San Diego Mariners
Encyclopedia
The San Diego Mariners were an ice hockey
team based in San Diego that played in the World Hockey Association
. They played from 1974 to 1977. Their home ice was San Diego Sports Arena. Previous to being in San Diego, the team was known as the New York Raiders, New York Golden Blades, and New Jersey Knights.
Star players for the Mariners included defenseman Harry Howell, center Andre Lacroix, and goaltender Ernie Wakely
. The Mariners were coached by Howell (as player/coach) during their first season and Ron Ingram
the succeeding two seasons, qualifying for the WHA playoffs each year.
During the Mariners' final season, the team was owned by then-San Diego Padres
and McDonald's
owner Ray Kroc
. However, the team never drew well, and when they only managed to attract 5,000 fans per game, Kroc sold the team to a group who planned to move it to Melbourne, Florida
. Unfortunately, the new owners couldn't find a suitable arena, and the Mariners folded just before training camp opened in the fall of 1977.
Team colors for the Mariners were orange and blue. The color scheme was the same as it was for the San Diego Gulls
of the old Western Hockey League
. The color scheme was later again adopted in the form of throwback jerseys for the now defunct ECHL
San Diego Gulls.
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...
team based in San Diego that played in the World Hockey Association
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...
. They played from 1974 to 1977. Their home ice was San Diego Sports Arena. Previous to being in San Diego, the team was known as the New York Raiders, New York Golden Blades, and New Jersey Knights.
Star players for the Mariners included defenseman Harry Howell, center Andre Lacroix, and goaltender Ernie Wakely
Ernie Wakely
Ernest Alfred Linton Wakely is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Wakely was a goaltender in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues...
. The Mariners were coached by Howell (as player/coach) during their first season and Ron Ingram
Ron Ingram
Ronald Walter Ingram was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 114 games in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks, and Detroit Red Wings. He was born in Toronto, Ontario....
the succeeding two seasons, qualifying for the WHA playoffs each year.
During the Mariners' final season, the team was owned by then-San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
and McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
owner Ray Kroc
Ray Kroc
Raymond Albert "Ray" Kroc was an American fast food businessman who joined McDonald's in 1954 and built it into the most successful fast food operation in the world. Kroc was included in Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century, and amassed a fortune during his lifetime...
. However, the team never drew well, and when they only managed to attract 5,000 fans per game, Kroc sold the team to a group who planned to move it to Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of 2009, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 78,323. The municipal area is the second largest by size and by population in the county. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida...
. Unfortunately, the new owners couldn't find a suitable arena, and the Mariners folded just before training camp opened in the fall of 1977.
Team colors for the Mariners were orange and blue. The color scheme was the same as it was for the San Diego Gulls
San Diego Gulls (1966-1974)
The original San Diego Gulls team was founded in 1966 as part of the Western Hockey League. The Gulls played at the San Diego Sports Arena.Willie O'Ree, the first black athlete to play in the NHL, was an All-Star for the Gulls. His jersey is retired and presently hangs in the rafters at the San...
of the old Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League (minor pro)
The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Managed for most of its history by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, it was created out of the merger of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League...
. The color scheme was later again adopted in the form of throwback jerseys for the now defunct ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
San Diego Gulls.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1974–75 | 78 | 43 | 31 | 4 | 90 | 326 | 268 | 1058 | 2nd, Western | Won Quarterfinals (Toronto Toronto Toros The Toronto Toros were an ice hockey team based in Toronto that played in the World Hockey Association from 1973 to 1976.The franchise was awarded to Doug Michel in 1971 to play in the WHA's inaugural 1972–73 season... ) Lost Semifinals (Houston Houston Aeros (WHA) The Houston Aeros were a professional ice hockey team in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1978.-Franchise history:The Aeros became one of the original franchises in the World Hockey Association when the Dayton Arrows franchise was moved to Houston in 1972... ) |
| 1975–76 | 80 | 36 | 38 | 6 | 78 | 303 | 290 | 716 | 3rd, Western | Won Preliminaries (Phoenix Phoenix Roadrunners (WHA) The Phoenix Roadrunners were a team in the now defunct World Hockey Association from 1974 to 1977. They played at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona... ) Lost Quarterfinals (Houston Houston Aeros (WHA) The Houston Aeros were a professional ice hockey team in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1978.-Franchise history:The Aeros became one of the original franchises in the World Hockey Association when the Dayton Arrows franchise was moved to Houston in 1972... ) |
| 1976–77 | 81 | 40 | 37 | 4 | 84 | 284 | 283 | 834 | 3rd, Western | Lost Quarterfinals (Winnipeg) |
| Totals | 239 | 119 | 106 | 14 | 252 | 913 | 841 | 2608 |