When the Blackhawks' best tradition took the national stage

As we enjoy Lore Week on the FanSided NHL network, we’d be remiss not to talk about one of the greatest traditions in hockey. Anybody who has ever been to a Chicago Blackhawks home game has taken part in cheering through the national anthem. Nothing sets the tone better for a home-ice advantage than having 20,000 fans yelling and cheering moments before the drop of the puck.

A Tradition Begins

As great as listening to Jim Cornelison sing the Star-Spangled Banner at the United Center is, the tradition dates back to the old Chicago Stadium. And frankly, even before some of the biggest Stanley Cup Playoff games, the United Center never has gotten close to the volume the anthem produced at the old barn.

The tradition began during the 1985 Campbell Conference Finals. The Blackhawks were outscored 18-5 by the Edmonton Oilers in the first two games of the series. The fans who packed the Chicago Stadium felt the team needed a big boost with their backs against the wall and began showing their support from the opening organ notes of our national anthem.

Urban legend will have you believe the tradition started as a response to Oilers fans booing the Star-Spangled Banner before the first two games of the series, but there is no evidence that actually happened. Cheering the anthem worked, as the Blackhawks won the next two games to even the series at 2-2 before ultimately losing in six games.

History Made in 1991

The Chicago Stadium was home to the world’s biggest pipe organ, with the pipes built into the actual walls of the arena. Between the vibrations from the organ and the screams from the rapid Blackhawks fans, the building literally shook. Being a visiting player standing on the blue line before the game, with 17,000 fans right on top of you and deafening cheers, had to be intimidating.

Although the tradition had been going on for six years, it got national attention before the 1991 NHL All-Star Game. With Operation Desert Storm underway in the Middle East just a couple of days before the game, some wondered whether the event should even take place. With the entire hockey world watching, Wayne Messier was barely audible as the Blackhawks fans showed their pride in their team and country.

“I was standing next to Mark Messier during the anthems,” Wayne Gretzky recalled to NHL.com. “I said to him, ‘This is unbelievable.’ I’ve heard it as loud here before when we came into Chicago with the Edmonton Oilers. But never as emotional. The flags of both countries, the banners, the vibrations. You could tell that the fans, like us, were thinking of other things.  There was such a mood in that rink, such patriotism. It was good for hockey. It was a good show, period.”

We’ve had Cornelison sing the national anthem at Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and each rendition has been amazing. However, nothing will ever be as inspiring as that day in January of 1991.

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