Happy Anniversary - Our 'Boys of Winter'

February 22, 1980

Many of you were too young to remember this date in history. Some of you weren’t yet born. Most of you didn’t live through most of the Cold War, gas lines, and American citizens being held hostage in Iran for over 444 days. 

Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, twenty-four hour cable news, and the Internet – all had not been created. Inflation ran rampant; your money-market account would earn over 12% interest, and mortgage rates topped 18%. The United States was certainly missing its pride; its confidence. We had lost our way.

The Russian hockey team(s) had dominated the sport of Olympic hockey for years. And 1980 was no different. Historically, Olympic athletes were amateurs. The Russians however, were amateurs simply in name. They were not paid professionals like those of the NHL. They were grown men. They had played together for years; and they were unbeatable. Dominant. Their main ingredient was intimidation - and they ‘knew’ they were going to win.

The US team consisted of young college-aged hockey players. No one gave them a chance.

It’s near forty years now since that night. The game had already been played earlier in the day and would be broadcast in primetime for all to watch. No one knew what the outcome had been except those that were there in Lake Placid, NY. No news outlet reported it, although they must have known the outcome.

This was more than a hockey game. It was the time when we all needed to be reminded of the need to believe in ourselves; to realize that all of us had value. This game in particular was not about hockey. It was a restoration in the belief that as Americans, we all were special. That confidence and believing in something could make a difference.

And indeed it did. Those kids restored our faith in ourselves that night. And I am certain it was the domino that started the end of the Cold War. Happy Anniversary to our ‘Boys of Winter’. 

It was an exciting and emotional night. And I’m glad I was around to see it.