The Complete Historical and Statistical Reference

[JETStender]

Thursday, July l, 1976

Seal Transfer Looks Good

CHICAGO (UPI) - Transfer of the National Hockey League's California franchise to Cleveland won tentative approval from the Board of Governors Wednesday and the governors agreed to study a possible move of the Kansas City Scouts franchise to Denver.

The governors reviewed an application by California Seals' owner Mel Swig to transfer the franchise to Cleveland and authorized him to proceed as rapidly as possible "to work out all the financial requirements pertaining to such a transfer." The governors also gave the league finance committee the authority to authorize the transfer of the franchise if the committee "is satisfied with all terms and conditions”

"Hopefully a conclusion will be readied within a two week period," an official governors' statement said. The Kansas City franchise, which had been scheduled for dissolution, will be transferred if terms or purchase can be worked out, a spokesman said. NHL President Clarence S. Campbell said a Denver group headed by Bud Palmer had met with league officials "to discuss terms of purchase," and a special committee was authorized to "pursue this matter as quickly as possible."

The league said it was interested in getting a group together to take over the Kansas City franchise. The Palmer group first contacted the league in a meeting with the executive committee Tuesday night A league spokesman indicated the problems in moving the California franchise to Cleveland might be settled quickly.

For one thing, no lease has been negotiated for the team to play in the Cleveland Coliseum. "We want to know more about these details before it's given approval," a league spokesman said "But I would say the governors viewed it favorably.'

[JETStender]

Thursday, July l, 1976

NHL Seals Shift Certain to Provide Team in Cleveland

'NEW YORK (AP) — National Hockey League President Clarence Campbell has all but eliminated doubt as 10 the' destination of the California Seals, saying "I'm as certain as I'm sitting in this chair" the franchise will relocate in Cleveland. "

Campbell, speaking by telephone from his Montreal office, said there still are obstacles to be cleared ui order for the transaction to take place. For example, the NHL Board of Governors will have to be convinced at us meeting in Chicago Wednesday that the Cleveland territory' has been vacated completely by the World Hockey Assn 's Crusaders, who say they're moving to Hollywood, Fla.

It was of the utmost importance that the NHL wait until such action had taken place, for "we (the NHL) don't want to give any credence to the possibility that we had contributed to their leaving," Campbell said.

The seriousness of such an accusation lies on a portion of the NHL's bargaining agreement with its players which say that at no time would the league negotiate in any way with a city which housed a WHA franchise. Any breach of that agreement would plunder the five-year player-owner pact signed last April Bur the WHA Board of Trustees is expected to approve the move to Florida at their meetings- in Toronto Tuesday and Wednesday.

NHL permission for the Seals to relocate is expected to follow, with the Board approving a proposal by current team owner Mel Swig to move his franchise under the option granted him when hi purchased the club last July. Campbell revealed the NHL had agreed that, should Swig, keep his club in 115 current Oakland home "we (the NHL) would not move any club or grant a new franchise until May 1, 1978 The reason for this was to give Mr. Swig a market.

"Now, of course, he doesn't need it. He's exploring all the possibilities in Cleveland" It appeared the possibilities were running out for the debiriddled Kansas City Scouts. "We've got a couple of irons in the fire, but what they'll generate we don't know," Campbell said of the two-year-old franchise, reeling under 55 million in financial obligations. One NHL official said a New Orleans group had expressed informal interest in the purchase of a club.

There is one certainty in the Scout's status: by next week, league schedule maker Brian O'Neill must know what cities and dates he'll be working with for the 1976-77 season.- As things appear now. his schedule will be for a 17-team league with one of those teams to be located in Richfield Township, Ohio

[JETStender]

Thursday, July 1, 1976
Denver after Scouts franchise

CHICAGO—Professional hockey franchises were dealt about like property on a Monopoly board Wednesday, with the World Hockey Association plunging into the Deep South and the NHL eying two territories vacated by the rival league.

In order of importance:
•The NHL Board of Governors, meeting in Chicago, gave tentative approval to the transfer of the California Golden Seals to Cleveland.

•A special committee, headed by Chicago Black Hawk president William Wirtz, is examining an offer by a Denver group, headed by broadcaster Bud Palmer, to move the struggling Kansas City Scout franchise West.

•And the WHA, which moved the ailing Toronto Toros to Alabama Tuesday, officially moved the Cleveland Crusaders to Hollywood, Fla., the prospective home of the NBA's Buffalo Braves.

