An interview with Flyers Fan Club President Misti Love.
When you go out to a Flyers home game you will always see the fine folks of the Flyers Fan Club set up in the atrium behind section 117. It’s always great to stop by their table to catch-up and talk a little hockey with whoever happens to be manning the fort at the time.
Someone you’re bound to run into is current club president Misti Love. I had a chance to catch up with Misti over the Olympic break and ask her some questions about the club. The first thing I asked was when did the Fan Club come into existence. She told me, “The Fan Club has been in existence as long as the Flyers have” …In fact the team had a fan club before they played a single game. How did that come about?
History
Long before there were Flyers Fans in Philly there were hockey fans. There was pro ice hockey in town even before the Philadelphia Quakers played their only NHL season here in 1930-1931. The Quakers went 4-36-4 that year before moving to Pittsburgh. Can you imagine if X was around back then?
The Arena at 46th and Market had been home to the Philadelphia Arrows of the Canadian-American Hockey League since 1927. The Arrows changed their name to the Philadelphia Ramblers when they became the primary minor league affiliate of the New York Rangers in 1935.
The Ramblers played at the Arena until the Rangers ended their affiliation with the team in 1941. The Ramblers then changed their name to the Rockets for the organization’s final season in 1942.
The Rooters
A second incarnation of the Philadelphia Ramblers played at the Arena from 1955 to 1964 as part of the Eastern Hockey League. The team was supported by a loyal group of hockey fans known as the “Ramblers Rooters” fan club. When the Ramblers folded the Rooters stayed steadfast and made it their goal to bring professional ice hockey back to the City of Brotherly Love.
When Ed Snider secured an NHL franchise Ramblers Rooters members Lou Damia and John Wagner contacted Lou Scheinfeld to offer the fan club’s services and support. Hockey was back in Philly which is just what they had been waiting for.
So the Flyers had a passionate Fan Club before they even had a name. “It was the best way to connect players with the fans”, Says Love. “Back then they didn’t have social media and hockey was still a growing sport”. Hockey fans wanted this new NHL expansion team to stick around and they were eager to do their best to insure that it did.
Flyers Fan Club
Misti has been a member of the Flyers Fan Club for about 20 years. I asked her about her evolution from member to president.
“I expect just like most of our members I ran into the table at a game. The Fan Club used to run a first goal pool right at the table and I started playing every game I went to. I got to talking to Alan and he was talking about meetings. I was curious and started to attend”.
“It was so fascinating hearing behind the scenes conversations and media intuition and Alumni stories. The Club has elections every year and after a few years I was asked to run for member at large by Joe Fisher (former President) and learned a lot”.
Moving on up
“Then a couple years after that, ran for Recording Secretary and did that for a few years. During that time I worked with Lou Milano (former President) and served with him as Liaison with the Flyers. I gained a lot of knowledge to run for President, which is my current position as well as Liaison with the Flyers for the PFFC”.
The Gene Hart Memorial Award
Each year the Flyers give out an award to the player who has demonstrated the most heart over the course of the season. The Flyers Fan Club chooses the recipient of that award, what is the process? “The Gene Hart Memorial Award was the brain trust of Joe and Maureen Fisher. The award was thought of first and then the idea to name it after Gene Hart who was always so gracious and kind to the Fan Club”.
“The executive board of the PFFC chooses three players each month by silent vote and then those choices are given to the entire membership and whoever receives the most votes for playing with the most “heart” becomes the winner for that month. Whichever player receives the most monthly wins is then selected to receive the award”.
‘There have been many ties over the years and that is put to a board vote to break. It is always a tough decision because it isn’t about flash and points, it’s about the willingness to show up every game. The true mark of a Flyer”.
Tradition
“We are incredibly grateful to continue this tradition with Lauren Hart as you may remember at the awards ceremony at the end of the regular season. The player gets to keep the award and we add their name to the plaque that now resides in the trophy case behind section 108. The Fan Club also donates money to the charity of the players’ choice in their name”.
Falling in love with the sport
I see Misti at every single home game. I see her at the practice facility as soon as training camp gets going. She is always active with the club at meetings and special events. She says she hasn’t missed a home game in 22 years.
“I watched hockey in the 80’s on tv and really enjoyed the fast pace. I went to my first game in high school and I was hooked. That was the Pelle Lindbergh, Zezel, Tocchet era and I started learning more about the game. The 90’s brought John LeClair and Eric DesJardins and I finally got to attend a playoff game and then I was in love with everything that had to do with hockey”.
“The game, the players, the sounds and the atmosphere. This game becomes a part of you and never lets go. Now if we could just win a CUP….”
Join the Club
The Fan Club events are always a blast. A really friendly group of hospitable, hockey-minded people and a chance to meet Flyers players, alumni, and others involved with the team. Warning: The level of competition when it comes to Flyers trivia is absolutely brutal.
The Flyers Fan Club has a table at every Flyers home game behind section 117. They are also online @ flyersfanclub.org , on Instagram here http://@flyersfanclub01 or on X here FlyersFanClubPA You can talk to anyone at the table on game-night, any member, or just show up at a meeting and join anytime!
Fun Fact: Bryan Hextall Sr. played in Philly for the Ramblers in 1936-37 before going on to have a Hall of Fame career with the New York Rangers. He scored the Stanley Cup winning overtime goal for the Rangers in 1940. Brian is the grandfather of former Flyers goaltender Ron Hextall. Ron’s dad Bryan Hextall Jr. also played in the NHL.
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