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VIII OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES Squaw Valley, Calif. | Feb. 18-28, 1960 Medals United States Canada Soviet Union "I was so honored to play on such a talented team," Dick Rodenhiser said. "I was the Bob Uecker [journeyman baseball player who's most famous for beer commercials and movies] of that team. [Bill] Cleary and Mayasich were two of the best players at that time. I was just lucky to be a part of it." Although the U.S. boasted some great players and its games were filled with spectators at the open-air Blyth Arena, their accomplish- ment didn't reach the level of recognition of some of the United States' other historic golden moments, like the 1980 Olympics and 1996 World Cup. In fact, Team USA' o'clock on Sunday morning. The schedulers gave Canada and Russia the prime ice slot, thinking the two teams would be playing for gold. "There just wasn't as much coverage back then. Not a lot of people knew what happened," Bob Cleary said. "It was just black-and-white tele- vision and our game was early. We were the pioneers of [TV] coverage." While the 2010 U.S. squad was filled with NHL players for the fourth straight Olympics, in 1960, the players mostly played in semi- professional leagues and had to leave their full-time jobs temporarily in order to compete in the Olympics. s last game of the tournament was played at 8 "I used to go up to Lewiston, Maine on the weekends to play Saturday night and Sunday afternoon," Rodenhiser said. "It was the most ice time I could get, and I would get paid $25. On the way home I'd always spend it on a steak dinner." "I couldn't try out for the Olympic Team at first because I just got mar- ried and opened an insurance business," Bob Cleary added. "I couldn't afford to be away for all the time leading up to the Games. When [Coach Jack Riley] asked Bill and I to play later on it was just amazing." Every time the Olympic flame is lit (the next time in 2014 in Sochi, Russia), the members of the 1960 Olympic Team can fondly look back at their accomplishments knowing their victory put U.S. hockey on the world's radar, while inspiring a new generation of players to play the game. Results U.S. Feb. 19 USA 7, Czechoslovakia 5 Feb. 21 USA 12, Austria 1 Feb. 22 USA 6, Sweden 3 Feb. 24 USA 9, Germany 1 Feb. 25 USA 2, Canada 1 Feb. 27 USA 3, Soviet Union 2 Feb. 28 USA 9, Czechoslovakia 4 "The opening ceremonies and walking in with my team represent- ing the United States of America is still the greatest honor I've ever been a part of," said Bob Cleary. "I tingle when I think about it. To see Jack Kirrane standing at the podium getting the gold medal – there's nothing close. "It's incredible it's been 50 years. It's a great thrill and honor playing for your country." N Matt Caracappa was the 2009-10 Brian Fishman Intern. USA Hockey 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM 39 U.S. Record 1ST 7-0-0 1960 U.S. Olympic Team NAME Roger Christian HOMETOWN Warroad, Minn. William Christian Warroad, Minn. Robert Cleary William Cleary Eugene Grazia Paul Johnson Jack Kirrane John Mayasich Jack McCartan Robert McVey Richard Meredith Weldon Olson Robert Owen Rodney Paavola Cambridge, Mass. Cambridge, Mass. W. Springfield, Mass. W. St. Paul, Minn. Brookline, Mass. Eveleth, Minn. St. Paul, Minn. Hamden, Conn. Minneapolis Marquette, Mich. St. Louis Park, Minn. Hancock, Mich. Lawrence Palmer Wakefield, Mass. Richard Rodenhiser Thomas Williams Malden, Mass. Duluth, Minn. Manager: James Claypool, Duluth, Minn. Coach: Jack Riley, Medford, Mass. Trainer: Ben Bertini, Lexington, Mass.