Somewhat surprising was the Denver bid for the financially troubled Scouts. Other Denver attempts to join the NHL have failed. The Chicago Cougars of the WHA moved there last season, averaged about 3,000 fans a game, then moved out and disbanded at mid-season.

Palmer, who handled the announcing assignment for the U.S. Hockey's team's gold medal victory in the 1960 Olympics and later covered NHL games for CBS, tried to obtain the Seals franchise.

He'd earlier expressed little interest in the Scouts. But Tuesday night Palmer presented his package for the KC franchise and flew back to Vail, Colo., to await word from Wirtz. "I wish the NHL hadn't made that announcement," Palmer said by phone from Colorado Wednesday. "We don't have a decent lease arrangement with the city."

Palmer said the original attempt to gain the Seal franchise was stopped by the problems with the city for a lease on the 16,600 seat McNicholas Arena, home of the basketball Nuggets.

"We got into this Scout deal very, very late," Palmer said. "We just met yesterday with the NHL crisis committee. I hope to hear from Bill Wirtz sometime Thursday," The Scouts are in debt to the NHL, and Palmer said his group would assume some of those debts and others to the city of Kansas City. Although refusing to name his partners, Palmer said the group is well-financed and prepared to spend "one million dollars" for player procurement.

"I'll take Bobby Orr's good knee," Palmer said with a laugh. The Seals, an original expansion team of 1967, and the Scouts, newcomers two years ago, have been a financial headache to the league. NHL sources indicated that moves to Cleveland and Denver could be successful despite their abandonment by the WHA, because of a higher quality ice product.' The Nuggets averaged over 15,000 for ABA games and the NBA Cavaliers set playoff attendance records in their Richfield, Ohio, arena.

The NHL authorized Mel Swig, chairman of the Seals, to proceed with financial matters involved in the transfer.

The NHL dealings mark a departure from previous policy. In the modern era of hockey, since World War II, no franchises have been moved or dissolved. The prospect of dropping the debt-ridden Scouts— reportedly $5 million in the red—is also being considered.

The WHA also announced a 10 day extension for the San Diego Mariners to find new local owners.

[JETStender]

Thursday, July l, 1976

Crusader Sale Finalized

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (UPI) - Signing a final lease agreement is the only step remaining in the move of the World Hockey Association Cleveland Crusaders to the Hollywood Sportatorium.

Bill Putnam, president of Florida Sports Inc., finalized purchase of the team for an undisclosed amount Wednesday during league meetings in Toronto. Putnam also announced Glen Somnor has been appointed general manager and Johnny Wilson retained as coach. Christopher C. Gallagher, who was appointed business manager and assistant to the president, said all details of a proposed lease have been worked out and the lease is expected to be signed next week, after it is reviewed by lawyers.

The team will play its 40- game home schedule in the 15,000-seatSportatorium, which just underwent a $7 million renovation. Putnam has said the team will train and play the exhibition season in the north. Somnor served as general manager of the WHA Minnesota Fighting Saints for the past four seasons, during which the team compiled the third-best record in the league and made the playoffs four times. Wilson has coached the Crusaders for three years, taking the team to a 35-40-5 record and second place in the WHA's Eastern Division last season.

Before joining the Crusaders, Wilson coached at Princeton University for two years, served as coach of the NHL Los Angeles Kings, was assistant general manager of the NHL Atlanta Flames and coached the NHL Detroit Red Wings. WHA Vice President Howard L. Baldwin, said at a joint news conference with Putnam lasl week that the Crusaders "could no longer operate in Cleveland" in the face of poor attendance and a bleak future in that city. Putnam has announced he will make player changes to overcome weaknesses he has seen in the club, and said the name Crusaders might be changed because it "doesn't quite fit south Florida."

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1976


WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court yesterday overturned a decision reinstating an anti-trust suit against the National Hockey League by former New York franchise holders of the World Hockey Association.

The justices reversed by a 6-to-2 vote a ruling of the U.S. Circuit Court in Philadelphia that U.S. District Judge A. Leon Higginbotham erred in dismissing the suit by Metropolitan Hockey Club and Golden Blades Hockey. The case grew out of 15 separate anti-trust lawsuits between the fledgling WHA and the older NHL and their member clubs.

In February, 1974, a settlement was accepted by all of the parties except Metropolitan and Golden Blades.

