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."