Stan Fischler Celebrates An 86th Hockey Anniversary With A Surprise Gift

It was a Sunday afternoon 86 years ago when I walked into Madison Square Garden to see my first hockey game.

I was seven years old in 1939 and, frankly, I didn't know the difference between playing hockey and playing hooky.

But I learned fast; which was the speed that my Dad pulled me into the old Garden on Eighth Avenue between West 49th and West 50th Streets.

In those days you could see a double-header for half a buck which we did. And on the way out my Dad pointed to a big sign on the Garden wall: HOCKEY – THE FASTEST GAME ON EARTH!

"Is that true?" I asked Pop who returned with the perfect squelch. "Well, son, you saw it, didn't you?"

That I did; that I certainly did. And it made me a fan for life.

It also may help explain a good eight decades later why that hockey magic still has me in its spell.

It also may help explain why I recently got a call from a fellow named Jed Margolis. He delivered some interesting news that I never would have expected in 100 years, let alone 86:

"Stanley," the man said, "You have been named to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame."

At first I figured this was a gag that any number of my wiseguy friends would pull on an innocent Maven.

So, I opened my computer and checked out the International Jewish Sports Hall Of Fame. Holy Moley! This guy Margolis was for real. And there was my name on the 2025 list of nominees. So, it wasn't a joke after all.

Then, I did a double-take and checked out previous winners.

YIKES! Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, Howard Cosell, Allie Sherman, Sid Luckman and more. And me? What the heck was The Maven doing with such legends?

So I checked out all the winners and discovered that there even was a "media" section with plenty of legit literary legends there as well. Included was famed N.Y. Journal-American sports editor Max Kase who hired me to be his sportswriter in1955.

And there was Hy Buller who made the Second NHL All-Star Team as a rookie Rangers defenseman. And there was Rudi Ball, captain of the 1936 German Olympic hockey team. An inductee a few years ago was my pal Gary Bettman, longest – and best – pro sports

commissioner in the history of the world.

Close to home, I found Red Auerbach who, like myself, was a graduate of Eastern District High School. (Also Mel Brooks but this isn't the Comedy Hall of Fame.)

At first, I was at a loss as to who to thank for this honor. Then it came to me that I've been nominated for my hockey work. So, I looked up to the Heavens and delivered a soft "Thanks, Dad" for taking me to the MSG games when I was a kid.

But that was just for starters. Stan Saplin, Tom Lockhart and Herb Goren from the Rangers organization opened more hockey doors for me. Kase at the J-A put me on the Blueshirt beat.

And guess what? I'm still writing about the Rangers, thanks to publisher Graeme Roustan and my sharp editor Michael Traikos.

Fellow inductee Marty Glickman – the dean of Met Area sportscasters – got me into hockey tv and Joe Cohen solidified my MSG Networks broadcasting career.

As you might imagine, I have a lot of THANKS to go around. Hockey News Publisher Ken McKenzie signed me on to cover the Rangers in 1955 and 70 years later Roustan still has me scribbling Blueshirt tales.

Also to Pal Bettman and his very wonderful, very competent deputy Commissioner Bill Daly for encouraging my work.

Also my pals at NHL.com led by the very competent Bill Price and my weekly editor – and favorite schmoozer – Jon Lane, as well as a battery of editorial aces.

Then again hockey writing never was "work" in the sense of serious labor. What it's simply been is a labor of love with endless kicks tossed in both on and off the ice.

Call it a funny kind of thrill. Like roller hockey in 1951 on Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton Parkway rink when Jerry Berger fed me the pass and I one-timed the only goal of my life.

Which leaves me with one word upon being named to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

GRATEFUL!