Famous Hockey Trio - The Hanson Brothers

from Slap Shot return to Harrisburg to raise
over $12,000!

The "third time" was a hat trick for sports fans and

movie buffs as hockey’s most famous trio,

 the Hanson Brothers --- returned  to Harrisburg and
helped raise over $12,000!

“Paint the Rink Pink,” A Hat Trick Against Breast Cancer” was

played on Saturday May 3, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. at Twin Ponds

EAST in  Harrisburg. The game will featured the original Hanson

Brothers from the 1977 movie Slap Shot  playing with the Red Robin

Robin’s and the Harbour House Crabs resulting in over $12,000 for the 
Pa Breast Cancer Coalition. The fun event featured a “pink theme”

which included pink hockey laces worn by the Hanson Brothers and
other players and plenty of pink hockey pucks. Jimmy

Cirrito  was the Emcee and spun the sounds of the 70's. Dropping the puck

this year to start the fight against Breast Cancer was  Kiersten Mathieu,  

Morning News anchor for FOX43.  

May 3^rd was a very "Pink" and festive day at Twin Ponds EAST in Harrisburg filled with fun, a busy snackbar,  "average" mens hockey and lots of Hanson Brother interaction with the fans and players. Emcee Jimmy Cirrito of Jimmy's Tavern provided lots of "color commentary" and spun 1970's disco music while wearing a John Travolta type--of well---polyester suite -- and -- or costume, which the kids loved and the wives avoided. Jimmy is always a treat to watch and listen too and really makes an event fun. Fans also swamped the raffle tables during the first and second intermissions with the winners carrying away cool hockey related items including Chiefs, Flyers, and Labatts Jerseys, Chiefs signed items including a framed/autographed movie poster and dvd combo, along with many other cool prize packs. Fans also indulged in Pink Hershey Kisses, which made the event a little sweeter.

From the air conditioned bleachers --- fans (and most of the players) didn't really know if the Hansons were playing for real on the ice when they saw a few people take "one or two" for the crowd. The Hansons are credited with ruffing up Robin Goalie Steve Weller who admitted in the locker room later that "they really came down on me for allowing a goal, --- hurting my ribs a bit, but hey -- that's old time hockey"

Randy Davis of Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates in Mechanicsburg took a few shots (on him) for the team and his employer -- after a charitable bounty placed on his head by his employer was cashed in by the Hansons with a "Slap Shot Movie" Doctor Hook McCracken" type flair.

According to teammate Rob Ziemba; "Randy kept asking me on the bench when " the big hit" is coming, I said that I really didn't know and waiting for it must be tough.  I tried to relax Randy by repeating the funny line from the movie Willy Wonka where Gene Wilder tells the fat  kid that "the suspense is terrible and I hope it lasts." But my comment didn't seem to help him -- relax . I told him to keep his head up and watch his back in the corners."  For most of the first period Randy seemed to skate with eyes on his back before hell broke loose."  The Hanson's found Randy in a corner after retrieving a bad pass from another Hanson victim. Everyone on the bench stood up and banged their stick on the boards as a show of support for the Hansons as Randy got pounded. Rob added; "Randy took some good shots by the Hansons, we think-- in good fun, but you can't tell when they are in character and that's kinda freaky. Besides, if you are going to fight someone in a hockey game, don't do it in a local adult league where everyone thinks they are tough,  make a name for yourself and fight all three Hanson Brothers, who ARE tough."  

At the First Intermission, the Hanson's Zamboni Surfed to a delighted crowd with one fan overheard saying; "I've never seen that at a Hershey Bear's Game." At the Second Intermission eight lucky fans competed in the Groff's Meats Hanson Ham Shoot hosted by our own Big Russ, and the Hanson Brothers! During the Third Period, the Hanson Brothers greeted fans in the lobby for two hours. After the game, the Hanson Brothers  and event participants enjoyed an after-party at the Red Robin Restaurant in Harrisburg.

As for the game, well ---  many comments were overheard referring to "daddy" playing hockey and ranged from "why are the Hanson's doing that to my dad" to "wow, my boyfriend can really skate." If you were there, don't kid yourself, the game was faster than it looked if you were on the ice. The teams had guys with nicknames like BeBop, Hoss, Frenchie, Juice, Big John, Inspector Callahan, and Big Russ to name a few and don't forget Prince Palleschi' s white teeth which could be seen by all across the ice, the players lived up to the words of the late great Herb Brooks as in "we're not looking for the best guys, we are looking for the right guys."  A noticiable "stand out" line and crowd pleaser was the Robin trio of Randy Byler, Curt Heisey and Francois Houde ( pronunced: HOU---DEE, as chanted from the guys on the bench) which tallied, we think, 4-5 goals? On the Harbour House Crab Team, big John Persinger's heavy shot including a blast from the red line that went in, causing the Hansons to pounce on their goalie Steve Weller also scored a couple goals and John actually looked kinda light on his skates for a big guy. So who won? Team Red Robin won, something to something. It doesn't really matter, because the real winner will be the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, when the money raised by the players and sponsors, is used to fight breast cancer. 

The night before the event (May 2) the Hanson Brothers attended a player party 
at the Underdog Sports Bar/Restaurant on Paxton Street in Harrisburg, interacting 
with local sports fans and signing autographs and taking pictures. Thanks to the owner George and his staff, who made the Hanson's feel at home and introduced them to the best "hot wings" this side of Buffalo!

When the final donated total from the event comes out in early June, all will be surprised. For being a little hockey event, there is not doubt we scored a big goal--against Breast Cancer. It was a team effort and a lot of guys pitched in to help raise the money. A big thanks to Rob for hosting a very successful bridge club party with his elder neighbors and to Randy for his "pod to pod" fundraising and his infamous company bounty.  Thanks to the other guys like Lowell, Zimmerer, Byler, Houde, (HOU-DEE) and The Rankin's, to name a few. A big pink hug to Ed Hine Auto Body of Lebanon for painting the pucks pink and telling a shop of manly men, "hey guys, today we're not painting cars, we're painting pink hockey pucks." 

On Friday night June 6th, players and volunteers of "Paint the Rink Pink" A Hat Trick Against Breast Cancer presented a $12,000 total event check to the Pa Breast Cancer Coalition at the Underdog Restaurant in Harrisburg! Thanks to the Merrill and Karen Shaffer, Randy Byler, Don and Crew from ACTV in Gettysburg, John George, Curt Heisey, Jen Fetich of the PBCC, Daryl Godwin, Joe Brunner, and others for coming to present the check!