[JETStender]

Saturday, July 10, 1976

Clarence Campbell, president of the NHL, said Friday a group headed by Colorado broadcaster Bud Palmer hopes to conclude a deal to purchase Kansas City Scouts by next Wednesday and move the team to Denver for next season "We made some pretty good progress," Campbell said of a meeting of the league's finance committee in Chicago Thursday

[JETStender]

Sunday, July 11,1976

A DECISION on an arena leasing arrangement was expected to be made by Wednesday in connection with a bid by a group headed by sportscaster Bud Palmer to buy the Kansas City Scouts of the National Hockey League and move them to Denver. Representatives of Palmer's group, which now includes former California Seals president Man son Campbell, met with Denver officials Friday, but failed to settle basic differences regarding a lease for McNichols Sports Arena.

[JETStender]

Wednesday, July 14, 1976

Scout franchise gets new problems

DENVER (AP) —A group headed by sportscaster Bud Palmer of Vail had until this evening to give National Hockey League officials a down payment for purchase of the hockey franchise in Kansas City.

Denver city officials, meanwhile, stood firm on what they called a final, break-even offer to rent McNichols Sports Arena to the proposed new team. The rental issue has held up efforts by Palmer to obtain the Kansas City Scouts.

"I think we'll stick to our guns on this one," Robert P. Locke, the city's manager of general services, said Tuesday. He said he, was notified late Tuesday by backers of the proposed franchise that they were holding out for a more favorable rent contract than the one the city has offered.

Locke contended the promoters want the city to rent the arena at a loss, which he said would amount to subsidizing the new team "until they got their feet on the ground." Although the selling price of the Scouts hasn't been made public, Palmer recently said he would need "$2.5 million up front" to buy the team and move it to Denver. Locke said the down payment will be "in six figures, probably $100,000."

NHL officials were to meet in Chicago Thursday to review the issue, but an attorney for Palmer's group said Tuesday that an extension of today's deadline was "unlikely." Locke said the city has offered Palmer's group a five-year contract calling for a per-game minimum rent of $3,500. In the first year of the contract, the new team would pay the city $3,500 for each game or 4 per cent of gate receipts, whichever was greater.

The percentage would increase to 6 per cent in the second and third years and to 8 per cent in the fourth and fifth years. Palmer's group wants the minimum charge to be $2,500 a game and the gate percentage to be figured over a season.

[JETStender]

Thursday, July 15, 1976

Fate Of Kansas City Team Unknown After Long Talks

By HANK LOWENKRON
AP Sports Writer
One National Hockey League franchise is moving, but the fate of another is still unknown after a lengthy meeting of the league's finance committee.

Bud Palmer, a former member of the New York Knicks1 basketball team who is currently a sportscaster in Denver, has scheduled a press conference in that city today at 4 p.m., EOT. Palmer will reveal the status of his bid to buy the financially troubled Scouts and obtain a rental agreement for McNichols Sports Arena in Denver.

Mel Swig, the latest in a lengthy list of owners who unsuccessfully tried to establish a strong NHL franchise in the Oakland-San Francisco bay area, will retain a major interest1 in the Cleveland team. He has already signed a five-year lease to play in The Coliseum, a modern facility located in Richfield, a community approximately halfway between Cleveland and Akron. The Cleveland team will be a member of the Adams Division in the Prince of Wales Conference, where California finished last with a 27-42-11 record last season.

The finance committee approved the shift of the California Seals to Cleveland early today, but did not make any announcement concerning the possible shift of the Kansas City Scouts to Denver. "We're very enthused about having a team in Cleveland," Don Ruck, vice president of the NHL, said. "For years, the area supported minor league hockey and we believe it will rapidly back the new Cleveland team. The Coliseum seats approximately 38,000, which will make it one of the bigger facilities in the league."

The California franchise came into the NHL on June 5, 1967—one of six U.S. teams to enter the league on that date. It was never successful on the ice or financially. Many of its top players jumped to the World Hockey Association after having financial troubles with former owner Charlie Finley, who operated the team as a sideline with his Oakland A's receiving the majority of his time.

The Seals made the Stanley Cup playoffs only twice in nine years, missing the last six seasons. The team's best record was achieved in its second season when it won 29 games, lost' 36 and tied 11 to accumulate 69 points.

