St. Paul’s Ageless Sweepers
Wizards stake claim as oldest broomball team in America
by Tom Powers (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
It may not rank up there with Labor Day or
Valentine's Day, but Jan. 8 was International Broomball Wizards Day
in St. Paul. Mayor Norm Coleman issued the official proclamation.
Which shows that the mayor doesn't spend every waking moment working
on attracting a National Hockey League team. He makes time for
other important things, too.
Anyway if the gala
observance slipped past you, it's probably too late to run out and
buy a Hallmark card or anything like that. But it was a big
deal to some folks. "We even got some publicity in the
Broomball News," said Pat Cunningham, one of the Wizards.
On the surface, honoring
the Wizards may not seem like a particularly necessary endeavor.
After all, we're talking about a Class D division broomball team
that competes in the St. Paul adult recreation league. And not
especially well. But in reality, these guys qualify as national
celebrities. Maybe even as international celebrities.
"We're America's oldest
broomball team," Cunningham said proudly. "As far as we know,
anyway." Not in terms of the players' age, but in terms
of the franchise's age. The team has been in existence for the
past 20 years.
As near as anyone can
tell, no other current broomball team has been in existence longer.
"The Broomball News" acknowledged as much in a recent newsletter.
After that article came out, it’s amazing these guys can get to and
from their jobs without being mauled by an adoring public.
To mark the team’s
historic 20th anniversary season, Coleman issued his proclamation.
And Gov. Arne Carlson sent a certificate of commendation.
"We keep coming back
year after year after year," said team member Paul Johnson.
"That’s our claim to fame."
The Wizards have a
glorious history. There was the time, for example, that
Cunningham impaled himself on his broom during a game in St. Cloud.
While skidding toward the end of the rink, Cunningham reached out
with his broom. The broom got stuck in the boards and stopped.
Cunningham kept going.
"Right through my leg," he recalled. "Right through the thigh."
Rather ironic, as his
teammates keep pointing out, for a fellow who earns his living as a
safety analyst for Northern States Power.
But by far the most
famous moment in Wizards history occurred during a game in Thunder
Bay, Ontario, about five years ago. Somehow, the Wizards found
themselves in a tournament featuring crackerjack teams from all over
North America. In their first game, against a squad from Quebec, the
Wizards were scored upon ... by the opposing goalie!
"We have that on film,"
said team member Mark Wolston, who has been a Wizard for all 20
years. "That was a classic!"
The goal must have come
on a screened shot or something. "No, he just hit it so hard, it was
a line drive," said Johnson, a Wizard of 14 years. "On
the video, we’re all facing one way, then the ball is in our goal."
"The locals tormented
our goaltender," Cunningham said with a laugh. "He was so
embarrassed he took his name off his jersey.
"We never claimed to be
the best. Just the oldest."
Clearly, the guys don’t
take themselves too seriously. The national championships will
be in Bloomington this year, but the Wizards will not be
participating.
"The guys talked about
it," said Cunningham. "But basically they don’t want to be
humiliated again." Instead, they’ll stick to the St.
Paul league and to the various local tournaments.
Saturday they competed
in the Winter Carnival tourney, playing four games in one day.
The wind chill was 39 below. They videotaped their first two
contests. Then the camera lens froze.
The Wizards loved every
minute of it. Most of the guys are fraternity brothers from the
University of Minnesota who enjoy each other’s company. Most
are about 40 years old, yet they still enjoy running around together
on the frozen rinks. Even if it takes them a little longer to
recover from a game than it did a few years ago.
They are, just so you
don’t get the wrong idea, a competitive "D" league team. They
really don’t aspire to anything more. Getting together and
having a good time is more than satisfying.
And almost as a
by-product of this camaraderie, the International Broomball Wizards
have made a name for themselves. You might say they have
become the Cincinnati Redlegs of broomball: the oldest team around.
"We’ve had a couple of
back surgeries, bruises and knocks on the head," Cunningham said.
"We’ve played in rainstorms, snow and when there was no ice at all.
"
"Broomball doesn’t have
a real known history to it. We’re trying to help build a
little."
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