TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Toledo's proud hockey heritage was celebrated on Saturday afternoon at the Huntington Center.
That's when the Toledo Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed its inaugural class.
The five inductees represent five different hockey eras in the city.
Over the years, Toledo has been home to the Mercurys, Blades, Hornets, Goaldiggers, Storm and Walleye.
The inductees:
- Virgil Gladieux, the man who built East Toledo's iconic hockey palace, the Sports Arena
- Glen Ramsay, a longtime goaltender for the Blades
- The feisty Ted Garvin, who coached the rock 'em sock 'em Goaldiggers back in the seventies and eighties
- Rick Judson, who led the Storm to back to back titles in the nineties and says fans make hockey special in Toledo
- Kyle Rogers, former Walleye captain, who like Mr. Judson, credits fans for appreciating rough and tumble hockey
"To have the fans come here and support a team through highs and lows is special. Makes you want to be here in Toledo," said Rogers.
The inductees were selected by former players, coaches, present and past media members, team historians and by a fan poll.
"What they've done is really allowed the success of the Walleye to be magnified because without those prior footsteps, the Walleye would not be in the position to succeed the way they are today," said selection committee member Dan Saevig.
Another class will be selected next year.
The goal is to eventually have a Hall of Fame at the Huntington Center featuring team uniforms and memorabilia, a way to guarantee future generations will not forget Toledo's rich hockey legacy.