Last season was the first one that Swig owned the team. Attendance was up to an average
of approximately 6,000 per game and the club's gross was just under $1.5 million—more than double its gross three years ago. But, he believed the 12,021 seating capacity in Oakland made it impossible to turn the franchise into a financial success.

Swig had hopes of moving the team to a new facility that was to be built in downtown. San Francisco, but his hopes of remaining on the West Coast died when that project was voted down by the City Council. A shift to Cleveland became possible when the Cleveland Crusaders of the WHA left the Coliseum for Hollywood, Fla.

Trading of draft selections and defections to the WHA hurt the club in its early years, but last season's squad showed promise which Swig hopes will win the fans in Cleveland. Goalie Gilles Meloche is recognized as one of the league's top performers, but has been handicapped by a lack of support from his teammates. He and 5-foot 8 Dennis Maruk, who had a strong rookie campaign in the 1975-76 season, figure to become quick favorites.

[JETStender]

July 15, 1976

NHL approves Seals transfer to Cleveland

CHICAGO (AP) - The National Hockey League announced here early Thursday morning that approval has been given for the transfer of the California Seals to Cleveland, effective immediately.

The announcement was made by NHL vice president Donald Ruck, who said the league's finance committee, acting on behalf of the Board of Governors, had given unanimous approval to the shift.

Mel Swig, the Chairman of the Board for California, will remain as one of the major owners in Cleveland. No nickname was announced for the team and Ruck said he anticipated it would remain a member of the league's Charles Adams Division in the Prince of Wales Conference for the 1976-77 season.

Swig, one of several owners who failed to make the NHL franchise in Oakland a successful one, had applied to the mleague for permission to move the franchise on June 30. Oakland was one of six United States cities to receive an NHL franchise on June 5,
1967. The team has never had a winning record and missed making the Stanley Cup playoffs seven of its nine years, including the last six seasons.

The Cleveland team will play in the new Coliseum, located in Richfield between Cleveland and Dayton. The facility has a seating capacity of approximately 18,000 for hockey — one of the largest in the NHL. '"The league is very enthused with this development," Ruck said. "Cleveland has a long history as a successful pro hockey franchise in the minor leagues and we think it is going to be strong NHL franchise."

Cleveland had an American Hockey League team for many years and was the home of the Cleveland Crusaders in the World Hockey Association until recently. However, the WHA team had trouble drawing and recently announced the sale of its franchise to a group that was moving it to Florida. Swig, who was unsuccessful in effort to have a new hockey facility built for his team in San Francisco, then decided to move to Ohio.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1976

Cleveland's location worth 12 points

RICHFIELD, Ohio (AP) - Officials of the unnamed National Hockey League Cleveland entry Thursday began moving into their new offices in the Cleveland Coliseum.

Earlier the NHL board of governors' finance committee made it official California Seals will play hockey in north-east Ohio this season. Bill McCreary, the team's general manager, and several of his staff members have been here for several weeks, laying groundwork for the new location from a spare office in the complex which housed the Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association until two weeks ago.

"We had to give them time to move out and to finish t h e i r accounting and so forth." McCreary said. "We didn't want to step on their heels, but it hasn't been much help working out of these cramped quarters." Now it's official, McCreary can be openly enthusiastic about the Seal's move.

"Last year, the team traveled 72,000 miles by air," he said. "This will be reduced by half or 45 per cent playing in Cleveland. "It definitely should help us," he said. "Travel on the coast had a bearing on the injury factor. Most injuries are a result of fatigue.

"We would play Saturday in Toronto, Sunday In Buffalo, fly five hours to get home and play Tuesday night," he said. "That was a killer. "Moving to Cleveland will give us 10 or 12 points in the standings right off the bat, Just from the reduced travel," he said.

[JETStender]

July 16, 1976

NHL Move to Denver Nearly Set

DENVER (AP) – Efforts to purchase the Kansas City Scouts and move the financially troubled National Hockey League franchise to Denver are "98 per cent complete" and should be final within the next four days, a group headed by sportscaster Bud Palmer said Thursday.

At a news conference, Palmer said two major obstacles— one with the league and the other with the city of Denver— have been resolved, at least in principle. "We will send the league some money this afternoon, along with our letter-of- intent," said Palmer. "We still have some polishing up co do on a proposed contract with the city to lease McNichols Arena, but it's an agreement we can live with Palmer estimated the purchase price for the franchise at between $5.8 million and $6 million.

