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An Original Booster

An Original Booster
Roger Pongratz
Angelo Siragusa is an original Phoenix Roadrunners fan and Booster Club member. An Illinois native, Angelo moved to Phoenix in 1955. Now 83, the retired printer’s interest in hockey began during his lunch breaks, when he saw the Roadrunners practice at the Tower Plaza rink across the street from his print shop.
Angelo served as the Club’s president for three years, during the glory days of the ‘71-’72, ‘72-’73, and ‘74-‘75 hockey seasons.

The early days of the Booster Club:
 “It was noted that we were the largest Booster Club in all of hockey; now that’s covering a lot of territory! When the Club was formed, it was really new in the valley and nobody knew anything about hockey. We had to go through a period where we learned about hockey and we had good fans. At the time, the team’s office was located at Tower Plaza and Gary Hooker owned the club. We played all our games in the old Coliseum and we had a great following of people.

“We had some real good presidents, guys that were really sharp. Art Zucker was the first President. He was a great guy and he did a lot for the Club. Barry Kegley was a good President. Eleanore [Coombes] was probably one of the best Boosters there ever was. I don’t think that she ever missed a game. She was a true Booster, I mean she loved the game and loved the guys. She was always having somebody over for dinner. Ginny [Redfield] was the Organist and she was everybody’s favorite. Everybody loved her. Her husband [Chuck] was with her all the time, ‘cause she was blind. Both of them were the heart of the Booster Club. Great people.
“We used to give away a quart of booze at the meetings, but I don’t remember any heavy drinking or anything. We used to go downstairs [to the Coliseum Club], and the players would come out and hang around a while.
“We did a lot of parties. The meetings that we had and the meet the players picnic, they were big. We used to have the golf tournament; Frankie Hughes was always one of the big winners. At the end of the year, the Awards Banquet was big.
“We took a lot of road trips. Naturally, to San Diego because they were the big rivals. We used to take a lot of bus trips.

“All of the players that played here at the time would tell you what a great Booster Club we had.”

Some of the more memorable players:

“I remember a lot of them; Frankie Hughes, Andy Hinse. Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr; they had nothing to do with the Roadrunners, but through my association with them, they knew I loved to fish, so any time they’d come out here, why, I’d have to take them fishing! I’ve taken Gordie Howe fishing, and he caught the biggest bass he ever caught at San Carlos Lake.

“I think Robbie (Ftorek) was my favorite player.
“I can tell you that Sandy Hucul is one of the nicest guys you’d even want to know. He was one of the first players here, and, he ended up being the coach. He did a great job and everybody liked him.”

The Carlson Brothers, the “Hanson Brothers” of Slap Shot fame:

“Would you believe, they used to play in those days! They used to have a wire screen. They were here, they played for Minnesota [WHA Minnesota Fighting Saints 1975-’76] and big fight breaks out. They almost tore the screen down, they actually did - it was halfway down into the crowd. Big, big fight! when those guys came to town, you knew there was going to be a fight. They were a big draw!”

The environment at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum:

“It was great. When you get 7,200 people at a game, that’s a lot for a minor league club. We used to have a good time.   Everybody that used to go to the games were all buddies.