Paul-Dobbins
Ron Chisholm
Dave Harkins
Albie Symes
Rusty Broshous
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 