Eruzione recalls 'Miracle' 35 years later

WINTHROP — Very rarely does life offer anyone a chance to be a part of something monumental that brings so much joy to so many people. And for that event to keep its place in history is even more rare. And to be able to do it on one of the largest international stages at the ripe, old age of 25 makes it even rarer still.

“I think that’s what’s so special, how many times people come up to me and they tell me, it’s almost the same thing all the time: ‘I remember where I was when,’” said Mike Eruzione.

“People say to me, ‘I remember where I was when we won.’ And I look at them, ‘we?’ Because they felt a part of it, people felt a part of our team.”

Anyone of a certain age will remember exactly where he or she was 35 years ago Sunday night, when the most improbable Olympic win in United States history captivated the country, as an American team of mostly college kids beat the powerhouse Soviets in an electrifying, come-from-behind 4-3 victory.

Eruzione, the captain of that team, scored the game-winning goal.

“It’s always nice because they’ve always got a smile on their face,” Eruzione continued. “I’ve had people come up to me and just literally start crying because that moment meant so much to them, whether it was their last moment with their dad or mom, their grandfather or grandmother, watching TV.

“It was a special moment for a lot of people for a lot of different reasons. And that’s what makes it so great because there’s always a smile on their face.”

There was no way this team of American kids was supposed to beat the Soviets.

Less than two weeks before, Team USA — the youngest Olympic team ever fielded by the United States — had taken a 10-3 shellacking in an exhibition game against the same Soviet team. U.S. coach Herb Brooks made sure his team was ready the next time. Not given to speeches, Brooks had a simple message for his team on that Friday night in 1980 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

“You were born to be a player,” he told his team. “You were meant to be here. This moment is yours.”

And they stole it.

It was a win that changed the landscape — politically, globally, athletically. American morale had been flagging in the winter of 1980. The Cold War was still quietly simmering. The American economy was slumping. Fifty-two Americans were still being held hostage in Iran.

That win gave Americans something to cheer about. And they did. The 8,500 at the arena in Lake Placid — renamed in 2005 the Herb Brooks Arena — went wild.

“The energy in the building was amazing,” Eruzione said. “That’s when ‘U-S-A, U-S-A’ chants really started. So that was pretty amazing. And it was amazing because when you were on the ice, you didn’t hear a thing. You heard Herb calling for a line change or a teammate calling for a pass. But when you sat on the bench you heard ‘U-S-A, U-S-A’ and the place going crazy. And when you crossed onto the ice it was silent again; you were so focused on what you were doing.”

After that win, the Iranian hostages eventually came home. The Soviet Union broke up. The Cold War became marginally less cold.

Americans had reason to be proud.

But for all that the win against the Soviets delivered in American patriotism, symbolism and pride, it would have gone for naught if the Americans had not beaten Finland less than 48 hours later for the gold medal. Because of the point system, an American loss or tie to Finland could have dropped the team to fourth place. But on that Sunday morning, in another come-from-behind win, the Americans beat Finland for the gold medal — their first in 20 years at that time, and their last one since.

Cloistered inside the Olympic village, the players had little idea of the effect the game was having on the country. Once outside, it was impossible not to notice.

“I’ll never forget it,” Eruzione said. “The crowd at (Logan) Airport that greeted the Boston guys — me, Jack (O’Callahan, of Charlestown) and Dave (Silk, of Scituate); Jimmy (Craig, of North Easton) went to Atlanta — was incredible. And when I left Logan Airport to come to Winthrop the streets in East Boston were lined with people waving flags. I’m looking out, going, ‘This is wild.’

“I went to my house right up here and the street was blocked off. The police were in front of the house. There had to be 300, 400 people in front of my house, singing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ singing ‘God Bless America.’ We won the gold medal Sunday, this is Monday afternoon. I didn’t even have time to blink and I was home.”

That game is considered by many to be the greatest accomplishment in American sports.

“Proud,” Eruzione said, of being a part of that. “I think it was. And I say that again because it wasn’t Boston, or New York or Chicago. It was the United States. I think that’s what separates the Olympic Games from other events.

“When it’s a nation that celebrates with you it makes the event so special. And ours was a different event because of not only the United States but what was happening politically.”

Eruzione turned 60 in October. He’s lived in his native Winthrop his whole life — two doors down from the house he grew up in, four doors down from the house his wife of 32 years grew up in. They have three children and two grandchildren, with another on the way.

Eruzione and Buzz Schneider, both 25 then, were the oldest on the American team. No other player was older than 22. Eruzione still has the gold medal, but he hasn’t seen it in a while. It’s securely stored in a safety deposit box.

Eruzione, as the captain, was the only player on the medal podium during the gold medal ceremony as the national anthem played. When it was done, in an unorthodox — and iconic — move, he turned and fervently called his entire team to join him. And gave the country another reason to cheer.

“It was a reaction,” he said. “It shouldn’t be one player standing up there; 20 players were part of our team.”

On Saturday night the entire team — with the exception of Bob Suter, who died in September, and Brooks, who was killed in a car crash in 2003 — will gather in Lake Placid. It will be a bittersweet reunion without Suter and Brooks. But when Suter’s jersey is raised to the rafters, retiring his No. 20, that will sweeten some of the sadness.

It will be the first time these hockey players have been together at the site of their youthful glory since they received their gold medals. Indeed, it is just one of a couple of times they’ve been together since they had the gold medals placed around their necks.

“We were together in 2002, all 20 of us, at the NHL All-Star hockey game (in Los Angeles),” Eruzione said. “We were together in 2002, 19 of us when we lit the cauldron in Salt Lake (at the Winter Olympics).”

They were a close knit group back then. And they still are.

“Oh, very close,” Eruzione said. “We were a family from the beginning. Great deal of respect for each other. Great deal of love for each other.”

With a place in history.

Maureen Mullen can be reached at mmullen@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MaureenAMullen.