Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette Former Michigan Tech professor Bill Sproule (left) and Assistant Athelic Director for Media Relations Calvin Larson pose with Sproule’s newest book, “Michigan Tech Hockey, 100 Years of Memories” on the ice at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. “The Mac” serves as the hockey home of the Huskies.

HOUGHTON — A new book authored by retired Michigan Tech professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering, William J. Sproule, tells the story of the university’s fabled hockey program. Entitled “Michigan Tech Hockey, 100 Years of Memories” the 300-plus page book gives the team’s history from the first face off in January 1921 to the present-day era.

Sproule is no stranger to the local hockey scene and its history. In 2019, he penned “Houghton, the Birthplace of Professional Hockey,” which tells the story of the area’s first professional hockey league.

“Once that came out, I was approached by Tech’s athletic director, Susan Sanregret,” Sproule said, “and she asked me if I could do one on the hockey program. Of course, I said yes.”

Sproule borrowed the expertise of Tech’s assistant athletic director for media relations, Calvin Larson, who was instrumental in digging up photos, finding information, and contacting hockey alumni.

The two of them noted that the book was supposed to be out in the summer of 2020 for an all-year hockey-alumni event. However, COVID-19 cancelled that one. In some ways, it was a blessing in disguise according to Sproule.

“It gave us more time to dig up and research all this stuff,” he said. “With that, the book became much bigger.

“I think I read every Daily Mining Gazette story related to hockey over the past century as well as every Lode (MTU’s student paper). To say the least, it took awhile, but it was fun discovering this history.”

As for the first face off, the year was 1921, and Endicott Lovell was a sophomore representative of the Michigan College of Mine’s (which later changed its name to Michigan Technological University) Student Council when the council and (college) president supported the idea of a hockey team to officially represent the college. The Huskies won that one and went on to face University of Michigan and Notre Dame in that first month.

Sproule noted that the book is divided into a number of sections which include: the early years, the era before John MacInnes, the MacInnes years and the post (MacInnes)-and-present era.

He shared that the book is more than just a statistical history of the program. It contains a lot of memories. He and Larson tracked down many alumni players, coaches and fans.

“Everyone related to the university has a memory of MTU hockey,” Sproule said. “The oldest person who contributed was coach Bill Lucier from the 1960s. As well, I got lots of great stories from Jerry MacInnes, John’s wife.”

Mike Zuke, who played for Tech from 1972-76 and went on to a successful NHL career, wrote the book’s forward.

“He was great,” said Sproule. “He was happy to help and is very much an ambassador for Tech hockey.”

Sproule added Larson was a big help in tracking down former players and archival photos.

“Bill needed someone up here in the athletic department to help him find this stuff,” said Larson, who grew up in Chassell. “For me, the whole experience was learning about MTU hockey before I was born. I had heard the stories about the national championships from my parents and grandparents. Now it became a little more real for me.”

The book is available through the MTU bookstore and website as well as a number of local venues such as Northwind Books and Jim’s Foodmart.