Here are some clips from other openers

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On September 11, 2009, the Duffers Hockey Club will open our 39th season!

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2009-10 Schedule

Here are some clips from other openers.

Romeoville, IL 09/05/08
Attendance 21

http://www.lopatka.net/08-09-12/index.htm (2008 opener #38)

Perfect Attendance!

The following 21 guys have perfect attendance;

Tommy, Maestro, Mini Wheezer, Beak, Bookie, Frank, Klinger, Ken Lopatka, Magoo, Art, Brinks, Johnny, Tom Ambrosia, Bill BTW, Stump, Terry, Koss, Fruit Cake, Hacksaw, Anvil and The Brain.
The Whites suckered the Reds into sending their only Canadian over to even up the numbers. The Whites had 8 guys and the Reds had 10, but they had Back Hand Johnny waiting in the wings. As soon as Bill By The Way put on the White Jersey, JZ came out and gave the Whites 10 guys and the Reds were left with 9. That meant Klinger, Frank and Beak Junior had to double shift as they rotated 3 defensemen. The beer tasted awfully good after the game, (Thanks Brinks!)

6 years ago, We opened the season on September 5th. The King and Papa Joe were still active and having fun. Sean Morgan spent the first period locked in the locker room. We never did a beer count, but he got free for the second period.

Clippings from the June 19th, 1998 Duffer News:

The first summer game, actually it was the last game of Spring, (Summer doesn’t officially start until the sun reaches the Tropic of Cancer on June 21st at 9:03 AM.) was marred by a poor turn out. Last June, the King threatened to levy a Bulls Tax on all of the missing Duffers that stayed home to watch a Bulls play-off game. The Bulls game cost the Duffers over $150. Last year, Giffune was nice enough to pick up the loss for us.
This year Bill was missing too, so the Loyal Duffers that showed up, paid a $10.00 Bulls Tax, to cover for all of the no shows.
The next game is on July 3rd and the King is considering canceling the Ice to avoid another loss. A decision will be made at the Picnic.
“The Game Details”
The game got off to a shaky start when Koss overslept the 9:30 PM start. and then
was locked out of the Rink, The King and his court had trouble setting up the score
board. It was a site! The King was doing what no man ever wants to do, He was reading the soreboard Owner’s Manuel. Stump had to come to the rescue as he squeezed into the Scorers box in full goalie garb and put some time on the clock.

11 years ago. Duffer News was just going on line. Only 3 Duffers had e-mail.

2007 opener #37

http://www.lopatka.net/07-09-07/index.htm

Romeoville, IL September 7, 2007
Attendance 24

What a great group of guys the King assembled over a 35 year period!!

I sent out a plea for beer, because Brinks, our MVP, was going to have to miss opening night. I had 3 offers in less than 30 seconds, 2 from guys who haven't skated in a while. Mike "The Nailer" DeVivo, who has had his political life deprive him of several years of laughter, said, "I don't know if I can still skate, but I know I can drink beer, how much should I bring?"

Stump Presented Basketball Jones

Geno, who has been on the IR for most of last season and doesn't even drink beer (Hear that Fred?) replied that he would bring what ever we needed and he was bringing his Duffer Dues check for $275. He's Back! Perry the Flea also replied in the first minute, like he always does. God I love those Canadians! A little later, Special Ed, Klinger and Art also offered. I told them to save it for next time. I know the rest of you were "fittin" (That's how my students said fixing) to reply some time later, but don't get discouraged, we will need you later in the year. Our motto is safe, "A Drinking Team with a Hockey Problem"

2006 Opener

The first game of the 2006-07 season got off to a bad start when Brinks missed the opener and our drinking team had to go dry. The new 8:50 start time only attracted 20 skaters. Basketball Jones ruined his perfect attendance string. Rich Storm was in Germany, and the Flea was in Toronto, but Thor ended his string of no shows to score the first meaningful goal of the year to give Tweedy and the Whites a 1-0 meaningful win. (The last time Thor played a game was on April 22! Almost as bad as Geno)

The Anvil was Hot!


	Stump presents the Meaningless trophy to Tommy Z at the Buffalo Wild Wings bar, as Bill "Roids" Conti and Tweedy look on.


	Eddie the Anvil picked up the 6-5 thrilling win for the Reds. He was magnificent! Duffer GOD (Grandson Of a Duffer) Jeff Lopatka scored the first goal of the year, for the second straight year, . He added 2 more to get the first Hat Trick of the year again this year. Klinger and Fruitcake had a problem slowing the 15 year old down. He slipped through for 11 break-aways on his Uncle Tweedy! Jeff's Dad, Ken, scored on his little brother to add insult to injury. The only non Lopatka goals scored by the Reds came from the stick of Mini Wheezer (He had 2!). White goals were scored by Art (2) Tommy Z, Bill By the Way, and Thor. Frank played without glasses for the first time in his life. Biggest Laugh Harvey gave the guys in locker room D a big laugh when his phone went off with a weird sound. It was obviously a business call, because he waddled out of the room to escape the noisy environment. His hockey pants were dragging lower than a teenager showing off his best undies. He was sweet talking his caller for 10 minutes. Was it a call for a limo or a call for an escort? Only Harvey knows for sure, but he never made it to the Bar. Harvey was told to get a Blackberry.

2005 Opener

September 9, 2005 The Duffers have their first late night opener in years. The last time the Duffers played hockey at 11:00 P.M. on a Friday night, Tweedy was our 9 year old referee at the Downers Grove ice arena. On this night, Tweedy was the 35 year old goalie that picked up the First win of the 2005-06 season. He had plenty of help from his 14 year old nephew Jeff, who scored the First Duffer goal of the season and then scored 2 more in his first game as a legal Duffer. Tim Smith was added to the Duffer Family.