Well, let me tell ya somethin’ ’bout this feller named John Harrington. He ain’t one of them big, flashy sports names ya hear all the time, but I’ll be darned if he ain’t done a whole lot for hockey. Now, John, he was born back on May 24th, 1957, up there in Virginia, Minnesota. Ain’t that somethin’? Big ol’ fancy place in the world of hockey, right? Well, he didn’t start out big and fancy, that’s for sure. He was just a regular guy who had a love for the game.
Now, you mighta heard of somethin’ called the “Miracle on Ice,” right? That was when ol’ Team USA went up ‘gainst them Russians in the 1980 Olympics. And let me tell ya, it was one of the greatest moments in hockey history, if not the greatest. And right in the middle of all that, John Harrington was there. Yep, he was part of that team that won the gold. He even got an assist on the game-winnin’ goal by Mike Eruzione in that big game. Ain’t that somethin’ to be proud of?
Now, a lotta folks don’t know this, but ol’ John wasn’t even drafted by the NHL. Nope, he didn’t get picked like them big-name players, so he had to work a bit harder than most. After them Olympics, though, he got a shot with the Buffalo Sabres, and they sent him over to the Rochester Americans in the AHL. And let me tell ya, he showed ’em what he was made of. He scored seven points in just twelve games! But even though he did good, he didn’t quite make it to the big leagues. But that didn’t stop him none.
After that, he didn’t just quit, oh no. He went on to become a coach. And not just any coach, mind ya. He became the head coach for the Minnesota State University women’s hockey team. That’s right, he took the reins and led them for nine years! And under his watch, them girls did mighty fine. He was the fourth coach in the history of their women’s hockey program, and he helped ’em grow into one of the better teams out there. And that’s no small feat, I tell ya. It takes more than just knowin’ how to skate to be a good coach.
John Harrington ain’t just known for bein’ a player or a coach, though. He’s known for his heart and determination. See, back when he was in college, he wasn’t one of them star athletes right off the bat. He had to work hard and earn his spot. He was a walk-on, which means he didn’t have no scholarship or anything handed to him. He had to prove himself from the get-go, and that’s somethin’ a lotta folks respect ’bout him. He wasn’t handed nothin’, and yet he ended up playin’ in one of the most iconic games in hockey history. Ain’t that a story worth tellin’?
Now, after all that, even though he ain’t coachin’ there no more, ol’ John still left his mark on the game. He set the stage for others to follow and showed ’em how hard work and perseverance can lead to great things, even if you’re not the biggest name out there. And that’s the kinda stuff you remember, you know? It’s the kinda stuff that sticks with ya long after the final buzzer sounds.
So, if you ever hear ’bout John Harrington again, you can say, “Well, that feller sure knew what he was doin’.” He played on the biggest stage, helped make history, and then turned around and helped others do the same. That’s a legacy if I ever saw one.
Some fun facts ‘bout John Harrington:
- Born in Virginia, Minnesota on May 24th, 1957.
- Member of the 1980 Olympic gold medal-winning Team USA hockey team.
- Got an assist on Mike Eruzione’s famous game-winning goal against the Soviets in the Olympics.
- Played for the Rochester Americans in the AHL after the Olympics.
- Coached the Minnesota State University women’s hockey team for nine years, helping grow the program.
- Wasn’t drafted by the NHL, but worked hard to make a name for himself.
So, if you’re a fan of hockey, and you don’t know John Harrington’s name, maybe it’s time to learn it. He may not have the biggest headlines, but he’s one of them behind-the-scenes folks who made a big difference. And that’s what matters in the end, right?
Tags：[John Harrington, Miracle on Ice, 1980 Olympic hockey, Team USA, Minnesota State, Women’s hockey coach, Hockey history]