Other members of Palmer's group include Jack Vickers, a Denver oilman and investment executive; and Munson Campbell, former president of the California Seals. All three partners said they weren't concerned about attempts by Gene Novorr, part owner of the Scouts, to buy out the team and keep it in Kansas City.

"Our posture is that Kansas City has some problems, especially with St. Louis over territorial questions," said Vickers. "The league is concerned with that problem, and we don't intend to get involved in it." Vickers noted that "the city and its citizens have been ripped off on two previous occasions by hockey teams here. That won't happen again. We're not a fly-by-night operation. We won't put up a team for half the season and then skip town."

Vickers referred to the Denver Spurs, a new World Hockey Association franchise last season which abruptly left town in January, leaving behind a pile of unpaid bills, and eventually folded. Palmer has sought an NHL club for Denver for the past three years, but was blocked by the Spurs' previous lease arrangement for McNichols Arena. In recent months, his group actively pursued the California NHL franchise, now headed for Cleveland. Then Palmer switched his attention to the Scouts.

As late as Wednesday, the major stumbling block appeared to be a lease agreement with the city. The basic difference was about $50,000, V according to Palmer. Palmer reportedly had asked for free office space at the arena and a rental agreement that would allow the hockev team to play in the arena for $2,500 per game. The city denied the use of free office space and asked $3,500 per game. He said he didn't anticipate any further problems in completing the purchase but added: "Frankly, after all these years, I'm cautious."

[JETStender]

Sunday. July 16. 1976

Denver close to joining NHL

DENVER (UPI) - Colorado's capitol city has moved closer to gaining a National Hockey League team with city officials and a group of investors announcing that only a few minor points remain unresolved in a contract agreement.

Earlier in the week, the NHL group, headed by oilman Jack Vickers, said a lease agreement for renting McNichols Sports Arena was was the only item still unsettled before the Kansas City Scouts could be brought to Denver.

A tentative agreement was reached Friday by the group and city authorities similar to the pact the Denver Nuggets have. A spokesman said the hockey team will be charged a minimum rent of $3,500 per game.

Under a planned three-year lease, the team would pay $3,500 for each game or 4 per cent of the gate, which ever was greater during the first year. The 4 per cent rate would be. upped to 8 per cent by the fourth year. The investment group had sought a $2,500 per game rent, but city officials said the figure would not cover operating expenses.

[JETStender]

Tue., July 20. l976

Scouts May Not Be Sold After All

KANSAS CITY (AP) – A limited partner of the Kansas City Scouts said Monday he doesn't think the other owners of the National Hockey League club will approve its sale to a Denver group.

The league's board of governors was to join in a conference call this morning to determine the fate of the financially-troubled club. The franchise is expected to either be awarded to a Denver group headed by sportscaster Bud Palmer or else remain here under new ownership, with a group organized by clothier Gene Novorr.

Novorr said Monday the sale of the Scouts to any group could not be negotiated without a vote of the limited partners. He is one of the original limited partners. "There's no way the partners would vote for Denver," said Novorr.

[JETStender]

Thursday. July 22.1976

K.C. attempts to save Scouts

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A last-ditch attempt to save the National Hockey League franchise for Kansas City was reported Wednesday ready for presentation to the NHL board of governors.

Benny J. Harding, spokesman for a new partnership to acquire the financially- failing Kansas City Scouts, said he is trying to arrange a conference with William Wirtz, chairman of the NHL finance committee. A meeting of the NHL board of governors scheduled Monday is expected to make a decision on the franchise, also sought for Denver by a group of investors headed by sportscaster Bud Palmer.

[JETStender]

Friday, July 23, 1976

Owners To Consider Local Offer On Scouts

KANSAS CITY <AP) — The owners of the Kansas City Scouts were to meet today to decide whether to accept a proposal by another Kansas City group to buy the National Hockey League team.

The owners' decision is expected to have some Influence on the NHL board of governors' decision on the fate of the financially troubled team later this week. The owners had three options facing them:
—To sell to the Kansas City group, headed by local clothier Gene Novorr and to which some of them belong.
—To sell to a Denver group led by sportcasler Bud Palmer.
—To sell lo nether group.

NHL representative and Detroit Red Wings Vice President John Ziegler was to attend the meeting and relay the league's decision concerning a vole on the Kansas City group's offer.

