Dayton Gems

The Dayton Gems were a long-running and very successful IHL club based in Dayton, Ohio. The Gems were a member of the IHL from 1964 to 1977 and were temporarily restored for the 1979-80 season. The Gems were consistently one of the top IHL clubs. They won three league championships, had five finals appearances, and only missed the playoffs in their first and last seasons. The Gems also had one of the best fan bases in the league, averaging over 5,000 people every game for many years. The Gems, however, were unable to endure by the late 1970s, as the hockey scene altered dramatically due to massive major league growth and tough economic circumstances. The Gems brand was revived for a few years in the 2000s when IHL and subsequently UHL clubs utilized the name.