The History of the Toledo Goaldiggers
The Toledo Goaldiggers was an International Hockey League franchise that played in Toledo, Ohio from 1974 to 1986. Prior to the Goaldiggers, the city's hockey team was the Toledo Blades, which played under that name from its founding in 1963 until 1970, when it changed its name to the Toledo Hornets, which it would play as through the 1973-1974 season. When the Hornets moved to Lansing, Michigan to become the Lansing Lancers after the 1973-1974 season, the IHL granted Toledo the expansion Goaldiggers. After the 1985–1986 season, the Goaldiggers suspended operations. After a sale to Russ and Diane Parker, the team was moved to Kansas City, Missouri and resumed play as the Kansas City Blades in 1990. Toledo would get a hockey team again in 1991 when they received an expansion team called the Toledo Storm that would play in the ECHL.The Goaldiggers won the Turner Cup Championship in 1975, 1978, 1982, and 1983.[1]One of the most famous Goaldiggers was Mike Eruzione, who played with the 1980 Miracle on Ice U.S. ice hockey team. Eruzione was a Goaldigger for the previous two seasons before joining the U.S. national team.
Mike Eruzione, above, played for the "Diggers" from 1977- 1979 before joining the 1980 miracle on ice team