Henry Brabham

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Henry Brabham
Born(1929-04-29)April 29, 1929
DiedMarch 30, 2020(2020-03-30) (aged 90)
Vinton, Virginia, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Former mayor of Vinton,
Virginia Raiders (1982–1983)
Virginia Lancers (1983–1989)
Erie Panthers (1988–1991)
Johnstown Chiefs (1988–1993)
TitleECHL co-founder
AwardsECHL Hall of Fame (2008)

Henry Brabham IV (April 29, 1929 – March 30, 2020) was a founder of the ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League.[3] In 2008, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the ECHL Hall of Fame.[4] The Brabham Cup, first awarded in 1989, is an ECHL award for the team that finishes with the best regular season record.

He bought the

convenience stores.[6] In 1984, he built the LancerLot Sports Complex in his hometown of Vinton, Virginia, to serve as home to the Lancers due to the cost of playing in the Salem Civic Center.[7][8]

In 1988, Brabham and Bill Coffey founded the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) as a minor professional ice hockey league with five teams, three of which were owned by Brabham — the Erie Panthers, Johnstown Chiefs, and the Virginia Lancers[9] — as well as being a co-founder of a fourth team, the Knoxville Cherokees.[10] He sold the Lancers in 1989,[6] the Panthers in 1991, and the Chiefs in 1993.[11] The ECHL has since become a development league for the National Hockey League.[12]

The LancerLot's roof caved in during the 1993 Storm of the Century and the ice rink was destroyed.[13] Brabham sold the complex in 2018.[14]

Brabham died on March 30, 2020, at the age of 90.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b Mcfarling, Aaron (March 30, 2020). "Roanoke Valley pro hockey 'godfather' Brabham dies at age 90". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  2. ^ "1970-1976 Roanoke Valley Rebels". Fun While it Lasted. December 1, 2019.
  3. .
  4. ^ "The ECHL". Archived from the original on 2014-04-02. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
  5. ^ "ECHL grows into starting point toward NHL". NHL. November 26, 2016.
  6. ^ a b "ROANOKE VALLEY HOCKEY TIMELINE". Roanoke Times. October 13, 1996 – via Virginia Tech library.
  7. ^ "Remembering Vinton: The LancerLot in 1984 – The Beginnings". Vinton Messenger. March 2, 2020.
  8. ^ "Brabham IV, Henry J. – Obituary". Roanoke.com. March 30, 2020.
  9. ^ "Former Johnstown Chiefs owner, ECHL co-founder Brabham dies at 90". Sharon Herald. March 30, 2020.
  10. ^ "ECHL History". ECHL. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  11. ^ "Remembering Henry Brabham". ECHL. April 14, 2020.
  12. ^ "ECHL Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  13. ^ Murray, Ken (March 18, 1993). "Rampage may come running after roof cave-in, ECHL move possible". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
  14. ^ "Dedicated Ice Rink Coming Back To The Valley". Roanoke Star. January 2, 2018.
  15. ^ "ECHL mourns loss of League co-founder, Hall of Fame member Henry Brabham". ECHL. March 30, 2020.