Former Black Hawk forward Jim Smith first played in Waterloo during the winter of 1962/63, the same year the team started. He continued to skate for the Hawks almost to the time the organization shifted to junior hockey in the late 1970s. Recently, Jim provided the Black Hawks with an extraordinary collection of artifacts. As preparations were underway for the 60th season of hockey in Waterloo, we shared just some of these remarkable items in an edition of Hawk Tawk Mag-E-Zine, our exclusive season ticket holder newsletter. Now we've created a gallery featuring some of these treasures to share with everyone on the web.
A rare color photo of the original 1962/63 Hawks. Standing (L to R): Jim Smith, Brian Latta, Elov Seger, Al Igmundson, Don Millette, Mike White, Paul Doud, Bernie Nielsen, Mike Litteral, Jarvis Yagla. Seated (L to R): Les Olson, Dan Dilworth, Sam Grafstrom, Oakie Brumm, Don Leskun, Nelson "Blinky" Boyce, John Sofiak. Seated on ice: Peter Brumm.
A jacket patch recognizing the team’s first USHL title. During the 1960s, players and team directors might be seen around the Cedar Valley wearing letterman-style Black Hawks jackets.
Star defenseman Elov Seger, profiled by Courier cartoonist Jack Bender. Tragically, Seger died of a brain tumor in 1968.
Besides appearing in the newspaper, many of these Jack Bender sketches also were used on covers of the Black Hawks game program.
Waterloo rallied to win the 1964/65 championship as the Courier describes. Like many of those seasons in the 60s, it took a big late-season push to bring home the title.
The Hawks hosted and defeated a USHL All-Star team 8-5 in the spring of 1968. This is the game program from that night. Waterloo's last of five consecutive championship years in the 1960s, the 1967/68 campaign was also the club's most dominant year as the Hawks went 27-6-1.
Courier cartoonist Jack Bender profiles player/coach Bud McRae. A key member of the early Hawks teams, McRae was part of all five championships. He passed away in 2012.
It’s not clear who these skates belonged to, but evidently the old CCMs got a lot of wear.
Instead of championship rings, players received an inscribed platter. On the right, the 1963/64 memento has been revitalized. Before being polished, it looked like the 1965/66 plate on the left. The recipient’s name was etched in the center.
A vintage bumper sticker.
The game program from a matchup against Sweden’s National Team during a 1968 trip to Europe. The Swedish roster inside includes three IIHF Hall of Famers: Leif Holmqvist, Tord Lundstrom, and Ulf Sterner.
A pennant, likely from CPM Croix, who may have been the opponent during a 10-1 Waterloo victory in Grenoble, France, on November 24, 1968.
The players who made the 1968 expedition to Switzerland, France, Sweden, and Finland.
The Black Hawks’ success in the 1960s prompted the Minnesota North Stars to move their farm club to Waterloo. Members of the Iowa Stars are pictured. Nearly all of them would go on to play in either the NHL or rival World Hockey Association.
An Iowa Stars pennant. The team colors matched those of the parent North Stars organization.
The Black Hawks returned for the 1970/71 season. Veterans Dave Swick (left) and Paul Johnson (center) break out their sticks with new coach Wayne Hall (right) in this preseason publicity photo.
The USHL of the 1970s included many new teams, like the Milwaukee Admirals. Following several years in the league, the Admirals organization would move to the International Hockey League, then the American Hockey League, and they still play today as the top affiliate for the Nashville Predators.
The 1970s were a decade of change. This letter informed players that Hal Schooley would be named head coach for 1972/73, the third different head coach in three seasons.
A 1975/76 pocket schedule.
The 1977/78 Black Hawks were a mix of both junior and senior players. Beginning in 1979/80, USHL rosters were exclusively junior-aged.
After Jack Barzee moved the 1979/80 Hawks to Dubuque in the summer of 1980, the new team at McElroy Auditorium briefly used a different logo to differentiate themselves from Waterloo teams of previous seasons.
