‘Miracle on Ice’ 25th Anniversary
‘Miracle on Ice’ celebrates silver anniversary (Sports Illustrated)
They are middle-aged men now, their hair a little thinner, their bodies a little thicker, pursuing careers, one an oral surgeon, another a financial broker, one a horse rancher, another a university executive, spread across the country from Massachusetts to Minnesota. Twenty-five years ago, they came together and manufactured a miracle.
This coming week, they’ll gather in Lake Placid, N.Y., for their silver anniversary reunion. The U.S. hockey team won the Olympic gold medal in that tiny Adirondack town in 1980, prevailing against the longest of odds and bringing together a country that was struggling though tough times. It produced a nationwide celebration then, and the reunion ought to be a terrific party now.
It was indeed an historic occasion. While I’ve seen highlights dozens of times, and heard “Do you believe in miracles?!” hundreds more, I didn’t actually see it live. I was 14, the game came on late at night and, frankly, most people weren’t paying that much attention. I watched the gold medal game against Finland, which nobody seems to remember anymore, that Sunday morning.
I would beg to differ that most people didn’t pay that much attention. I was in college at the time in New York and remember vividly watching the game in my frat house. Maybe they didn’t care in Alabama, but they sure did up north. It certainly was a big deal in the Northeast where hockey has a tradition.