We have nominated Ron for the Army Sports Hall of Fame.
’62’s Only All-Time Record Holder
In his final year, Ron Chisholm held opponents to 2.18 goals per game, an Academy record that has stood for 46 years. This was the last Academy individual or team record belonging to the Class of 1962.
Ron had a sensational career but this writer is only now realizing it.
His 50 career wins in goal is third all-time and put him first by 13 wins at graduation.
His 1639 career saves is 11th all-time but was first by 41 saves at graduation.
His career goals-against average of 2.53 is 4th all-time but was first by about a full goal at graduation.
His career save percentage of .905 is fifth all-time but was tops at graduation.
His ten career shutouts is second all-time but was first by six shutouts at graduation.
In addition to his all-time record for goals-against per game in First Class year (now 2nd), his Cow year mark is still 9th best and his Yearling year mark is 13th. Ron stood first, second, and third in this category at graduation!
His save percentage in his last year puts him second all-time but he was first at graduation.
His five shutouts First Class year puts him second but first at graduation.
He received the Henry “Hal” Beukema Award as the most valuable player on the hockey team in 1962.
By my count, then, Ron Chisholm held ten all-time Army hockey records when we graduated. That includes most wins in a season -17 (twice – 60-61 and 61-62). Ron also held the most saves in a season at around 605 (exact number not available). Was it just me who did not know this?
The hockey media guide is a good one and mining this Ron Chisholm data from it resulted in the discovery of a very interesting sub-story, one that might support a mini-series.
The goalie for the 1962-63 season was Jack Shephard,Class of 1963. The year after that, the goalie was Neil Mieras, Class of 1964. So each of those guys got to start in goal for one year. Well, Shephard eclipsed Ron in three of the all-time goalie records and Mieras tied him for another! These three goalies put together a five-year run of excellence unequalled in the annals of Army hockey history.
So visualize Shepard and Mieras, top goalies, riding the bench for two full years waiting for the man ahead to graduate. There is a story there and I hope someone will come forward with it.
ARMY HOCKEY AND THE CAN DO CLASS OF 1962 (DRAFT)
Army has fielded a hockey team since 1904. That is 118 years of history, 2,484 games, with a winning percentage of .516 (incorrectly calculated as .514 in the Record Book).
Sixteen men, three of them with surname Riley, have coached these teams. The Rileys account for 71 of these seasons. Jack, who coached the ’62 hockey players, was at the helm for 36 years, won 543 games, and led the US hockey team to an Olympic Gold Medal in 1960.
Army’s season records during our classmates’ three varsity seasons were 16-5-1,17-8, and 17-6-1 with victories over RMC each year. That final season included victories over Boston University and Boston College.
A review of the individual contributions by ’62 starts with our varsity lettermen. In alphabetical order:
Fred Avis did not graduate with ’62 but received a letter from the 1959-60 season: 11 goals and 14 assists. Presumably, Fred continued his college hockey career elsewhere but nothing comes up on the internet.
The six additional athletes earned letters all three of their varsity years.
Marty Bilafer: 24 goals and 28 assists.
Russ Broshous: 20 goals and 43 assists.
Ron Chisholm: more on this champion goalie will follow.
Paul Dobbins: 16 goals and 61 assists.
Dave Harkins: 30 goals and 34 assists, including one Hat Trick.
Albie Symes: 35 goals and 43 assists. His four career Hat Tricks places him 22d all time. He also had a four goal game and a five goal game. [these two performances are likely included in the four Hat Tricks]
Army hockey fans were treated to over a decade of phenomenal goal tending: Larry Palmer ’59 (three years), our Ron Chisholm (three years), Jack Shepard ’63 (one year), Neil Mieras ’64 (one year), Dick Newell ’67 (three years). Palmer, Chisholm, Shepard, and Mieras all were recipients of the Hal Beukema Award presented annually to the most outstanding member of the Army hockey team. Their names appear frequently in the Record Book.
Ron Chisholm held eight Academy goal tending records in three years of eligibility upon his graduation:
His 50 career wins broke the previous record by 13 wins. This mark was eclipsed twice, first in 1977 after 15 years, by men with four varsity years. He remains third all time in this category.
His 1639 career saves broke the previous record by 41 saves. Ron is no longer in the top ten all time in this category but his record stood for perhaps 15 years and the top 10 goalies in this category all played for four years.
Ron broke the record for career goals against average by almost a full goal: 2.53. The record was broken the next year by the aforementioned Shepard and again a year later by Mieras. Ron remains fifth all time in this category.
Ron is ninth all time in career save percentage but was first upon graduation. Shepard ’63 is second all time in this category.
The Record Book is in error when Ron appears twice in the list of career shutouts leaders, once with 10 and again with eight. Eight is the correct number, a number that exceeds the previous record holder by three. This record stood for 36 years and Ron stands fifth all time in this category behind goalies with four years of eligibility.
The list of record holders in the category of single season shutouts, Ron held the record with five by himself for two years until Mieras tied him. Ron’s mark of five was unbroken for 34 years.
In single season goals against average, Ron was first at graduation with 2.18 and remains third all time. His record stood for 46 years.
In single season save percentage, Ron’s mark of .919 was first all time upon his graduation. Shepard eclipsed this mark the next year by .001 and 45 years passed before any goalie surpassed the .919/.920 records.
All information contained in this article was taken from the 2021-22 Army Hockey Record Book.
For What They Gave on Saturday Afternoon 