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The Organist

ECHL: Organist makes hockey history

One of the oldest low-minor league hockey teams, the franchise began play in 1982 in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League as the Carolina Thunderbirds based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The team, along with the Virginia Lancers, joined the All-American Hockey League in 1987, which lasted just the 1987-88 season, after which the Thunderbirds, Lancers, and Johnstown Chiefs formed the basis for the modern ECHL, of which the Thunderbirds won the first ECHL playoff championship, then known as the Jack Riley Cup, defeating the Johnstown Chiefs, 4-3 for the 1988-89 season. They became the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds in 1990 and moved to Wheeling in 1992.

Dan became the music director and team organist in 1992 in the first season of professional hockey in Wheeling, Wv. Dan entertained the crowds from chants to his musical arrangements for the players and the teams including sound effects. It was at the end of the first season that Dan made professional hockey history. In a play-off game in this first season Dan was ejected from a game for taunting the officals with the song "Three blind mice". The game was being televised in Canada and ESPN sports. The ousting from the game made front page news and was picked up by wire services nationwide, making Dan the first organist in professional hockey history to ever be ejected from a game. A letter was directed to him from the commissioner of the league warning him and the team of a 500.00 fine and a bench minor penalty. Couch Doug Sauter commented along with the local papers that Dan was a important part of the team and fired up the crowds with his music. The teams that visited Wheeling were well award of Dan and the 'special' songs he had for their teams and players as well for his own team and players. Below The crowd of nearly 6,000 gives Dan a standing ovation at a game.

Needless to say Dan, was ejected two more times in the following seasons. Dan was with the team for 6 seasons. Dan was given his own team jersey and offical number was 25 on his jersey and he was considered to be a valuable part of the team. Dan was given a jersey with all the team signing it in appreciation of his efforts throughout the season.

After a trademark dispute with the junior league Seattle Thunderbirds, the club became the Nailers for the 1996-97 season when the franchise held a contest open to local fans, which was won by C.J. Wickham of Steubenville, Ohio. The name "Nailers" was chosen for the city's long history of nail manufacturing. The team colors are black, red, and Vegas gold.

While they were still the Wheeling Thunderbirds, members of the team in 1994-95 also participated in the filming of the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie "Sudden Death". Because of the NHL lockout, the scene where Van Damme's character attempts to stop a bomber from bombing Mellon Arena during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals was filmed with players from the Chiefs and Thunderbirds.

The team plays at the WesBanco Arena (formerly the Wheeling Civic Center). After missing the playoffs for five straight seasons, they had a 106-point season in 2003-04. They were defeated by the Reading Royals in 5 games, 3-2. In season 2005-06 they had a great season making it to the second round of the playoffs losing to Toledo in the final second of the final game. Dan played for 6 seasons and also played a history making event of the First All-Star game for the ECHL. In the 2007-2008 season Dan made a requested appearance during the opening week-end. Dan has been on ESPN/Saturday Night in Canada [CBC]/Hockey night in Canada along with many sport casts throughout the United States.

 Dans Bio Page

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