Frozen Nose

This winter can’t help but draw comparisons and rekindle old memories. Outdoor hockey, pond skating, hot chocolate.  60 years later, the warm memories are replaced with the reality of using a cane to navigate three, sometimes four-foot snowdrifts and the icy path to the car.

Andover was kind enough to print in the Magazine of Phillips Academy – Fall 2010 Edition, a story I wrote about hockey, “Frozen Nose.”

Stay warm, George

FROZEN NOSE

Sitting in my den/office New Year’s Day, 2010, the clock approaching game-time, Boston Bruins vs. the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway’s temporary rink, constructed for the game. My mind raced back to a cold day, February 14, 1951, snow falling with the temperature. The day of the Andover-Exeter game.

God bless the NHL for the outdoor hockey game that is becoming a tradition.

Saturday’s 10:00 AM, English class seemed like it lasted a week. I ate nothing at lunch.

We had dressed in the old Borden Gym. Pulling my game jersey over shoulder and elbow pads was never easy. The biggest game of my life, and as Captain, I was also part of the dedication ceremony of the Sumner Smith outdoor rink. Mr. Smith had generously donated $75,000. According to the Lawrence Tribune’s Fred Cole, we were the only school with its own artificial rink. Reporters observed our practices all week.

Butterflies came early. Mother and Dad arrived Friday. Brother Ken and I ate steak dinners at the Andover Inn that night.

Coach Leavitt addressed us. I added a few words. We banged sticks on the locker room floor. I led the team to the gym’s side door. Manager Nat Reed opened it. I stepped out, my heart pounding.

The rink was down an incline, across a road and down again. The crowd spotted us and began to cheer. Goose bump time! My first breaths froze the hairs in my nose. You could chin yourself on the exhales.

Mom and Dad were bundled against the cold, standing behind the boards on the near blue line. We took the ice for the warm-up.

Guests at the pre-dedication luncheon: Boston Globe’s John Ahern, Boston Post’s Warren (Doc) Mooney, Fred Cole, and a reporter/cartoonist from the Boston Herald joined John Kemper, our Headmaster; William Saltonstall, Exeter’s Headmaster; Sumner Smith’08; Sumner Smith Jr.’38; former Captains; coaches; faculty from both schools; WBZ sports announcer ”Bump Hadley;” alumni; friends and Dad.

John Ahern wrote: “The dedication took place at center ice before the playing of the 46th game in the series, in a driving snow-storm. Andover’s secretary, Larry Shields, introduced headmasters John Kemper and Bill Saltonstall. An inch and a half of snow fell.  The rink shovelers could not keep up with it. Sumner Smith thanked both schools in a brief speech, and also those who participated in building the new rink. His son Charlie was skating for Yale, and couldn’t attend.

“Conditions were severe. School officials and referee Cleary (father of 1960 Olympians and Harvard greats, Billy and Bobby) were discussing canceling the game.

“Bill Saltonstall grabbed a broom and headed for center ice. John Ahern wrote. “He hadn’t cleared a lane six-feet long when John Kemper joined him. In two minutes, 30 more volunteer sweepers were hard at it. Under an hour and the surface was clear. The game was on.”

“Andover hadn’t won since 1947. Bill Saltonstall was set to view the slaughter.”

Mr. Cleary dropped the puck. The ice was hard. You could hear the skates cutting into it. The pace was fast. Midway through the first period, I checked the Exeter Captain, Richard McNutt. He fell awkwardly with a broken leg. 11:31: Hi Upson scored the first goal on passes from Charlie Pratt and Bill Duffy.

3:10 of the second period, I scored the only goal of my career on a pass from Duffy. He scored, at 7:45. At 8:20 Ed Carey scored from Pratt, and at 9:40, George Scragg scored from Joe Crehore.

The third period was scoreless. A distinct underdog, we had done the unthinkable, shutting out archrival Exeter, 5-0, adding an explanation point to the dedication of Andover’s gift, from Sumner Smith.

NBC’s announcer interrupted my thoughts and distant memories: Mom and Dad standing in the snow, defense partner Abner Oakes, Billy Van Alstyne’s shut-out, teammates Ken, Joe Wennik, John Poinier, Mike Tyson, George Van Angelis, Carl Purnell and Bryan Hitchcoick and Mr.Cleary suggesting early in my career to work on my back skating, after three successive charging penalties in one period.

I’m sure that the long walk from Fenway’s locker rooms to the rink sparked similar memories among many of the players New Year’s Day, particularly honorary captains Bobby Orr and Bobby Clark, 40,000 strong cheering them on.

The next time you walk outside on a blustery, cold day and inhale with the hairs in your nose freezing, think of what hockey used to be.

Thanks again NHL for the trip back.

George S.K. Rider

PS – On my desk is the puck I put in the Exeter net. I fished it out, and skated it over to Dad. He counter sunk an 1888 silver dollar in the center, the coin flipped to determine who got which end.

Heads are up!

Correction: Three Sets of Brothers