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Feb. 18, 1960 – Opening Ceremonies in Squaw Valley

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 18, 1960 – Squaw Valley, CA – The day before competition will begin, the athletes march in the opening parade behind the American flag. The parade culminates at Blythe Arena, where the stands have been removed from one side of the building, allowing the parade to enter through the open side of the arena. A crowd of roughly 12,000 watched 1948 gold-medalist Andrea Mead Lawrence ski down Papoose mountain to deliver the torch. The US hockey team woudl begin play against Czechoslovakia the following day.

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Feb. 17, 1960 – John Mayasich arrives in Squaw Valley

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 17, 1960 – Squaw Valley, CA – The US roster is completed when John Mayasich arrives from Minnesota. The former University of MInnestoa standout and 1956 silver medalist had long been promised a spot on the team by coach Jack Riley. Mayasich was working and playing hockey in Green Bay, WI. During the pre-Olympic tour, the US Team played teh Green Bay Bobcats, the team Mayasich coached and captained. The Bobcats won 6-3, making it apparent to all that Mayasich was the biggest impact player in the United States. Mayasich, once a high-scoring center, would play defense for the USA.

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Feb. 16, 1960 – US Routs Japan in Exhibition

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 16, 1960 – Squaw Valley, CA – Skating again on the outdoor rink, the US hockey team wins 10-0 over an overmatched Japanese hockey team. The scrimmage was also a chance for coach Jack Riley to have some more fun with the press and the opponents.

In the book, Squaw Valley Gold Bill Christian recalls “at the end, he wanted us to stage a donnybrook. Riley’s big thing was playing games with the press.” The Americans fought amongst themselves, trying to play up their internal strife. “We just put our sticks up and kind of bumped around. They (the Japanese) didn’t know what was going on. Riley thought he was going to fool the press, but it didn’t work out.”

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Feb. 15, 1960 – US skates again, TV crews get ready

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 15, 1960 – Squaw Valley, CA – Team USA’s hockey squad, unable to get on the ice a day earlier, finally gets ice time again on the outdoor practice rink. At Blythe Arena, crews drape the open side of the stadium in heavy rope to block the sun and eliminate problems with melting ice.

Meanwhile, CBS television crews prepare for the upcoming Olympic broadcast. It will be the first time that the games are broadcast in the United States, with CBS paying a reported $50,000 for the rights to air the Olympics. Walter Cronkite will host, and the black-and-white footage will be broadcast to the growing number of Americans with a living room television set.

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Feb. 14, 1960 – Trouble for hockey ice at Blythe Arena

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 14, 1960 – Squaw Valley, CA – The warm morning sun is wreaking havoc on the ice of Blythe Arena. One side of the skating arena is open-air, allowing the sun to stream in and melt the ice along the opposite boards, preventing teams from practicing on the rink. The US Olympic hockey team is forced to fight for ice time with the other 8 teams and dozens of figure skaters on the one remaining outdoor sheet of ice. The New York Times also reports that the ice-making equipment is also causing problems and the arena maintenance crews had been unable to fix the problem. Four days until the opening ceremonies.

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Feb. 13, 1960 – Riley predicts undefeated run for US Hockey team

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 13, 1960 – Squaw Valley, CA – Coach Jack Riley predicts the American hockey team will go undefeated in 1960. In a meeting to determine the schedule of the games, each coach is asked for input on the schedule. None of the teams want to play the two favorites, the Canadians and the Soviets, back-to-back. But, when asked for his opinion, Riley stated that he didn’t care who they played, “we’re gonna go undefeated anyway.” It was more a bit of bluster than a real prediction. Riley would later admit that even he didn’t believe what he said. It wouldn’t be the last time Riley played head games with his opponents and the press.

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Feb. 12, 1960 – First skate…on outdoor rink.

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 12, 1960 – Squaw Valley, CA – The US hockey team, arrives at the Olympic Village in Squaw Valley. The team is housed four to a room in the first exclusive village built to house all of the athletes. Outside of the dorms, Walt Disney’s sculptures of skaters and skiers dotted the scenic valley. The team would have its first skate later that day on Squaw Valley’s outdoor practice rink.

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Feb. 11, 1960 – US Hockey Team travels to Squaw Valley

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 11, 1960 – Squaw Valley, CA – After finishing their warm-up tour with a win and a tie against the Czechs, the 1960 US Olympic hockey team departs for Squaw Valley. The ski hamlet, located just outside of Lake Tahoe, is basking in warm sun, just days after a fierce winter storm. Speed skaters, cross country and alpine skiers practice for the first time at the Olympic park. The Opening ceremony is seven days away. The US Hockey team is still waiting for one final player, Minnesota’s John Mayasich, to join the team.

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Feb. 10, 2010 – US and Czechs tie 5-5 in Los Angeles

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 10, 1960 – Los Angeles, CA – In the final tune-up for both teams, the USA and Czechoslovakia play to a 5-5 tie. The US scores twice late in the game to secure the tie, and run their record to 1-0-2 since the Clearys joined the team. The final record for the Olympic warm-up tour is 10-4-4. The team now has one more week to prepare for the Squaw Valley Olympic Games.

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Feb. 9, 1960 – US Hockey Team beats Czechs 4-3 in LA

This Day in 1960 US Olympic Hockey

Feb. 9, 1960 – Los Angeles, CA – The Americans beat the Czechs 4-3 in Los Angeles in front of a packed house at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Larry Palmer was in goal for the game. Palmer and McCartan had been alternating starts, but Riley decided that Palmer would start again the following night. He explained the decision to McCartan, “Jack, you’re my starting goalie in Squaw Valley, but I’m not playing you tomorrow night against the Czechs. If they beat you, that would give them an edge when we play in the Olympics.”

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