Jack O'Callahan
Encyclopedia
John J. "Jack" O'Callahan (born July 24, 1957 in Charlestown
, Massachusetts
) is a retired professional ice hockey
player who played 390 NHL
regular season games between 1982 and 1989 for the Chicago Blackhawks
and New Jersey Devils
. Before turning professional, he was a member of the 1980 Winter Olympics
United States
national team that upset the Soviet Union
in the famous "Miracle on Ice
" game.
in 1975 and then attended Boston University
from 1975–1979, where he was a team captain during the 1977–78 and 1978–79 seasons and was named All-East twice, All-New England and All-America, team MVP twice, Beanpot
MVP, NCAA tournament MVP, and Cochrane award winner twice. He also played for Team USA at the 1980 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Moscow
.
The year after he graduated, O'Callahan was selected to represent the USA in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Three days before the Olympics, in an exhibition match against the Soviet Union, Jack injured his left knee. This forced him out of the opening game against Sweden at the Olympics. He returned for the famous "Miracle on Ice" game against the Soviet Union in the first game of the medal round and in his first seconds on the ice, delivered a massive hit on a Soviet player that turned the puck over to the Americans near the Soviet defensive zone. The hit caught the Soviets off guard and set up a goal scored by William "Buzz" Schneider
to tie the game at 1-1.
. He joined the Hawks after the Olympics, initially playing for two seasons in the minors for the American Hockey League
New Brunswick Hawks
. He finally made the Blackhawks roster in 1982 and played there until 1987 when the Hawks left him unprotected. He was claimed off waivers by the New Jersey Devils
and played a further two seasons before retiring 1989. He also made a final appearance for the United States national team at the 1989 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament.
. He was a member of the 1980 Olympic Hockey team with O'Callahan. He currently does work on behalf of the Blackhawk Alumni Association.
TV movie about the gold medal-winning U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice, O'Callahan is played by Peter Horton.
In the 2004
Disney film Miracle
, he is played by Michael Mantenuto. Mantenuto grew up skating and playing hockey from the time he could walk. Several colleges, like Boston University
(where O'Callahan and his Miracle on Ice teammates Mike Eruzione, Jim Craig, and Dave Silk
once played) attempted to recruit him to play college hockey, but Mantenuto ultimately decided to play, albeit briefly, for the University of Maine
. He got the part of Jack O'Callahan after he got into a fight with another actor who was picking on him during tryouts.
Charlestown, Massachusetts
Charlestown is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and is located on a peninsula north of downtown Boston. Charlestown was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; it became a city in 1847 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
) is a retired professional 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 who played 390 NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
regular season games between 1982 and 1989 for the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
and New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Before turning professional, he was a member of the 1980 Winter Olympics
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...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
national team that upset the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in the famous "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...
" game.
Amateur career
O'Callahan graduated from Boston Latin SchoolBoston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
in 1975 and then attended Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
from 1975–1979, where he was a team captain during the 1977–78 and 1978–79 seasons and was named All-East twice, All-New England and All-America, team MVP twice, Beanpot
Beanpot
The Beanpot refers primarily to a men's ice hockey tournament among the four major college hockey schools of the Boston, Massachusetts area, held annually since the 1952-53 season. The tournament gives the winner bragging rights over its cross-town rivals, and the quest for this highly sought-after...
MVP, NCAA tournament MVP, and Cochrane award winner twice. He also played for Team USA at the 1980 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
The year after he graduated, O'Callahan was selected to represent the USA in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Three days before the Olympics, in an exhibition match against the Soviet Union, Jack injured his left knee. This forced him out of the opening game against Sweden at the Olympics. He returned for the famous "Miracle on Ice" game against the Soviet Union in the first game of the medal round and in his first seconds on the ice, delivered a massive hit on a Soviet player that turned the puck over to the Americans near the Soviet defensive zone. The hit caught the Soviets off guard and set up a goal scored by William "Buzz" Schneider
Buzz Schneider
William "Buzz" Schneider 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...
to tie the game at 1-1.
Professional career
O'Callahan was drafted 96th overall in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Black HawksChicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. He joined the Hawks after the Olympics, initially playing for two seasons in the minors for the American Hockey League
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...
New Brunswick Hawks
New Brunswick Hawks
The New Brunswick Hawks were a professional ice hockey team based in Moncton, New Brunswick. Home games were played at the Moncton Coliseum. They were a member of the American Hockey League between 1978 and 1982. The Hawks operated as a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Black Hawks and the...
. He finally made the Blackhawks roster in 1982 and played there until 1987 when the Hawks left him unprotected. He was claimed off waivers by the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and played a further two seasons before retiring 1989. He also made a final appearance for the United States national team at the 1989 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament.
Post career
Jack O'Callahan returned to Chicago after his retirement and went into the financial services business on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He later co-founded Beanpot Financial Services with former NHL player Jack Hughes, who played college hockey at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He was a member of the 1980 Olympic Hockey team with O'Callahan. He currently does work on behalf of the Blackhawk Alumni Association.
In popular culture
In a 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 gold medal-winning U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice, O'Callahan is played by Peter Horton.
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 film 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...
, he is played by Michael Mantenuto. Mantenuto grew up skating and playing hockey from the time he could walk. Several colleges, like Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
(where O'Callahan and his Miracle on Ice teammates Mike Eruzione, Jim Craig, and Dave Silk
Dave Silk
David Mark "Silky" Silk is a retired professional American ice hockey forward who played 249 NHL regular season games for the Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers between 1980 and 1985.-Amateur career:Silk attended Thayer Academy in Braintree, where he scored 85...
once played) attempted to recruit him to play college hockey, but Mantenuto ultimately decided to play, albeit briefly, for the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
. He got the part of Jack O'Callahan after he got into a fight with another actor who was picking on him during tryouts.
Awards and achievements
- ECACEastern College Athletic ConferenceThe Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
First All-Star Team (1978, 1979) - NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (1978)
- NCAA Championship Tournament MVP (1978)
- NCAA East First All-American Team (1979)