The owners were expected to approve sale of the Scouts to the local group if the NHL allowed a vote on the proposal. The board of governors will have final voice on the matter when it meats Tuesday or Wednesday and could reject any vole by the owners, even if it was approved earlier by the league.

[JETStender]

THE BRANDON SUN, Friday, July 23, 1976
Hockey; Now, it's showdown in the Congress

WASHINGTON (CP) — A special congressional committee was told Thursday that hockey fights are "less violent than throwing a baseball at a man's head or sliding "into second with your spikes high."

In contrast to such baseball antics, the congressmen were told, hockey players "drop their gloves and fight like men." The point was made before the select committee on professional sports of the House of Representatives by Ed Snider, owner of' Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. Snider was testifying along with NHL president Clarence Campbell and fellow owners Bruce Norris of Detroit Red Wings and Walter Busri of Minnesota North Stars.

During an afternoon of testimony, the NHL contingent made a plea for special antitrust laws for hockey and for special immigration considerations. Earlier, two World Hockey Association owners appeared and, among other things, made the point that player agents — the men who negotiate the player salaries — were "one of the most destructive forces in the game."

Harrison Vickers, owner of the championship Houston
Aeros of the WHA, said the average salary "on our team is $77,000 a year," "Player agents are one of the most destructive forces in hockey today. They have no feeling for integrity and team loyalty. Their demands are just beyond all bounds."

Campbell said the average yearly salary in the NHL is $86,465 for the nearly 400 players. Fringe benefits brought that to $95,866. The NHL president said that where once player salaries accounted for 26 per cent of the gross gate receipts income, now it accounted for 47.6 per cent.

Both leagues were questioned concerning violence. Representative Bernard Sisk, committee chairman, told Campbell he questioned whether the NHL was doing its job in reducing violence and suggested "maybe ther should be some life-time suspensions." Snider, an American involved in the NHL for .10 years, said "we imported a Canadian game played in a certain way."

He could recall violent stick fights which don't happen now and said he thought Campbell had done a superb job in cutting down violence. He also said he thought there should be special "sports'antitrust laws that differ from business antitrust laws because by our very nature we are a combine U.S. anti-trust laws, which allow a player to bargain across league lines, prevent team owners from different leagues from getting together to discuss salaries for a particular player. This caused salaries to escalate.

Snider also suggested special immigration laws for hockey players and officials, stating that present laws were discriminatory. The committee is reviewing problems facing professional sport and the federal laws under which they operate. It is expected to issue a report and legislative recommendations by the end of the year.

[JETStender]

FRIDAY, JULY 23,1976

Barons return NHL hockey to Cleveland

By MIKE HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

RICHFIELD (AP) —The Cleveland Barons rose from the grave Thursday with all the pomp and circumstance professional sports can muster these days.

The Barons, who once were the scourge of the American Hockey League and second only to the Cleveland Browns in the hearts of northeast Ohio sports fans, have reached the pinnacle: The National Hockey League.

THE PEOPLE who made it possible and some who don't know a hockey puck from a doughnut gathered at the Cleveland Coliseum Thursday for the announcement the recently t r a n s f e r r e d California Golden Seals have adopted the name most associated with hockey in Cleveland.

The old Barons, who once drew 20 consecutive sellout crowds at the ancient downtown Arena, expired quietly when the World H o c k e y Go Jets Go o c i a t i o n C l e v e l a n d Crusaders arrived on the scene four years ago.

Ironically, the transfer of the financially troubled Crusaders to Hollywood, Fla., opened the way for the NHL, which rejected Cleveland for an expansion franchise numerous, times throughout the years.

C l e v e l a n d s p o r t s entrepreneur Nick Mileti, who owned the Barons at the time, was the man who brought the WHA to Cleveland. Again ironically, it was Mileti who owned the rights to the name Barons until Wednesday night.

"We got many calls and letters from fans and they were running about 5-to-l in favor of Barons," explained Barons co-owner Mel Swig. "But Nick owned the name until last night. "BUT WE WORKED it out," Swig added. "He sold me the name in exchange for my wife and 1 taking Nick and his wife out for a nice dinner. You can be sure 1 will keep my end of I he bargain."

The team's new logo and artist's conceptions of its new red, white and black uniforms were the centers of attraction at the luncheon Thursday. Several of the new Barons were on hand, along with Coach Jack Evans, General Manager Bill McCrcary and a n o t h e r c o - o w n e r , Clevelander George Gund.

