Amo Bessone
Encyclopedia
Amo Bessone was a collegiate ice hockey player and head coach.
Bessone was born in Sagamore, Massachusetts
, on Cape Cod
, and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts
, where he learned to play hockey.
As a hockey coach, Bessone is best remembered for winning a national championship as a heavy underdog in 1966 with the "Cinderella Spartans." He was one of the most colorful college coaches of his era with a trademark whistle he used to signal line changes.
As intense as Bessone was behind the bench, he was warm and endearing off the ice. During his coaching days, he regularly invited fellow coaches, officials and reporters out for drinks or back to his house for spaghetti following games. Bessone had a passion for cooking as well as hockey.
under legendary coach Vic Heyliger
.
Following Illinois, Bessone played minor league hockey in the AHL
. His career in the AHL was split by serving in World War II.
High School for three seasons following his playing career.
). He coached at Michigan Tech for three seasons compiling a record of 20-31-2.
after Harold Paulsen
resigned. Bessone would remain at MSU for the next 28 years.
When Bessone arrived at Michigan State, the ice hockey program was just beginning its third season and its youth was evident with a 6-25 record over two seasons. The Spartans struggled with six losing seasons before Bessone turned things around in his seventh season as coach. In 1957-58, Michigan State enjoyed its first winning season. The following season, Bessone guided MSU to a Big Ten championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament. The Spartans lost the 1959 national championship game in overtime to North Dakota
.
Following 1959, Michigan State became a charter member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
(WCHA), which was a reincarnation of the loosely affiliated Midwest Collegiate Hockey League and Western Intercollegiate Hockey League that disbanded following the 1957-58 season. Bessone and MSU struggled during the first five seasons of the WCHA.
Again, Bessone turned things around with a winning season in 1964-65. The following season, Bessone coached Michigan State to an improbable NCAA National Championship.
MSU began the 1965-66 season 4-10, but rebounded winning 12 of their last 15 games including both WCHA playoff games which earned MSU a spot in the NCAA tournament. In the national semifinals, Bessone squeaked out a 2-1 victory over highly-favored Boston University. In the national championship game, Bessone and the Spartans faced Len Ceglarski's
Clarkson team that owned the national-best record of 24-2. Michigan State shocked Clarkson with a dominant 6-1 victory sealing MSU's first national championship. Len Ceglarski and Bessone shared the Spencer Penrose Award as the national coach of the year in 1966. The national title and coaching award cemented Bessone's legacy as a coach. To this day, Bessone's 1966 Michigan State team remains one of the biggest underdog stories in NCAA ice hockey history. The total number of team victories (16) and team winning percentage (.551) is the lowest of any NCAA ice hockey champion. MSU made the NCAA tournament again with a strong WCHA playoff finish in 1967, but lost in the national semifinals.
Bessone began the 1970s with six straight winning seasons. As MSU hockey was building momentum, the 7,000-seat Munn Ice Arena
was opened in 1974 just south of the old ice rink, Dem Hall
. The peak of the momentum came in 1975-76 when Bessone guided MSU to its best WCHA conference finish. Michigan State was on the verge of earning an NCAA tournament berth when Minnesota
knocked MSU out of the WCHA playoffs in triple overtime. Minnesota, who had finished below Michigan State in the conference, received an NCAA tournament bid instead.
The loss proved devastating to Bessone and the MSU hockey program. The Spartans suffered three straight losing seasons following 1976.
Bessone announced his retirement effective at the end of the 1978-79 season. He finished his coaching career with a 5-3 victory over archrival Michigan
completing the weekend series sweep of the Wolverines. His success at Michigan State helped form a loyal group of MSU hockey supporters dubbed "Amo's Army." Bessone holds a 387-458-22 career record in 31 seasons.
, Danton Cole
, Kelly Miller, Kevin Miller, Kip Miller
, Ryan Miller
and Alfie Turcotte
.
For his efforts in establishing GLAHA, Bessone received the first John MacInnes Award in 1983. The award, given out by the American Hockey Coaches Association, recognizes great concern for amateur hockey and youth programs.
