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Johnstown Goes Cup Crazy

July 10, 2004
By Mike Mastovich
The Tribune-Democrat

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - Mary Miller awoke early yesterday, quickly went through her morning routine and headed downtown to Cambria County War Memorial Arena.

The emergency medical technician from Dale Borough made certain she was the first person in a line that eventually included more than 1,800 people - some of whom waited two hours to catch a brief glimpse of the Stanley Cup.

"I was here at 9 o'clock and I was excited," said Miller, a Johnstown Chiefs fan who has had season tickets for 10 years. "This is the first time the Cup's been in Johnstown and I really wanted to see it. It's great to have Dana Heinze bring it here. I'm also happy for the Tampa Bay Lightning."

Heinze, 36, is a Westmont Hilltop High School graduate and former trainer-equipment manager of the ECHL Chiefs. He capped his fifth season with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning which won the Stanley Cup last month.

As part of a long NHL tradition, each member of the Stanley Cup-winning team is entitled to take possession of the Cup for a day. Heinze opted to bring one of sports' most historic trophies to his hometown.

Neither Heinze, the War Memorial staff nor the Chiefs, who coordinated the event, could have imagined Johnstown hockey fans' response to the Cup's visit.

"You couldn't have asked for a better turnout," Heinze said, wearing a Lightning shirt and a big smile. "This is wonderful. I'm glad everyone stayed patient and stayed with us for this. This is something. I got choked up emotionally. I walked in the building with the Cup and thought I was going to cry for a minute. I'm just so happy and proud to be able to share this with everyone."

The event was scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. But a wide line formed near Section 3 and stretched 15 sections to the opposite side of the building. Even as people crossed the red carpet placed in front of the Cup to pose for photos or touch the trophy, additional fans entered the building.

The line never really shrunk until late in the afternoon. The concourse gates were lowered at 1:15 to prevent more people from entering the building because Heinze and Walt Neubrand, the Cup caretaker provided by the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, had a 3 p.m. deadline to depart for other scheduled stops.

The last fan photographed the Cup at 2:43 p.m., more than an hour later than anticipated.

The historic event had people talking about hockey at a time when the Tour de France and upcoming Major League Baseball All-Star game take center stage in sports.

The Chiefs collected donations of more than $1,000 for the Galen Head Jr. Memorial Scholarship presented annually to area high school players. Team officials said that Cup enthusiasts from at least seven different states visited the arena.

The War Memorial concession stand sold about 300 hot dogs as part of a lunchtime businessman's special.

Chiefs videographer Doug Heck snapped 416 photos of fans posing beside the Cup. Other people used their own cameras to capture the moment.

"Swamped, totally swamped," Heck's son Matt, 15, said as he frantically tried to keep pace while making computer prints of the photos.

Chiefs fan Mark Kadas held his 1-month-old daughter, Kylie, above the Cup as his wife Christine watched. Kylie was born on June 7, the same day Tampa beat Calgary 2-1 to win the Cup at St. Pete Times Forum. The baby fit almost perfectly inside the chalice atop the trophy, sleeping quietly the whole time.

"She was born at 3:19 in the afternoon and we watched the game that night," Mr. Kadas, a West End resident, said. "We saw Dana sew up (a cut on) Martin St. Louis' face at the end of the game."

Hockey fans altered their work schedules and lunch breaks.

Christopher Brett, 15, ended his vacation at an uncle's home a few days early to return to Johnstown from Newark, New Jersey.

"He's been rooting for the Lightning to win the whole time," said Maryann Brett, Christopher's mother and Chiefs season ticket holder. "He already had the vacation planned to spend a week with his uncle. He wanted to come back. That's how big of a deal this is."

Matthew Papinchak, 12, a Harrisburg youth hockey player, persuaded his grandfather to travel across the state to see the Cup.

"I love hockey and it's great to see one of my favorite teams win it," Papinchak said.

Chiefs coach Toby O'Brien soaked up the atmosphere as the long line slowly filed into the rink.

"Any time you can see the pinnacle of your sport, whether you're a player, coach, staff member or most importantly, a fan, it's just great," O'Brien said. "We have lines around the building in the middle of July. It shows how dedicated the hockey fans are here in Johnstown.

"I couldn't be happier for the Chiefs and for Dana Heinze. He achieved what we all try to achieve. I want to thank Dana for remembering where his roots are."

As the Cup finally was loaded into a van with a seat belt strapped across the trophy, Heinze held his wife Kathy's hand and headed toward the exit. He appeared both relieved and content.

"We did the right thing," Heinze said, nodding in the affirmative. Those who spent the afternoon in line waiting to be a small part of hockey history couldn't have agreed more.

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