The first autograph received in 2009 is that of Mike Eruzione, Captain of the 1980 Gold Medal Winning Hockey Team, featured in the recent movie “Miracle”. The teams victory over the heavily favored Soviet Union team is still considered by many to be the greatest single victory in American Sports history. The Soviets had won every gold medal since 1964, played with players that were considered Professionals, and usually beat their opponents by wide margins. The American team, comprised of college players and amateurs, were given no chance to win a medal prior to the Olympics, let alone any chance of beating the heavily favored Soviets. In an exhibition match just one week prior to the Olympics, the Soviets had crushed the US Team by a score of 11-3 in Madison Square Garden. In the famous “Miracle on Ice” game in which TV commentator Al Michaels yelled the famous words “Do you believe in Miracles?…..Yes!!!”, the Americans beat the USSR by a score of 4-3 with Team Captain Mike Eruzione scoring the game winning goal. (He is at left in picture below) The Americans then went on to defeat Finland in the Gold Medal game. The International Ice Hockey Federation has named the victory over the Soviets as the single greatest moment in Hockey History. Captain Mike Eruzione immediately retired from Hockey at the conclusion of the games and never went on to the Pros, wanting to finish his career “on top” of the hockey world. Today he is a motivational speaker and works for his alma-mater, Boston University.