In 1992, Bessone was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
Bessone is also the namesake of numerous awards including:
His older brother, Pete, played six games for the Detroit Red Wings in 1937-38. Pete had a successful career as a player in the AHL
and is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.
Bessone retired first to Englewood, Florida with his brother Pete Bessone, then later to Santa Fe, New Mexico
, with his son John Bessone. His final visit to the Michigan State campus was October 2006 for a reunion of the 1966 and 1986 NCAA national championship teams.
Bessone was born in Sagamore, Massachusetts
Sagamore, Massachusetts
Sagamore is a census-designated place in the town of Bourne in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sagamore is located at ....
, on Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, where he learned to play hockey.
As a hockey coach, Bessone is best remembered for winning a national championship as a heavy underdog in 1966 with the "Cinderella Spartans." He was one of the most colorful college coaches of his era with a trademark whistle he used to signal line changes.
As intense as Bessone was behind the bench, he was warm and endearing off the ice. During his coaching days, he regularly invited fellow coaches, officials and reporters out for drinks or back to his house for spaghetti following games. Bessone had a passion for cooking as well as hockey.
Playing career
Bessone played high school hockey in West Springfield and for preparatory schools in Maine. After prep school, he played college hockey at the University of IllinoisUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
under legendary coach Vic Heyliger
Vic Heyliger
Victor Heyliger was a National Hockey League center and the head coach of the University of Michigan ice hockey team....
.
Following Illinois, Bessone played minor league hockey in the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. His career in the AHL was split by serving in World War II.
Westfield
Bessone was head ice hockey coach for WestfieldWestfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
High School for three seasons following his playing career.
Michigan Tech
Bessone got his first collegiate head coaching job on September 15, 1948, when he was hired by Michigan College of Mines and Technology (now Michigan Technological UniversityMichigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University is a public research university located in Houghton, Michigan, United States. Its main campus sits on on a bluff overlooking Portage Lake...
). He coached at Michigan Tech for three seasons compiling a record of 20-31-2.
Michigan State
Following the 1951 season, Bessone accepted the head coaching position at Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
after Harold Paulsen
Harold Paulsen
Harold W. "Babe" Paulsen was a former collegiate ice hockey player and head coach....
resigned. Bessone would remain at MSU for the next 28 years.
When Bessone arrived at Michigan State, the ice hockey program was just beginning its third season and its youth was evident with a 6-25 record over two seasons. The Spartans struggled with six losing seasons before Bessone turned things around in his seventh season as coach. In 1957-58, Michigan State enjoyed its first winning season. The following season, Bessone guided MSU to a Big Ten championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament. The Spartans lost the 1959 national championship game in overtime to North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
.
Following 1959, Michigan State became a charter member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
(WCHA), which was a reincarnation of the loosely affiliated Midwest Collegiate Hockey League and Western Intercollegiate Hockey League that disbanded following the 1957-58 season. Bessone and MSU struggled during the first five seasons of the WCHA.
Again, Bessone turned things around with a winning season in 1964-65. The following season, Bessone coached Michigan State to an improbable NCAA National Championship.
MSU began the 1965-66 season 4-10, but rebounded winning 12 of their last 15 games including both WCHA playoff games which earned MSU a spot in the NCAA tournament. In the national semifinals, Bessone squeaked out a 2-1 victory over highly-favored Boston University. In the national championship game, Bessone and the Spartans faced Len Ceglarski's
Len Ceglarski
Leonard Stanley Ceglarski is a native of East Walpole, Massachusetts. He was an All-American left wing on Boston College's 1949 NCAA championship team, and was captain of the 1950–51 squad. He was also a member of the U.S. Olympic hockey team that won the silver medal at the 1952 Winter Olympic...
Clarkson team that owned the national-best record of 24-2. Michigan State shocked Clarkson with a dominant 6-1 victory sealing MSU's first national championship. Len Ceglarski and Bessone shared the Spencer Penrose Award as the national coach of the year in 1966. The national title and coaching award cemented Bessone's legacy as a coach. To this day, Bessone's 1966 Michigan State team remains one of the biggest underdog stories in NCAA ice hockey history. The total number of team victories (16) and team winning percentage (.551) is the lowest of any NCAA ice hockey champion. MSU made the NCAA tournament again with a strong WCHA playoff finish in 1967, but lost in the national semifinals.
