Tom Mellor * 1972 Olympic Team

Player:
Boston College
U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, 1972 Silver Medal - Sapporo
U.S. National Hockey Team, 1973
Selected in fifth round 68 overall by Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
ECAC Rookie of the Year: 1969-70 (Boston College)
ECAC All-Star Second Team: 1969-70 (Boston College)
Born July 27, 1950 Cranston RI

Tom Mellor lives in Marlboro Massachusetts with his wife and two children and is currently a broker with Windham Capital in Boston.
NON-NHL AWARDS AND HONORS
IHL Gatschene Trophy (MVP): 1976-77 (Toledo)
IHL Governors' Trophy (Top Defenseman): 1976-77 (Toledo)
IHL All-Star First Team: 1976-77 (Toledo)
NCAA All-America First Team: 1972-73 (Boston College)
ECAC Player of the Year: 1972-73 (Boston College)
ECAC All-Star First Team: 1972-73 (Boston College)
ECAC All-Star Second Team: 1970-71 (Boston College)
Boston College MVP: 1972-73
ECAC Assists Leader: 1972-73 (Boston College) (45 assists)
IHL Playoffs Assists Leader: 1976-77 (Toledo) (17 assists)
Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame: Inducted 2000
Boston College Sports Hall of Fame: Inducted 1981
Miscellaneous: Ranked No. 34 in Sports Illustrated list of 50 greatest 20th Century athletes from Rhode Island. ... Held Boston College record for career points by a defenseman until it was broken in 2000.

Why don't we remember them?
Just as the soldiers returned from the war in Vietnam with little or no fanfare, so to did the 1972 Silver Medal Olympic team. America's consciousness was focused on the turmoil going on in the streets and in the jungle of Vietnam. Not on speed skaters, Dianne Holum's Gold Medal in the 1,500-meter race or Anne Henning, the perky 16 year old, winning gold in the 500-meter event. Both young ladies are from Northbrook Illinois, and both broke the Olympic record in Sapporo. No, not even the Richmond Vermont slalom skier, gold medallist Barbara Cochran our next-door neighbor.  Yes we missed a glorious moment; yes we lost forever the chance to welcome back our soldiers and our Olympians.

For the past 20 years we have clung to the hero's of 1980, the U. S. Gold Medal Team, the "Miracle on Ice". It was now a quiet time in America, a time to enjoy the Olympics and reflect and to dream.

Well hockey fans it time to meet some new hero's. On October 1st, 2000, some 28 years late, eyes were opened as Massachusetts Hockey inducted the members of the 1972 Olympic Hockey Team " The Forgotten Team" into the Mass Hockey Hall of Fame.
As they spoke, I can tell you truthfully, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Stu Irving (Assistant Coach Merrimack College) was virtually plucked from the jungles of Vietnam. Serving several months there before being called to play for the team. All together 5 members of the team were serving in the military before being called to play.
Some of the honorees hadn't seen each other in 28 years and some had spoken only briefly in that time.
Induction Night:
Robbie Ftroek had lost contact all together as his schedule in the NHL kept him busy.
Robbie (Former LA Kings--Jersey Devil and now Boston Bruins coach ) gave a speech from the heart, as did the others, which had us captivated by their emotional recollection of the events and what it meant to them.
Stu Irving spoke with vivid re-collection of how he had been plucked from Vietnam, thanking Jim Logue (Assistant Coach Boston College) for recommending to Williamson, that he (Irving) join the team.
Tim Sheehy spoke of how he had played these international teams before without much success and how happy he was to have beaten them, (Poland 6-1 Czech 5-1) and how the 72 team softened up the Russians for the 1980 "Miracle On Ice Team".
Dave Silk (1980 Olympic Team) was the Master of Ceremonies, which made the give and take lively and quite funny.

The 1972 Olympic Team Roster:

Tom Mellor receives induction crystal from Dave Silk at the Massachusetts  Hockey induction ceremony.