Three Sport Star Jim Walsh

Jim Walsh was a tremendous collegiate athlete, managing to play baseball, football and hockey during his time at Northeastern University. Walsh came was selected to travel to the National Sports Festival in order to try out for the 1980 US Olympic team. After his three-year stint with Northeastern, he signed a free agent contract with the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres.
The defenseman played several seasons with the Rochester Americans (1979-82) and became the only American born Captain in the American Hockey League. Other AHL stops included Binghamton and New Haven.
With his playing days behind him, Jim Walsh began a second career in construction with his own Boston-based engineering and contracting firm. In 1991 Jim Walsh was elected to the Northeastern University Hall of Fame.

Niagara Falls' James Atack

James Atack realized the chances of making the six team NHL were slim. Professional hockey opportunities were scarce as well. So when Atack wrapped up a successful career as a member of the Michigan State Spartans he know his competitive hockey career ended.
Atack spent 1958 to 1961 as a member of the Amo Bessone led Spartans. In 1958/59 the Spartans won 17 games and were a NCAA Tournament Finalist losing to North Dakota in overtime. The final two collegiate years brought only a combined 9 victories.
After MSU Atack returned to Canada and began a teaching and coaching career which lasted 34 years. Atack retired as the Athletic Director of a high school in Niagara Falls.
On a side note, Atack's son-in-law is Canadian Olympic rowing medalist Mike Hughes.

Don Dexradeur & Senior Hockey in New England

If you have never heard of Don Dextradeur, that is OK. However, there is one group that surely remembers him - New England senior hockey goalies. Dextradeur started his hockey career at Hamden High School in Connecticut. The left winger went on to a successful senior career with the New Haven Bears and Springfield Flyers.
Dextradeur also played college hockey at the Springfield based American International.
Dextradeur was drafted and joined the Air Force. After a couple years of service he was sent to Alaska where he played and coached hockey at the LAD Air Force Base. After his Air Force commitment , Dextradeur returned to New England and played another season with the Springfield Flyers. The Hamden, CT native also was active in coaching his son's hockey and baseball teams.
Dextradeur is now 77 years old and enjoying retirement in New England.

Stu Cruikshank & The World of Hockey

Stu Cruikshank started his hockey career in Calgary, Alberta and wound up in La- Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. In between there was tons of hockey and tons of towns.
In Canada, Cruikshank played a year for the Kimberley Dynamiters and then a year in the International Hockey League with Milwaukee.
In 1951, Cruikshanks started his hockey travels with Falkirk in Scotland and stayed 2 years. Next it was on to Bern , Switzerland and then back to Falkirik. France was next, signing with Lyon fro two years and from 1957 to 1962 with a Paris based team.
Cruikshank also spent a considerable amount of time at hockey clincs and coaching teams throughout Europe.