Bessone began the 1970s with six straight winning seasons. As MSU hockey was building momentum, the 7,000-seat Munn Ice Arena
Munn Ice Arena
Munn Ice Arena is a 6,470-seat hockey-only arena in East Lansing, Michigan on the campus of Michigan State University. It is home to the MSU's ice hockey team...
was opened in 1974 just south of the old ice rink, Dem Hall
Demonstration Hall
Demonstration Hall is a structure on the campus of Michigan State University. It was built in 1928 with offices, classrooms, and a riding arena for the Military Science department as a replacement for the Armory . Exhibitions of agricultural stock and implements were often held here, as well as...
. The peak of the momentum came in 1975-76 when Bessone guided MSU to its best WCHA conference finish. Michigan State was on the verge of earning an NCAA tournament berth when Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and...
knocked MSU out of the WCHA playoffs in triple overtime. Minnesota, who had finished below Michigan State in the conference, received an NCAA tournament bid instead.
The loss proved devastating to Bessone and the MSU hockey program. The Spartans suffered three straight losing seasons following 1976.
Bessone announced his retirement effective at the end of the 1978-79 season. He finished his coaching career with a 5-3 victory over archrival Michigan
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
completing the weekend series sweep of the Wolverines. His success at Michigan State helped form a loyal group of MSU hockey supporters dubbed "Amo's Army." Bessone holds a 387-458-22 career record in 31 seasons.
Legacy
Bessone's legacy extends beyond his accomplishments at Michigan State. Bessone helped establish the Greater Lansing Area Hockey Association (GLAHA), the first organized youth hockey program in Mid-Michigan. He assisted the league by donating used equipment and encouraging his players to volunteer as coaches. GLAHA started with three players in 1953 and by Bessone's retirement from coaching in 1979, the organization boasted 450 players. GLAHA alumni include current and former NHL players: Jeff BrubakerJeff Brubaker
Jeffrey Joseph Brubaker is a retired American ice hockey forward....
, Danton Cole
Danton Cole
Danton E. Cole is a retired professional hockey player and current Head Coach at the USA Hockey Under 18 Developmental National Program, who played in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, and Chicago Blackhawks...
, Kelly Miller, Kevin Miller, Kip Miller
Kip Miller
Kip Charles Miller is a retired American ice hockey forward. He last played for the American Hockey League Grand Rapids Griffins in 2006–07. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques as their 4th-round pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, 72nd overall.Miller played college hockey for the Michigan State...
, Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller is a professional ice hockey goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres.Other people named Ryan Miller:*Ryan Miller , video game designer and author*Ryan Miller , lead singer and guitar player for the band Guster...
and Alfie Turcotte
Alfie Turcotte
Alfie Turcotte is a former American ice hockey player.Born in Indiana, but raised in Holt, Michigan, Turcotte was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft...
.
For his efforts in establishing GLAHA, Bessone received the first John MacInnes Award in 1983. The award, given out by the American Hockey Coaches Association, recognizes great concern for amateur hockey and youth programs.
In 1992, Bessone was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
Bessone is also the namesake of numerous awards including:
- The Amo Bessone Award (Springfield, Massachusetts) given to the top high school player in Western Massachusetts. The award is celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007.
- Amo Bessone Award (Lansing, Michigan) given to the GLAHA coach of the year.
- Amo Bessone Award (Michigan State University) presented to an MSU hockey player for outstanding athletic, scholastic and community participation achievements.
Personal
Bessone was married to the late Mary Kennedy Bessone.His older brother, Pete, played six games for the Detroit Red Wings in 1937-38. Pete had a successful career as a player in the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.
Bessone retired first to Englewood, Florida with his brother Pete Bessone, then later to Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, with his son John Bessone. His final visit to the Michigan State campus was October 2006 for a reunion of the 1966 and 1986 NCAA national championship teams.