Calgary Cowboys Memories

If you'd like to add a Cowboys memory or a memory of any other WHA team e-mail me. All help is greatly appreciated.

I was a huge fan of the league that brought major league hockey to Western Canada. I lived in Calgary for part of one season. I wrote a column called "Cowboys Roundup" for my college newspaper, and was able to see Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Gerry Cheevers and many more play live. I currently play in a band called Ratty and we have just finished recording our debut cd, "Love Suburban Style". This 13-song platter contains one song entitled, appropriately, "World Hockey Association". Sample lyric: "The Houston Aeros signed up Gordie, and then Mark and Marty, Harry Howell played into his forties, for San Diego, Gerry Cheevers wore the purple and black the Leafs couldn't get Dave Keon back...".( 1998 Ratty Records It's a rocking, melodic and somewhat hilarious song. We expect to have the cd back from the factory and also have our website running by June 30. It would be great if you could put a link to our page on your site (which is excellent, by the way). The link to the video sight you provided may well help us in our efforts to put together a video for the song. I'll be in touch when the website is ready. Like the song says, "Pekka Rautakallio wanted to see he World..."
Memory by Lee Holmlund Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

The memories of the Cowboys are from my childhood, I was thirteen and fourteen during the years they played here, but a few different things stand out more than others. I remember the big brawl in Quebec during the playoffs and the disbelief I experienced as I listened to the game on the radio. I was telling my sons a few days ago about that incident, after we watched the replays of Marty McSorley chopping Brachear and talk of the police getting involved. The police were right on the ice that night in Quebec! One spring afternoon my brother and a few friends skipped school and went down to the Stampede Corral where the Cowboys played. Lynn Powis, who was injured at the time , was out on the ice practicing. After his workout, he happily signed a variety of items for us and seemed like a really nice guy. We saw the Cowboys hammer the St.Louis Blues 4-1 in an exhibition game and I was really glad. The general opinion was the N.H.L. was a far superior league, but I disagreed. I think the W.H.A. had certain weaknesses, but overall could have been competetive with the N.H.L. , and in my opinion, it was a more exciting game. The final, and worst memory is when it was announced the team was folding. I forget the exact number, but it was something like 1000 seasons tickets were sold. Not enough to survive. I have never really forgiven the so-called Calgary hockey fans for that, especially since the Oilers went on to win so many cups. The Cowboys were a better team than the Oilers at that time, and I've always wondered what may have been...
Memory by Murray Hutchison

I noted that you had no symbol for the Calgary Broncos. I'm in a local Calgary collectors club and saw a puck for the Calgary Broncos (complete with logo) being sold by an old time Calgary sports collector. I asked the fellow if it was a fake like the recent pins that have been popping up on ebay (I assumed this puck was another contrived piece of memorabilia). He said it wasn't as pucks were handed out as promotional items at the Press Conference that announced the formation of the team back in the seventies-he works for the newspaper the Calgary Herald. He noted that these pucks show up every now and then in Calgary garage sales.

I should have purchased it as he only wanted $15 for it-I hesitated and needless to say it lasted about 2 minutes at the show.
Memory by Grant Harper

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