Gas City for good.
“That city is in my heart, Medicine Hat,” said Silvernagle, whose Tigers went 22-43-1 in 1970-71. “The only reason I’m still not there, probably, is I was going to work on the railroad with Gerry and those guys. Then when I went down to the States to play hockey and then came back, my uncle got a hold of me first with the CN. If that wouldn’t have happened — because I hadn’t seen my parents for almost two years and I thought I’d better go check in and see what was going on — I’d probably still be in Medicine Hat.”
Silvernagle has made a few returns to Medicine Hat over the years, the bulk of which have been tied to his history with the Tigers in one way or another. In 2015 he drove back across the interprovincial border to celebrate 45 years of Tigers hockey at the final regular season game ever played at The Arena.
“That’s where everything started to soak back in again, when you look up on the big screen at the guys that meant a lot to me and stuff like that,” he said. “After being so long, 45 years, since you played there, I go back in and I walk
in the door and this guy walks up to me and says, ‘You’re Silvernagle.” And I said, “Yes, I am.” And he said, “Can I have your autograph again?’ I said, ‘Well yeah, you bet.’”
Silvernagle added the night was a rush of nostalgia and reminiscence between former teammates. Some, like defenceman Doug Fritz, he didn’t even recognize at first. But as soon as they reconnected the dots, all the memories started flowing back.
“I didn’t recognize him right away,” said Silvernagle. “He kind of looked after me a little bit because sometimes I would get, how would you say, chirpy? I said, “Fritzy!” And I gave him a big hug. It just brings tears to your eyes.”
It may be the big moments that keep people talking, but it’s the smaller ones that keep people connected. Moments like a conversation on a long bus ride, or a fan relaying their memories to a player 50 years later. It’s those moments that have kept Silvernagle tied to Medicine Hat after all these years despite playing just one season in the city as a 20-year- old. The moments he still remembers like yesterday.
“It was just everybody,” he said. “The Hockey Hounds, the management, all the guys that owned the hockey club, they
just treated us great.
“Medicine Hat will be in my heart forever, I just loved it.”
*Available at Save-on-Foods Medicine Hat location. Minimum order $40 excluding applicable taxes and fees 1820 STRACHAN ROAD S.E. • 403.526.1612 Celebrating 50 Yeas | 21
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