The most unique building in the National Hockey League was originally known as the Pittsburgh Civic Arena but was also known by its more popular name, “The Igloo,” home of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1967 to 2010. The name “Igloo” came from the construction of the dome roof supported by a 260-foot long cantilevered arm on the exterior of the building. It was the first retractable roof major-sports venue in the world.
The building was constructed in 1961 for use by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera at a cost of $22 million, which would equal $171 million in 2012 dollars. The hydraulic jacks never functioned properly so the roof was kept permanently closed after 1994.
The Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League played in the arena from 1961 to 1967, when the Penguins became part of the NHL expansion. The Penguins first game was played on October 11, 1967, a 2-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. It was the first game played between an expansion team and a member of the “Original Six.” On October 21 of that year, the Penguins became the first expansion team to beat an “Original” NHL franchise as they beat the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-2.
The Los Angeles Kings played their first game at The Igloo on October 28, 1967, and beat the Penguins, 5-3. That Kings roster featured players such as Eddie “The Jet” Joyal, “Cowboy” Bill Flett, and goaltender Terry Sawchuck. My first broadcast in the building was on January 16, 1974, as the Kings won 2-0.
One of my most fond memories of games in “The Igloo” was of listening to their popular Organist Vince Lascheid. In the early years of the arena, the organ was located just to my left in the press box, so I had a full view of Vince as he played. He would play songs designed to get under the skin of opposing teams. In our games, when the Kings would come from their dressing room, Vince would be playing the song, “Send in the Clowns,” and he would time it perfectly so that when the first Kings player stepped on the ice Vince would play the line “Don’t bother they’re here.” I would always smile and give Vince a thumbs-up sign for his impeccable timing. Lascheid was the Penguins Organist from 1970 to 2003, in the era when the organ was the instrument of choice for music at all hockey games, and in my opinion was so much better than the loud canned music of today. Vince Lascheid is in the Penguins Hall of Fame and passed away in 2009 at age 85.
We always had fun in Pittsburgh and I remember one night, December 14, 1993, after the Kings beat the Penguins, 4-2, a group of us went to a Karaoke bar. A group of Penguin fans recognized some of us and asked, ‘Are you guys with the Kings?’ When we said yes, they began to boo. I told them, ‘I am going to get up and sing a song in honor of the Penguins defense.’ Then they started to cheer and asked, ‘What are you going to sing?’ I said I was going to sing ‘Blue Bayou.’
The greatest player I ever saw play at the Igloo was Mario Lemieux, who could control a game like no other player. He was almost unstoppable on the power play. My good friend, the late coach Bob Johnson, whom I met while I was broadcasting University of Wisconsin hockey, led the Penguins to a Stanley Cup championship in 1991. His favorite phrase was, “It’s a Great Day for Hockey.” After he passed away, that phrase was on the ice at The Igloo, and it always had special meaning for me each time I worked in the building.
In later years the arena became known as Mellon Arena, named for Mellon Financial, which had naming rights. The Penguins played their final game at Mellon Arena on May 12, 2010, losing to Montreal, 5-2, which eliminated them from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The Penguins now play in their sparkling new home, the Consol Energy Center, which is located right across the street from the old arena. The Civic Arena, Mellon Arena or The Igloo, whichever name you preferred, was demolished between September 2011 and March 31, 2012.
“..and in my opinion was so much better than the loud canned music of today.”
You can say that again.
Great read, thanks!
jom
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KC23 Reply:
December 13th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
@jom, Amen. Music at hockey games has lost it’s soul.
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I just read an interesting article from the Associated Press (it is on the Press Enterprise website) about how the ECHL is serving as a good alternative for hockey during the NHL lockout. But that wasn’t the interesting part. The article, written by some Idiot named Gorman, based in Trento (yes, NEW JERSEY) explained how the East Coast Hockey League was doing so well on the East coast since those cities are “hot beds” for hockey while cities like LA are not. Obviously, Mr. Idiot failed to research his topic properly, so lets remind him of a few facts:
1. The LA Kings sold out almost every home game this season
2. The LA Kings sold out every play-off game this season
3. There were more Kings fans at the SCF games in NJ than there were NJ fans at the SCF games in LA (thanks KopiBryant!)
4. The Kings won the Stanley Cup
5. Wayne Gretzky’s statue stand outside our arena, not yours
6. The Kings have an ECHL farm team here in southern California
7. The Ontario Reign ECHL hockey team has the second highest attendance numbers in the league
8. The Kings website experiences more hits than any other NHL website
9. The Kings Insider blog was the #1 hockey blog in the country (until Evil Lad forced Rich out)
Hey Idiot, you should get a job writing propaganda for Bettman since he doesn’t do his research either and failed to notice the NHL players stashing away millions in savings to make it through the lockout. You deserve each other. Meanwhile, we will just stay in our “cold bed” of hockey, LA, drinking warm cocoa with mini-marshmellows out of that big silver Cup thing. Can someone pass me another blanket please?
