Buzz Schneider
Encyclopedia
William "Buzz" Schneider (born September 14, 1954 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota
) is a retired American ice hockey
player best remembered for his role on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team
that won the gold medal at Lake Placid. He was also a member of the US Olympic hockey team at the 1976 Winter Olympics
.
where he played hockey, baseball and football at Babbitt High School.
After attending the University of Minnesota
, where he played for Herb Brooks
and won the 1974 NCAA hockey championship, Schneider was drafted 98th overall in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins
and no. 73 overall in the 1974 WHA
draft by the Minnesota Fighting Saints
.
of the WHA during the 1976-77 season. After the end of the WHA season, he returned to play for the US national team at the 1977 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Vienna
. Schneider returned to the minor leagues in 1977-78. He played two seasons in the International Hockey League before regaining his amateur status to play in the 1980 Olympics.
During the 1979-80 season, the left wing played 62 games for the National team scoring 27 goals. During the Miracle on Ice
run in the Olympics, he scored five goals and notched three assists in seven games en route to the gold medal. Schneider played on the Olympic team's top-scoring Iron Rangers or Conehead line with John Harrington
and Mark Pavelich
.
After the Olympics he played in Bern, Switzerland until 1983. Schneider returned to the US national hockey team for the 1982 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Helsinki
.
Buzz was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
in 2003 as member of the 1980 Olympic team. He has two sons Billy and Neal. He is now the coordinator of the Turkey men's national ice hockey team
TV movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice, Schneider is played by Jonathan Sagall.
Buzz's son Billy portrayed him in the 2004
Disney
movie Miracle
. Director
Gavin O'Connor was not aware of the family connection until after Billy was offered the part.
Grand Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,764 people, 3,446 households, and 1,943 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,057.8 people per square mile . There were 3,621 housing units at an average density of 493.3 per square mile...
) is a retired American ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player best remembered for his role on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
that won the gold medal at Lake Placid. He was also a member of the US Olympic hockey team at the 1976 Winter Olympics
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
.
Amateur career
Schneider grew up in Babbitt, MinnesotaBabbitt, Minnesota
Babbitt is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 1,475.County Highway 21 serves as a main arterial route in the community.-Geography:...
where he played hockey, baseball and football at Babbitt High School.
After attending the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, where he played for Herb Brooks
Herb Brooks
Herbert Paul Brooks, Jr. was an American ice hockey player and coach. He notably coached the United States' men's hockey team to a 4-3 upset of the heavily favored Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York on February 22, 1980...
and won the 1974 NCAA hockey championship, Schneider was drafted 98th overall in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
and no. 73 overall in the 1974 WHA
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
draft by the Minnesota Fighting Saints
Minnesota Fighting Saints
The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and...
.
International and professional career
Schneider played for the United States National Team in 1974-76 (he was a member of the US team at the 1974, 1975 and 1976 Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments as well as the 1976 Olympic team) before turning professional. He played in a variety of minor leagues before playing four games for the Birmingham BullsBirmingham Bulls
The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being...
of the WHA during the 1976-77 season. After the end of the WHA season, he returned to play for the US national team at the 1977 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Schneider returned to the minor leagues in 1977-78. He played two seasons in the International Hockey League before regaining his amateur status to play in the 1980 Olympics.
During the 1979-80 season, the left wing played 62 games for the National team scoring 27 goals. During the Miracle on Ice
Miracle on Ice
The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22...
run in the Olympics, he scored five goals and notched three assists in seven games en route to the gold medal. Schneider played on the Olympic team's top-scoring Iron Rangers or Conehead line with John Harrington
John Harrington (hockey player)
John "Bah" Harrington is an American former ice hockey forward and is currently a head coach for HC Asiago of the Italian Serie A and former head coach for the Slovenian national team.-Playing career:...
and Mark Pavelich
Mark Pavelich
Mark Thomas Pavelich is a retired US professional ice hockey forward who played 355 regular season games in the NHL for the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and San Jose Sharks between 1981 and 1992 and was a member of the 1980 U.S...
.
After the Olympics he played in Bern, Switzerland until 1983. Schneider returned to the US national hockey team for the 1982 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
.
Post playing career
After retiring from the game in 1983, Schneider returned to Minneapolis and worked as a sales executive for a semi-trailer company. He quit his job in 2001 to gain a commercial real estate license.Buzz was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
United States Hockey Hall of Fame
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1973 with the goal of preserving the rich history of the game in the United States while recognizing the extraordinary contributions of select players, coaches, administrators, officials and teams....
in 2003 as member of the 1980 Olympic team. He has two sons Billy and Neal. He is now the coordinator of the Turkey men's national ice hockey team
In popular culture
In the 19811981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
TV movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice, Schneider is played by Jonathan Sagall.
Buzz's son Billy portrayed him in the 2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
movie Miracle
Miracle (film)
Miracle is a 2004 American biographical sports film about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over the heavily favored Soviet team in the medal round was dubbed the Miracle on Ice...
. Director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Gavin O'Connor was not aware of the family connection until after Billy was offered the part.