The Raiders: How 1985 compares to 2019

Spencer said his love for the team over the years has not changed and added he has closely followed the team’s success this year.

“You don’t ever outlive that kind of pleasure and even pride in your city, having teams that are winning” he said. “We like to win.”

Dean Bear, who was 17 years old in 1985, never missed a Raiders home game as his father had season tickets. Bear recalled the Raiders had a tough transition when they joined the Western Hockey League.

“I remember my dad saying after the Raiders lost to Medicine Hat in the first round of the playoffs in the spring of 1984, he said this team is going to go somewhere next year,” he said.

And of course Bear’s father premonition was correct as the Raiders would claim the Canadian Hockey League’s top prize in 1985. Fast forward to 2018, Bear said one of his co-workers made the exact same comment about the Raiders last season, after the team lost out to Moose Jaw in the first round of the playoffs.

“There’s the comparison there between this team and that team that won the memorial cup in 1985. There just seems to be the same type of makeup of good, young players and veterans,” he said.

Bear recalled Raider mania was all the buzz in 1985, and added he was grateful as a season ticket holder to have an almost guaranteed seat at the playoff games.

“At that time people were showing up at four o’clock in the morning, some people were camping out in front of the old Communiplex,” he said.

The media

Former Prince Albert Mayor Jim Scarrow was general manager of the radio station in 1985, and said in many ways the success of the team now feels like it did back in 1985.

“The atmosphere just became more and more positive, and more electric, and the fan support was clearly outstanding,” he said.

Scarrow recalled the radio station ran a number of promotions around the team’s success, and one song that stood out above all others was The Heat Is On by Glenn Fry which in many ways became the Raiders theme song during the playoffs.

“It was a huge opportunity for the radio station, who then as they have now, committed large amounts of energy, and of course the men who had done the play by play had made significant contributions through all the years,” he said.

A newspaper clipping of the Raiders team in 1985. (submitted photo/ Prince Albert Historical Society)

The late Morley Jaeger was the voice of the Raiders at the time, but Don “Pooh” Nelson helped provide colour commentary. Nelson recalled the interest in the Raiders went beyond the borders of Prince Albert and included many communities in central and northern Saskatchewan including Nipawin, Melfort and Buffalo Narrows.

“Their next day was affected by how the Raiders did and whether they won or lost” _{– Don Nelson}

“I always say it mattered to people. I mean there was a passion and their next day was affected by how the Raiders did and whether they won or lost,” he said, adding back them there was no television carrying the game, and so the only alternative way for fans to follow the game was through the radio.

The players

Current Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt and Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee are two members of the alumni from the 1985 team. Hunt said the atmosphere at the arena was different in 1985, as every game during the regular season was sold out. He recalled one specific game late in the season, in which he was asked to sit out.

“Even for us as players to see the game it wasn’t easy. You just had to fight and jostle to get a spot,” he said.

Hunt said the buzz felt in the community back in 1985 is not much different than the one he feels in the city today, adding the sight this week of seeing fans waiting to see the team arrive, and the energy in the arenas both at home and on the road, has been phenomenal.

“I find it very hard to compare because you know everything is so different and unique to every journey,” he said

For Hunt he said the feelings and emotions he felt back in 1985 return when he sees his old teammates at the games or out in the community, but he added his focus this week is not about nostalgia but rather helping the team stay away from distractions.

“There’s no sense in thinking about the end, and there’s no sense in worrying about yesterday, let’s just stay in the moment and enjoy every minute,” he said.

Dale McFee meanwhile said he will always cherish the support of the fans. He explained he can still vividly recall the sight of the Communiplex parking lot, when the team bus rolled up after winning the memorial cup.

“There were literally thousands of people there,” he said.

Ken Baumgartner hoists the Memorial Cup in 1985. (Submitted photo/ Prince Albert Historical Society)

Despite all the buzz and excitement in the community, McFee said he never once felt any pressure, but rather more of a drive to win.

“To know that you have that many people behind you, you recognize early on it was bigger than yourself or your team, you had a whole community that was there through the thick and the thin,” he said.

When asked what advice he would pass on to the players on the current Raiders roster, McFee said the team that has a bigger will to win is the one that will emerge the victor.

“Every team has got good players at this point. I mean you are playing against the league’s best and the country’s best and so far and away it’ going to be the leadership, the determination and the discipline that gets you through to where you want to go and leave everything on the ice,” he said.

Games one of the WHL final will take place Friday night at the Art Hauser Centre, followed by game two Saturday night. Tickets for both those games will go on sale Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Raiders’ box office.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

The Raiders: How 1985 compares to 2019

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