Marquette Pirates
Order classic Marquette Pirates tees, hoodies and jerseys. On February 2, 1954, this team of inmates at a prison in Michigan's Upper Peninsula hosted Detroit and Hall of Famers Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay and Terry Sawchuk on a rink built just for the game. The first period ended 18 to 0, and after that the teams mixed rosters. Celebrate one of hockey's most unbelievable games by browsing all of our Pirates gear, then read the team history below. As a small business, we're proud to keep the names, logos and stories of hockey's lost teams in circulation.
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Marquette Pirates History
The first outdoor hockey game involving a professional team took place in 1954, believe it or not, on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, at a prison.On February 2, 1954, Detroit faced the Marquette Pirates – dubbed Emery's Boys – a prison team named after the prison's warden. According to history, Jack Adams and Ted Lindsay paid a visit to the jail as a goodwill gesture and were invited to return later to play a game. It seemed impossible at the time since the jail lacked a skating rink. However, the prison's athletics director built a rink and welcomed the team back to play a few months later. Detroit accepted the challenge and they did play a game! Hall of Famers such as Gordie Howe, Lindsay, Terry Sawchuk, and Sid Abel battled the Marquette Pirates prisoners. The inmates were defeated 18-0 in the opening period. Following that, the sides swapped players and did not keep score. The game finished without incident and is an incredible piece of hockey history.