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Kingsfanone Reply:
December 12th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
@DesertKing,
No cocoa with mini marshmallows, but I will definitely shovel you nachos, buddy!
Now THAT sounds good, eh?
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DesertKing Reply:
December 12th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
@Kingsfanone,
Nachos in New Jersey probably suck :p
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DesertKing Reply:
December 12th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
@Kingsfanone,
And yep, I would eat nachos out of the Cup. All day long. With some beer. And a churro. And some of those big pretzel things. And some peanuts.
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Kopi Bryant Reply:
December 12th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
@DesertKing, Game 5 in NJ had a great atmosphere with all the Kings fan being there, we took over the bar across the street from the Prudential Center before the game started. Even though the Kings lost it was a great time. Funny how no Devil’s fan said anything bad to us but after the final horn here came the trash talking.
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KC23 Reply:
December 13th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
@DesertKing, Reminds me of that Craig Button’s idiot take on the Carter trade. For a good laugh listen to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRw7n2CNAv8. Talk about an East coast, blinders on, talking out your rear, pretend I know what I’m talking moron.
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KC23 Reply:
December 13th, 2012 at 4:23 pm
@KC23, Now compare hockey media that do their homework with Craig Button’s take with this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=OmJcaXDaBZI&NR=1
This is why whenever Craig Button has a take, I ignor it 100%. He is a proven pretender.
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re: the igloo, many Grateful Dead memories there (probably true of every arena you’ve been writing about). someone would always say “i heard they’re going to open the roof tonight,” which of course they never did.
Jom, as a former Flyers fan/Kings convert, I can tell you the Devils fans should be the last ones talking about popularity and support. Their building is empty if its not playoff time.
At SCF game 5, people would ask me if I had come from LA, and about half the time I would lie and say ‘yeah, don’t you die-hard fans follow your team across the country for the playoffs?’ That, and reminding them the Flyers had already statistically used up the 4-game p/o comeback in 2010 kept them quiet. I’ve been to tons of Flyers p/o games, and I’ve never seen a visiting team represented like the Kings at G5 in Newark.
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bigger pics would be nice…
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Mellon arena was also featured in the Jean Claude Van Damme classic “Sudden Death” where Luc makes an appearance and it was actually filmed during the 94-95 NHL lockout. They could have filmed 2 sequels by now, one every lockout.
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GailWeb Reply:
December 12th, 2012 at 2:48 pm
@Sebastian, Loved that movie, still watching it, now and then while we wait, for hockey will be back soon, and thanks Bob great read again very interesting keep them coming thanks!
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Great stuff Bob, thanks!
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meeting over?
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This also was the building that Marcel Dionne played in while being under a death threat if he scored a goal…………which he did.
I wish Bob Miller would re-visit that topic
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Wow and I thought things couldn’t get worse. Pasted non meeting update below.
NEW YORK — The NHL and the players’ association met with federal mediators, not with each other, in the latest round of fruitless negotiations.
The sides arrived at the same location Wednesday in suburban New Jersey, but never got into a room together. No apparent progress was made, and nothing appears to have been resolved.
“There is no conclusion to this round of the process right now,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said on the 88th day of the league’s lockout.
The players’ association has yet to comment on Wednesday’s discussions because it is still meeting.
This would have been the first negotiating session between the sides since talks broke down last Thursday. All games through Dec. 30 have been canceled, or about 43 percent of the season.
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Lake Forest Reply:
December 12th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
@luc20rules, I don’t think things can get any worse. If they cancel the season now, it’s not like it wasnt expected.
I see this as a positive (though still think the cancellation of the entire season will most likely happen). At least they are trying something new. I think of it like a broker who represents both sides of the sale.
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Scott Cullen @tsnscottcullen
I do wonder how the mediator responds when given take it or leave it offer. Not exactly in the spirit of mediation is it?
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luc20rules Reply:
December 12th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
@Lake Forest, The thing I don’t get is if this is indeed the final offer. Why hasn’t the NHL written a full CBA that the players could vote on. Right now these last items are just put out there with no paper behind them. If the NHLPA gives in on these will there be other sticking points? Is the last offer actually off the table as Bettman said? All I know is the NHL says they want to deal with the players, but is unwilling to draw up a full CBA that could be approved by a NHLPA vote.
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That dome looks like a Jiffy Pop just before its done.
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