- Birmingham Bulls
Pro hockey team
text_color =
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team = Birmingham Bulls
logosize = 150px
city =Birmingham, Alabama
league =World Hockey Association
(1976 to 1979)
Central Hockey League
(1979 to 1981)
operated = 1976 to 1981
arena =Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center
colors =
media =
affiliates =
name1 =Ottawa Nationals
dates1 = 1972 to 1973
name2 =Toronto Toros
dates2 = 1973 to 1976
name3 = Birmingham Bulls
dates3 = 1976 to 1981The Birmingham Bulls were a professionalice hockey team in theWorld Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979, and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls were based out of Birmingham,Alabama at theBirmingham Jefferson Convention Center . Prior to being in Birmingham, the team was known as theOttawa Nationals and theToronto Toros .History
John Brophy , who would become Toronto Maple Leafs coach, joined the Birmingham Bulls of theWorld Hockey Association as assistant to coachGlen Sonmor . Brophy became head coach in the 1978-79 when Sonmor joined theMinnesota North Stars . His team finished last in the league, but was in the middle of a youth movement.Wayne Gretzky was heavily recruited by Birmingham Bulls ownerJohn F. Bassett to be part of the youth movement. The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association, p.221, McLelland and Stewart, Toronto, ON, ISBN 0-7710-8947-3 ] Bassett wanted to confront the NHL by signing as many young and promising superstars as possible and saw Gretzky as the most promising young prospect.Although Bassett failed to sign Gretzky, the Bulls (affectionately known as the Baby Bulls) included several future NHL stars at the beginning of their professional careers:
Rick Vaive ,Michel Goulet ,Rob Ramage ,Craig Hartsburg , andGaston Gingras , as well as a 36-year-oldPaul Henderson . Even though his team was the only one in the league not to make the playoffs, Brophy was awarded the Robert Schmertz Memorial Trophy as the WHA's coach of the year. [Bill Boyd, All Roads Lead to Hockey, 2004, p.102, Key Porter Books, 1-55263-618-6 ]After the WHA
After the WHA ceased operations in 1979, the Birmingham Bulls joined the Central Hockey League, playing during the 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons. The CHL team included returning coach John Brophy, and six players carried over from the previous season's WHA team;
Paul Henderson ,Pat Riggin ,Rick Adduono , and Dave Hanson. The team disbanded during its second season.eason-by-season record
"Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes"
;World Hockey Association
;Central Hockey League
ee also
*
List of WHA seasons References
External links
* [http://www.birminghamprosports.com/ BirminghamProSports.com]
* [http://www.whahockey.com/Bulls.html WHAhockey.com - Birmingham Bulls]
* [http://www.geocities.com/sageford/mch/whabulls.htm WHA Bulls on Magic City Hockey]
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