jmd@mhuxl.UUCP (Joseph M. Dakes) (11/15/85)
Last night at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, the Flyers and their fans paid homage to Pelle Lindbergh. The local cable company thought enough of the game to broadcast PRISM, the pay tv channel which broadcasts the Flyers home games, on a local channel for all to see. The Edmonton Oilers were appropriately the visiting team and graciously offered to postpone the game but, the Flyers felt it would be best to play it. The ceremony started with the Flyers, wearing a black #31 on their shoulders, and the Oilers wearing black armbands skating on to the ice. Gene Hart, the voice of the Flyers said some words and turned the mic over to one of Philly's ministers to give a sermon. Then it was Bernie Parent, fighting back tears, saying some last words on the character of Pelle Lindbergh. Parent told the packed Spectrum crowd that of all the great saves Pelle made in goal he made the ULTIMATE SAVE when his organs gave life to two people this week. The crowd erupted, for the last time, into the familiar chant, PEL-LE, PEL-LE, PEL-LE. Both teams then left the ice obviously to gain their exposure and returned about 15 minutes later to start the game, which I might add the Flyers won 5-3, to stretch their unbeaten streak to a team high eleven straight. I didn't watch the entire game just the first few minutes and the last minute or so but what I saw was a great show of character by a young Flyer team under those circumstances to go out and beat the best team in all of hockey. I never did like the Oilers, although I do enjoy watching them play, but after their show of class last night I look forward to seeing them and the Flyers in a Stanley Cup rematch come May. On another note, the Flyers fans also showed some class last night during the sermon when the minister asked for God's blessing on the Flyers to do their best tonight because of their opponents the Stanley Cup Champion Oilers, the place erupted into applause. Joe Dakes AT&T Bell Laboratories Reading, PA mhuxl!jmd