in Portland. He ran a roofing company that dates to his 1960-61 start – and he got big-time business after the Columbus Day storm of 1962.
Great glory years
About 25 former Buckaroos will be at the coliseum on Saturday. Video highlights will be shown during breaks in the Winter Hawk game. A DVD will be for sale. A signed championship banner will be raised.
Madigan, 74, has lived in Portland since he played here from 1964-74. He left briefly to play 20 games in the NHL with St. Louis in 1973, becoming the NHL’s oldest rookie ever at age 38. He retired in 2000 as a pipe fitter, although he still travels to Canada for a job occasionally.
He and “Red Eye” and former Buck Tommy McVie and other teammates often get together and share stories. McVie, a former NHL coach, still scouts for Boston, and lives in Vancouver, Wash.
Madigan played in Spokane, Los Angeles and Denver before joining the Buckaroos. He established himself as a tough guy who would body-check and fight anybody. He was a rival, but the rugged D-man quickly enamored himself with teammates by scoring a goal in his first game in 1964. He paired with “Red Eye” on the blueline for the first of many seasons, and the Buckaroos won their second Patrick Cup in 1964-65.
Madigan remembers playing in front of the huge coliseum crowds and the fanfare around town, and “we had a great coach in Hal Laycoe (1960-69),” he says. “He would always talk with you. I always respected that.”
In 1964-65, “we could have played in the NHL,” Madigan says, of the Buckaroos’ talent. The NHL started to expand from six teams in 1967, and the best WHL players began to find better jobs.
The coming of the Trail Blazers in 1970-71 didn’t necessarily take fans away from the Bucks, but the hockey team become less of an attraction on the city’s sports scene. That same year, the Buckaroos won their final Patrick Cup.
“The last year we were all together (1972-73), we didn’t make the playoffs, and it was total misery,” Glickman says.
Another version of the Buckaroos played in the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s. And after the WHL folded in 1974, a Buckaroos outfit competed in two fledgling semipro leagues, but folded.
When people think of the Buckaroos, they don’t think of those teams, only the great glory years of the 1960s and early ‘70s.
They think of Madigan, “Red Eye,” Jones, the Schmautz brothers, Hebenton, Head, Jack Bionda, McVie, Mike Donaldson, Arlo Goodwin, Bill Saunders, Gordon Fashoway, Larry Leach, Rick Foley, Norm Johnson, Dick Van Impe … the list goes on.
Portland’s hockey greats return to Memorial Coliseum
By jason vondersmith
The Portland Tribune, Mar 12, 2009 (1 Reader comment)
(news photo)
COURTESY OF PORTLAND WINTER HAWKS
Cliff Schmautz (right) scores against the San Diego Gulls during the heyday of the Portland Buckaroos at Memorial Coliseum.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Stories abound about the Portland Buckaroos hockey team of the 1960s and early ‘70s – with a few embellishments here and there – and Harry Glickman can recall all sorts of them.
One year, Glickman, the team president who would later run the Trail Blazers, sat down with rough-and-rowdy defenseman Connie Madigan for a contract negotiation session. Madigan asked for $15,000, as Glickman remembers, and the boss offered him $14,000.
“He says, ‘Nope, 15,’ “ Glickman says. “I bumped it to $14,500. He says, ‘Nope, 15,’ and then I asked him to split the difference, make it $14,750, and he said, ‘Nope, 15.’
“I told him, ‘Connie, if I had offered you $20,000, you would still say ‘15.’ And, he says, ‘Yep.’ “
The two settled on a contract, and Madigan played another fabulous season for the Buckaroos, a cast of characters and standout players who enjoyed a long love affair with Portland sports fans.
Memories will be rekindled Saturday during “Buckaroos’ Salute” at the Portland Winter Hawks-Seattle game, set for 7 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum. The arena was home to many greats moments for the Buckaroos, who won eight division titles, placed second three times and captured three Lester Patrick Cups in the old Western Hockey League from 1960-61 to 1970-71.
The WHL these days is made up of junior players on their way up. The WHL Buckaroos consisted of professional players who called Portland home – as many of them still do.
They came, they played, they stayed and the Buckaroo dynasty has a special spot in the history of Oregon sports.
“For the 13 years we were all together, we won more games than any team in hockey. The runner-up was Montreal,” Glickman says. “They were a wonderful collection of athletes and people. I’m proud many of them stayed in Portland.”
The Buckaroos were formed in 1960 to correspond with the opening of the coliseum – and won their first Patrick Cup –and they ended play in spring 1974, the final two seasons as part of the Los Angeles Kings’ organization. During the first 12 years, the Buckaroos ran as an independent organization, making deals for players through loans, purchases and signings and attracting some of the best talent around, compared to the NHL and otherwise.
“Every year we were able to buy one,” Glickman says, of a player. “We were pretty aggressive … we wanted to own our own players and not rely on the NHL (to designate players). So we kept consistency.”
Stars included Madigan, Jim “Red Eye” Hay, Art Jones, Andy Hebenton and goalie Don Head. Jones, the team captain, was the WHL’s all-time leading scorer with 492 goals and 865 assists in 977 games, playing all 14 years of the Buckaroos.
Arnie Schmautz, another star along with his late brother, Cliff, still lives in Portland. He ran a roofing company that dates to his 1960-61 start – and he got big-time business after the Columbus Day storm of 1962.
Great glory years
About 25 former Buckaroos will be at the coliseum on Saturday. Video highlights will be shown during breaks in the Winter Hawk game. A DVD will be for sale. A signed championship banner will be raised.
Madigan, 74, has lived in Portland since he played here from 1964-74. He left briefly to play 20 games in the NHL with St. Louis in 1973, becoming the NHL’s oldest rookie ever at age 38. He retired in 2000 as a pipe fitter, although he still travels to Canada for a job occasionally.
He and “Red Eye” and former Buck Tommy McVie and other teammates often get together and share stories. McVie, a former NHL coach, still scouts for Boston, and lives in Vancouver, Wash.
Madigan played in Spokane, Los Angeles and Denver before joining the Buckaroos. He established himself as a tough guy who would body-check and fight anybody. He was a rival, but the rugged D-man quickly enamored himself with teammates by scoring a goal in his first game in 1964. He paired with “Red Eye” on the blueline for the first of many seasons, and the Buckaroos won their second Patrick Cup in 1964-65.
Madigan remembers playing in front of the huge coliseum crowds and the fanfare around town, and “we had a great coach in Hal Laycoe (1960-69),” he says. “He would always talk with you. I always respected that.”
In 1964-65, “we could have played in the NHL,” Madigan says, of the Buckaroos’ talent. The NHL started to expand from six teams in 1967, and the best WHL players began to find better jobs.
The coming of the Trail Blazers in 1970-71 didn’t necessarily take fans away from the Bucks, but the hockey team become less of an attraction on the city’s sports scene. That same year, the Buckaroos won their final Patrick Cup.
“The last year we were all together (1972-73), we didn’t make the playoffs, and it was total misery,” Glickman says.
Another version of the Buckaroos played in the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s. And after the WHL folded in 1974, a Buckaroos outfit competed in two fledgling semipro leagues, but folded.
When people think of the Buckaroos, they don’t think of those teams, only the great glory years of the 1960s and early ‘70s.
They think of Madigan, “Red Eye,” Jones, the Schmautz brothers, Hebenton, Head, Jack Bionda, McVie, Mike Donaldson, Arlo Goodwin, Bill Saunders, Gordon Fashoway, Larry Leach, Rick Foley, Norm Johnson, Dick Van Impe … the list goes on.
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