As originally aired on The Rochester Press Box
We are in the midst of the dark ages for Rochester’s two longest standing, foundational professional sports teams. Facts are facts. Between them, the Rochester Americans hockey and the Rochester Red Wings baseball teams have gone a combined 53 years without winning a championship.
1996 was 27 hockey seasons ago. The War Memorial hadn’t yet been rebranded. There was still a stage occupying the south end of the arena. The Amerks that year were led by Craig Charron and Dixon Ward. Steve Shields was the goalie. After a 500 season and a third-place finish in the American Hockey League’s Central Division, the team caught fire. Rochester won 11 of 12 playoff games on its way to the Calder Cup finals and a grueling seven game championship series with the Portland Pirates. On June 13, the Amerks beat the Pirates 2-1 before a deliriously packed house downtown to win their sixth and most recent Calder Cup.
A calendar year later, the Rochester Red Wings won their nineteenth championship and tenth Governors’ Cup by beating the Columbus Clippers three games to two. Third baseman PJ Forbes made a diving, game-five saving catch coming in on a ball. Pitcher Rick Krivda was 14-2.
We were spoiled back then. Between 1987 and 1997 the Amerks and Red Wings combined for five championships. Since then, nothing. The droughts are historic. 27 years for the Americans. The longest previous was fourteen. For the Wings, who trace their history all the way back to 1899, their 26-year drought is nine years longer than the 17-year wait between 1911 and 1928. When they were the Rochester Hustlers, Colts and Tribe playing in the Eastern League. Remember that? Knighthawks lacrosse and Rhinos soccer have had their moments since. But you’d have to be nearly 40 years old to remember the last time we partied like it’s 1996.
Leave a Reply