To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the YARD highlighted a chapter of its Centennial story through a "living history" celebration of its World War II ice hockey team, the Coast Guard "Cutters." The Centennial celebration took place on February 6th at the 22nd Annual Crab Pot Ice Hockey Tournament at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Unbelievably, the "Cutters" reunion and opening game - Naval Academy vs. Coast Guard Academy - was 55 years to the date from the final "Cutters" game on February 6, 1944!
To highlight the history of this famous, patriotic Service team, six former "Cutters" traveled to Maryland to represent their World War II teammates. Captain Cliff MacLean, founder and "Cutters" player, dropped the ceremonial puck starting the Crab Pot Tournament as his "Cutters" looked on. To continue the patriotism of the famed skaters, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy hockey team entered the ice arena in replica red, white and blue "Cutters" uniforms. The "Cutters captured their audiences' admiration in 1942, '43, and '44. Many were natives of the Great Lakes and Northern United States, and they were familiar with the role of the U.S. Coast Guard in their hometown. Several "Cutters" left professional hockey careers to enlist in the Coast Guard and fulfill their wartime commitment.
The YARD was one of three Coast Guard East Coast training stations during World War II, so the new enlistees migrated to Baltimore to complete boot camp instruction. Upon finishing this requirement, many were assigned positions at the YARD in the various schools of instruction located at Curtis Bay.
The year was 1941, and Lieutenant Commander Clifford MacLean, YARD Personnel Officer, noticed several Coast Guardsmen playing hockey on the frozen water of the YARD's Arundel Cove. He a hockey player, MacLean organized a hockey team at the YARD and entered it in a Baltimore league which played at the downtown Carlins Ice Arena.
The "Cutters" played at home and at away games before packed audiences. They wore blue jerseys emblazoned with the Coast Guard red, white and blue seal and white, hand-stitched stars. The Coast Guard YARD Band accompanied them when finances permitted, and the musicians broke into the Coast Guard's Service song, "Semper Paratus," each time a "Coastie" scored a goal. Known as the "Star Spangled Skaters," the "Cutters" stirred needed patriotism and as one sports writer noted, "were a bright spot in a time when there was little to cheer about."
With the high caliber of professional talent and with the skill and dedication of its other members, the "Cutters" won the 1942-'43 Eastern Amateur Hockey League Championship and later, the 1943-'44 U.S. Amateur title. Although only together as a team for two seasons, many hockey enthusiasts consider the "Cutters" to be one of the best all-American hockey teams to have played the sport.
With the war raging on and their duty assignments in Baltimore coming to a close, the "Cutters" final game was played in 1944. The "Cutters" fulfilled their wartime Coat Guard operational service, and many returned to professional hockey careers when the war ended.
The Coast Guard YARD can boast three "Cutters" in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada - goalie Frank Brimsek, Johnny Mariucci and Art Coulter. Five "Cutters" are enshrined in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota - Frank Brimsek, Johnny Mariucci, Bob Dill, Eddie Olson and Hub Nelson.
As in the 1940's, the former "Cutters" captured their audience's attention during this special event on February 6th and were honored by over 1000 cheering hocking fans. Although the Naval Academy midshipmen scored the Tournament's winning goal, the public recognition of the day belonged to the YARD and the legacy of the Coast Guard "Cutters." This 1990's audience will long remember the unprecedented patriotism of the World War II Coast Guardsmen, the pride of the United States Coast Guard and the enthusiastic spirit of the United States Coast Guard YARD Centennial celebration.
(Article written February 1999)