The World Hockey Association came into being in September of 1971, beginning play with 12 original teams. Thanks to Nick Mileti, Cleveland was one of the fortunate 12 teams for that inaugural 1972-73 season, as the Cleveland Crusaders took to the ice at the old Cleveland Arena for the first time.
The goal of the World Hockey Association was the same as any upstart league: to become a viable rival to the already well-established league of their sport, the National Hockey League.
One of the primary objectives was to establish immediate credibility as a viable alternative and gain fan support by luring some of the highest profile stars to teams through contract offers too lucrative for them to refuse.
Gerry Cheevers and the Crusaders' Success in the WHA
The Crusaders were no different in this regard, as they set their sights on dynamic Boston Bruins goaltender Gerry Cheevers, offering him a seven-year contract at $200,000 per season. This signing, along with names such as Derek Sanderson and Bobby Hull being lured to the new league, grabbed fan and media interest quickly. It most certainly caught the attention of the NHL brass at the same time.
The “Purple Gang,” as the Crusaders became known due to their unique uniform design and colors, were a gritty, defense-first club that always found their way into the playoffs. However, the Crusaders weren't able to get past the second round to be considered a legitimate threat to win a championship.
At the time Mileti bought the Crusaders, he also owned the long-established AHL Cleveland Barons as well as the Cleveland Arena and the brand-new Cleveland Cavaliers, who established play in 1970. To make the best ice time available for his Crusaders, the Barons, who had really been the backbone of Cleveland hockey since the 30s, were quietly sold and moved to Jacksonville.
Mileti had begun plans for what I still believe was an arena way ahead of its time, the 18,500-seat Richfield Coliseum, which was to be built a good distance away from downtown in Richfield. The hope was that by positioning the Coliseum between Cleveland and Akron, it would increase attendance and build a larger, loyal fan base.
The strategy of moving to the beautiful and brand-new Coliseum to grow the fan base did not pan out, at least for the Crusaders, as attendance remained consistent from the Arena levels to the Coliseum for the team’s four years of play, sitting between 5,000 to roughly 7,000 per game. So, after the team’s third season, and first at the Coliseum, Mileti sold controlling interest to a partner, Jay Moore.
The Downfall of the Cleveland Crusaders
This is where things behind the scenes began to go south. Publicly, the rocky ownership of Jay Moore took an ugly turn as well as the face of the franchise, Gerry Cheevers, became the target of Moore’s frustrations.
Moore openly criticized Cheevers' dedication to the team and his play on the ice, leading Cheevers to consider retirement. This did not sit well with fans, as they were decidedly in Cheever’s corner during this turmoil, and personally it really riled me up as Cheevers was an idol of mine and a big reason I took up goaltending myself.
All of this led to a suspension of Cheevers from the team, a time during which a void of his contract was reached, and he left the team to return to the NHL’s Boston Bruins.
Moore and team General Manager Jack Vivian further alienated the remaining members of the team by actively seeking to bring the struggling NHL Kansas City Scouts to Cleveland/Richfield. It was seen as the ultimate betrayal and the final straw by the team. So after the their fourth and final season in Cleveland, 1975-76, the team moved to Minnesota and became the second incarnation of the Minnesota Fighting Saints.
Moore did end up selling the team back to Mileti, but very shortly after he re-assumed control, the NHL California Golden Seals relocated to Richfield and became the new Cleveland Barons, who ended up with their own turbulent two seasons in town.
Overall, looking at the Crusaders' four seasons in Cleveland/Richfield, you would say they were a success on the ice, making the playoffs each season. They were just never able to get past the second round, which led to three coaching changes during their four seasons of play (Cleveland coaching turmoil? Who could ever dream of such a thing?).
The Crusaders' fan base may have been small, but they were also very loyal, and those of us still around who were fans have many fond memories of the “Purple Gang” and the excitement they brought. Also, on another personal note, years later, I got to know the team’s backup goalie Bob Whidden pretty well, as part of my job at the time was to manage venues where our beer brands had sponsorships and Whidden was managing a few ice rinks in the Greater Cleveland area. We had some great conversations about the old Crusader days and some insights on a few off-the-ice things that probably are not suitable for printing.
What are your favorite memories of the Crusaders?