Welcome to my Web site on the Seals, the NHL's forgotten treasure. While the Seals never had a winning team in their nine seasons in the NHL, the club was never dull. It joined the league with the "Second Six" in 1967, and the franchise had troubles almost from day one. Money was always a problem for the Seals as was a lack of attendance. The club had a diverse collection of owners and ownership groups that included crooner Bing Crosby, Pat Summerall, ex-NFL stars Earl Morrall and Dick Lynch, hotel magnate Mel Swig, Barry van Gerbig, the NHL itself and, of course, Charles O. Finley. Rumors that the club might move started just a month or two after they played their first game. At one time or another, the Seals were heading to Vancouver, Buffalo, Indianapolis, San Francisco or anywhere else you can think of. The move was contested in Federal court. Meanwhile, the team filed for bankruptcy in 1970. They were then bought by Finley, who proceeded to lose more money for the franchise.

On the ice, things were always happening to the club as well. The only on-ice fatality in NHL history occurred in 1968 in a game between the Seals and the Minnesota North Stars when Bill Masterton hit his head on the ice, went into a coma and died.

The Seals also wore green and gold skates for one season. The next year they changed to white skates, which (according to one player) made it look like they were skating on stumps when people watched the team on TV since the skates blended in with the ice.

A woman also streaked across the ice on skates during a home game in a plan that was engineered by one of pro sports' first professional cheerleaders, the inventor of the wave, "Krazy George" Henderson. Krazy George was a fixture at Seals home games and made crowds of 5,000 sound louder than 15,000 people. During the team's last two years in the league, their mascot was Sparky the Seal, drawn by "Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz, who was also a season-ticket holder

The Seals also had many outstanding and colorful players on the team including Gary "Suitcase" Smith, Gary Simmons, Gilles Meloche, Dennis Maruk, Reggie Leach, Ivan Boldirev, Carol Vadnais, Ron Stackhouse, Bert Marshall and Harry Howell. Future NHL GMs Craig Patrick and Marshall Johnston also played for the Seals, as did future coaches like Tom Webster, Terry Murray, Larry Popein, Gene Ubriaco and Charlie Burns. Bill Torrey, who later built the Islanders dynasties of the '80s got his NHL start with the Seals, as did play-by-play announcers Tim Ryan and Joe Starkey.

This Web site is going to emphasize a more statistical review of the Seals. The book, which is now available at AuthorHouse.com (hot link: http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=25971 ) is more of an oral history. It is based on 114 interviews conducted with former players, owners, coaches and employees of the team who describe the franchise's incredible journey through nine NHL seasons. There are many hilarious stories and insight into the NHL of the '60s and '70s, both on and off the ice. Many of these stories have never been told before.

We hope you enjoy this look back a the Bay Area's hockey team … the California Seals … er, Oakland Seals … the California Golden Seals … well, all of the above really.

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