There were even short greetings for the new team from a long line of politicians from Cleveland and other nearby communities. "The enthusiasm around here has just been amazing to me," .said Swig, "I’m really excited about all of this. I was worried for a while that the name Barons might be too tied to the idea of a minor league operation, but people have convinced me it just means good hockey around here."

[JETStender]

Tues., July 27,1976

Scouts Lose Final Battle

KANSAS CITY (AP)—The Kansas City Scouts, the most, prolific losers in the history of the National Hockey League, lost again Monday, but will lose no more.

At least not as the Kansas City Scouts. After two troubled years in which their financial losses kept pace with their ineptitude on the. ice, the Scouts are moving to Denver, where they will take on a new name and new ownership.

A small but determined group of Kansas City interests failed in their llth-hour bid to keep the Scouts here and afterward expressed their bitterness toward the league. After being informed that the league had decided to foreclose on the debt-ridden franchise if the shift to Denver was rejected, the owners gave 58 per cent approval -to a purchase proposal by the Denver group. Bud Palmer; a sportscaster, organized the group, which is headed by Denver oilman Jack Vickers.

Formal transfer of the franchise was expected Tuesday or Wednesday by a vote of the NHL board of governors. John Ziegler, attorney for the NHL. said at the start of the meeting with the owners that the Kansas City bid to retain the franchise would not be considered. "I told them the league had signed an agreement with Denver," Ziegler said afterward. "I told them time has run out on Kansas City." Gene Novorr, Kansas City clothier whose efforts to organize a local group began June 8, was visibly disappointed.

"1 feel terrible hockey has left Kansas City," he said. "We made a bonafide offer. I don't think the league ever considered our offer entirely." The Scouts finished last both seasons in the Conn Smythe Division of the Clarence Campbell Conference, and suffered financial setbacks estimated at $5 million. They did not win in their last 28 games last season, setting a record for a non-winning streak. They won only one of their last 41 games

[JETStender]

Wednesday, July 28, 1976

Denver group awaits approval By The Associated Press

The National Hockey League has asked a special committee working on the transfer of the Kansas City Scouts franchise to Denver to finalize the transaction as quickly as possible.

During a conference call of the league's board of governors Tuesday afternoon, "It was urged that our people who are working on it don't stop, do proceed and wrap everything up as rapidly as possible," an NHL official said.

The partners of the Kansas City franchise voted on Monday to sell the team to a Denver group, headed by sporlscaster Bud Palmer and financed by John A. Vickers. "We're now awaiting consummation of all the pieces," the spokesman said.

[JETStender]

Tuesday, August 3, 1976

Cleveland's WHA team seeks move

CLEVELAND fUPI) — Sports promoter Nick Mileti and some of his aides have met with civic and business leaders in St. Paul to discuss moving the World Hockey Association Cleveland Crusaders to Minnesota.

Mileti. who sold the Crusaders. 18 months ago. also may wind up running them this season since he's one of the club's general partners, according to a story Monday in the Cleveland Press. And. the story said, pledges for 3,000 season tickets have apparently been ' made in St. Paul, once home of the defunct Minnesota Fighting Saints and part of the home turf of the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL.

Toward the end of the 1974-75 season, Mileti sold the Crusaders to Jay Moore", a Cleveland i n d u s t r i a l i s t and businessman, but he remained a general partner. The Crusaders made the playoffs last season, as they have for the other threeseasons the WHA has existed. But attendance was poor and the team, plagued by money troubles and a division of opinion over General Manager Jack Vivian, who resigned, played below its capacity.

After the season, Bill Putnam of Atlanta, a former NHL executive; announced he was buying the Crusaders and would -move them to Hollywood, Fla., a Miami suburb. Within days the California. Golden Seals of the National Hockey League obtained permission to move here, where they will play in the Midwest Coliseum, a new 20,000-seat structure in suburban Richfield.

Putnam and Moore have not completed the deal, however, each blaming the other for an inability to come to terms, and Putnam reportedly has inquired about obtaining the league owned San Diego Mariners franchise, prompting Mileti to look into the St. Paul option.

"If Putnam calls and says he's able to close his deal, that will be it," Mileti said., "If not, the St. Paul thing may be ready to go by Friday if the people there fulfill certain targets that have been established." Next weekend a WHA meeting is set. to decide the destiny of the Crusaders and San Diego.