‘A’ tourney could have remained in Bangor

In the wave of nostalgia surrounding the final Class A basketball tournament at the Bangor Auditorium, there has been ample attention given to the “logistical logic” of relocating the tournament to the Augusta Civic Center. As John Holyoke so aptly put it, the decision by the Maine Principals’ Association to make this change cannot be argued with the face of the geographical locations of Eastern Maine Class A schools.

However, there is an equally significant factor which has been unmentioned, probably because it has been forgotten, and I think it should be recalled.

In 2000, the Bangor City Council publicly declared that the Bangor Auditorium would be closed to further use in 2004 and replaced by a new facility (projected to cost $30-35 million).

There was no concrete plan for raising this money and no immediately apparent source for it, except a bond issue, which the taxpayers of Bangor can ill afford. So, to make this kind of policy announcement accomplished only one tangible result: to send a message to the MPA that they needed to find a new place for their annual basketball tournament beginning in 2005.

I cannot say with any absolute certainty or authoritative evidence that if the “landlord,” i.e., the city of Bangor, had not issued a virtual “eviction notice” to the Maine Principals’ Association nearly five years ago that the MPA’s decision would have been delayed or even discarded, but in view of the sentiments expressed by so many coaches and former players from central Maine schools that playing at the Bangor Auditorium held a special mystique for them, I am willing to venture the opinion that the MPA would have thought twice about abandoning the “mecca” of Maine high school basketball.

The MPA is sensitive to public opinion and certainly respects tradition, so isn’t it just possible that the 2005 Class A tournament might not have had to be the last for our strangely alluring arena?

I was critical of the city’s “death sentence” for the auditorium when it was pronounced and I remain critical of it. Even more so. Because of it, Bangor has lost a major late-winter attraction, probably forever.

The Bangor Auditorium has needs and shortcomings to be sure, but it exists and can still be used for a variety of events – and now as a repository of thousands of treasured memories for former high school basketball players, their coaches, and their fans.

Hal Wheeler

Bangor

UMaine hockey team still alive and well

Leigh A Blanchard wrote that “UM Hockey is a big bust (BDN, April 5).” I would like to say to her that she needs to open her eyes and join the rest of us that think UM hockey is alive and well, and maybe brush up on her hockey knowledge.

Sure the Black Bears lost some close ones, but boy oh boy they were great games. This was one thrilling season. Sure they didn’t make the Frozen Four, but there is always next year. Nobody’s perfect.

As for Jimmy Howard, he is the greatest goalie we’ve have had since Garth Snow. If you don’t believe it just look at his numbers. Jimmy has made saves when I thought for sure he wouldn’t.

I have seen great games from all of the Black Bear hockey players and expect that will continue. Don’t give up yet, this is one great team. I will be there year after year watching this group of players, hopefully Jimmy will be back for next year.

Bob Gillis

Alexander

Bowling gets mixed support from schools

This year was my first full year of coaching the Penobscot Valley High School Bowling Conference and instructing the student bowlers was very rewarding. The Bangor Daily News gave me an avenue to publish weekly team results and individual accomplishments and was greatly appreciated.

What is even more appreciated is the commitment Andy Meucci, Family Fun Lanes manager, has displayed. He has fully funded the conference for the past two years and has no plans of stopping anytime soon.

I mailed packages to 19 area high schools explaining the high school bowling program and that it was not going to financially impact the school’s budget. The only support I wanted or needed was informing the students. I made every reasonable effort to personally contact, leaving a message most of the time, followup phone calls to each school’s athletic director.

One who has given me full support is Hermon’s Paul Soucy, and I am glad he is my son’s athletic director. Three others (Greg Thibodeau, Old Town, Mike Archer, Orono, and Dennis Kiah, Brewer) returned my calls and said they would make an announcement about high school bowling to the students.

Now the rub.

The remaining athletic directors would not return my phone calls. When I did contact an athletic director, I would get “I’m not interested” and the call would abruptly end. I am a parent and would like to see schools have more activities for students. Seventy to 90 percent of all students who participate in high school bowling do not participate in any other sport activities.

I was very disappointed in the attitude toward introducing bowling as a school activity. Bowling is as much a sport as it is a recreational activity, as Michael J. Fox found out. He developed a new found admiration for what bowlers have to do to compete at the professional level for his role in the movie, “Greed.”

Those that are not familiar with bowling may not know that there are scholarships available to students who participate in bowling. Young Americans Bowling Association offers scholarship opportunities. Pepsi and Coke sponsor local, state and national tournaments and award scholarships to go along with the trophies. There are colleges and universities that offer varying levels of scholarship programs to bowlers they recruit.

I thought you would like to know about other activities available for students and the lack of support your school administrations are giving to a program that is not financially impacting the school’s budget.

Ed Cotter

Levant

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