When the New York Americans became the first NHL team in The Big Apple in 1925, they cornered the market on major league hockey in Manhattan. A year later – when the Rangers arrived to share MSG ice – the Blueshirts had to develop a following of their own. As it happened that was the challenge facing Garden creative press agents Johnny Bruno and Dick Blythe. What they concluded was that two blocs of potential fans should be pursued, Jewish and Italian. "They felt the club needed at least one Jew and one Italian on the roster," recalled Rangers historian Stan Saplin. "A lot of Jewish and Italian fans would enable them to challenge the Amerks who already had a lot of followers." Alas, there was neither a Jew nor an Italian in goal, on defense or up among the forwards. "What Bruno and Bltythe decided to do," Saplin explained, "was 'create' such stickhandlers and what they did was unique. They chose two players and changed their names and ethnicity." Thus, French-Canadian (Catholic) goalie Lorne Chabot became Lorne CHABOTSKY, a Jewish netminder. Meanwhile, Oliver Reiniikka, of Finnish descent, discovered that his name in the opening night lineup was the Italian-sounding OLLIE ROCCO. If anyone still doesn't believe this yarn, just check the New York Times box score for opening night of the 1926-27 season. It reads: Goal – Chabotsky; Defense – Rocco. For a short time Bruno and Blythe could get away with the gambit in not-yet-hockey-smart New York, and they did; for at least a month into the inaugural season. Saplin: "But when the Rangers played in hockey-savvy Toronto or Montreal, the press caught on to the gimmick pretty quick and by Christmas, 1926, Lorne became CHABOT again and Oliver was restored to life as REINiKKA." Those zany press agents had another crazy idea that they had conceived a day before the Rangers world premiere. They approached manager-coach Lester Patrick and said: "Lester, we can get you great headlines if you go along with this idea." Stan Fischler US Hall Of Fame MSG "And what is that?" Patrick wondered. Johnny Bruno: "We'd have someone kidnap your leading scorer Bill Cook and have him returned just in time for the home opener." Then, a pause: "So whaddya think, Mister Patrick?" Witnesses said that Lester then leaped from his desk like Captain Marvel and showed them the door – with a grand slam!
