The Hampton Gulls were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in Hampton, Virginia, from 1974 to 1978 at the

Hampton Coliseum Hampton Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena in Hampton, Virginia. Construction began on May 24, 1968. The venue held its first event on December 1, 1969, with the nearby College of William & Mary playing North Carolina State University in a colle ...

. The Gulls played three seasons in the Southern Hockey League, beginning in 1974. When that league folded in 1977, the Hampton played one season in the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...

. The Gulls were a

World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association (french: Association mondiale de hockey) was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (NHL) ...

farm team to the

Cincinnati Stingers The Cincinnati Stingers were an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979 and in the Central Hockey League during the 1979–80 season. Their home arena was Riverfront Coliseum. They are t ...

each season. John Brophy was team's only head coach during its existence. Hampton ceased operations on February 10, 1978, part way through its fourth season.

History

The franchise originated as an expansion team for the 1974–75 Southern Hockey League season in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The new team was named after the

Fayetteville Arsenal The Fayetteville Arsenal in Fayetteville, North Carolina was built in 1838 because during the War of 1812 the United States government realized that the existing distribution of weapons and ammunition factories was not adequate for the defense o ...

, and was scheduled to play at the Cumberland County Memorial Arena. In October 1974, owner Bill Raue moved the team before playing any games, when availability of home ice dates became a problem, and the Hampton Coliseum was available. Claude Chartre led the team in scoring with 112 points, and Lorne Rombough led with 56 goals. Hampton finished the season in second place, and finished runners-up to the

Charlotte Checkers The Charlotte Checkers are a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the top minor league affi ...

in the playoff finals. Before the

1975–76 Southern Hockey League season The 1975–76 Southern Hockey League season was the third season of the Southern Hockey League. The five existing teams returned from the previous season, joined by a sixth expansion team from Norfolk, Virginia. The Tidewater Sharks joined the l ...

, the team was purchased by Charles Wornom, a city councillor and future mayor of Hampton, Virginia, for $40,000. The season saw the Gulls sharing the greater Hampton Roads area with the

Tidewater Sharks The Tidewater Sharks were a minor league professional ice hockey team, based in Norfolk, Virginia, and members of the Southern Hockey League from 1975 to 1977. The Sharks played home games at the Norfolk Scope, and shared the Hampton Roads area wi ...

, another SHL team in Norfolk, Virginia.

Art Stratton Arthur Stratton (born October 8, 1935) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 95 games in the NHL for 5 separate teams. These included the New York Rangers (18 games), Detroit Red Wings (5 games), Chicago Black Hawks (2 g ...

led the team in scoring with 78 points, and Larry Billows led with 29 goals. Hampton repeated the second place finish in the regular season, and being runners-up to the Charlotte Checkers in the playoff finals. In the 1976–77 Southern Hockey League season, Hampton was affiliated with both the Cincinnati Stingers, and the

Minnesota Fighting Saints The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972 to 19 ...

. The Gulls were in first place when the Southern Hockey League collapsed in January 1977. Claude Chartre led the team in scoring with 58 points, and Pat Donnelly led with 23 goals. The Gulls joined the American Hockey League for the

1977–78 AHL season The 1977–78 AHL season was the 42nd season of the American Hockey League. The season was in jeopardy when the last of the original eight franchises of the "International-American Hockey League", the Rhode Island Reds (previously Providence Re ...

, and affiliated with the

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...

in addition to Cincinnati.

Paul O'Neil Paul Joseph O'Neil (born August 24, 1953) is an American former professional ice hockey center. He was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the fifth round, 67th overall, of the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft. He was also drafted by the Houston Aeros in ...

led the team in scoring with 44 points, and

Danny Arndt Daniel Henry Arndt (born March 26, 1955 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) is a former professional ice hockey left winger. Career Arndt was selected in the second round of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft, 35th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks, as well as ...

led with 20 goals. Hampton played 46 games into the schedule, and were last in place when the franchise folded due to financial issues.

Results

Season-by-season results:

Notable players

Rod Langway Rodney Cory Langway (born May 3, 1957) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League (NHL) and Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Associati ...

played with the Hampton Gulls in the 1977–78 AHL season, and was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Notable Gulls players that also played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

: * Bruce Abbey * Jeff Allan * Steve Alley * Steve Andrascik *

Frank Beaton Alexander Francis "Seldom" Beaton (born April 28, 1953) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played 153 games in the World Hockey Association with the Cincinnati Stingers, Edmonton Oilers, and Birmingham Bulls from 1975 to 197 ...

* Larry Bolonchuk * Michel Boudreau * Curt Brackenbury * Jeff Carlson * Claude Chartre * Brian Coates * Alain Cote * Richard Coutu * Pat Donnelly * Denis Dupere * Mike Dwyer * Andre Gill * Bill Gilligan * Dave Gorman * David Hanson * Derek Harker *

Jamie Hislop James Donald Hislop (born January 20, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played for the Cincinnati Stingers in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and then the Quebec Nordiques and Calgary Flames of the Nati ...

Paul Hoganson Paul Edward Hoganson (born November 12, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played two games in the National Hockey League and 143 games in the World Hockey Association. Hoganson played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, ...

* Bob Johnson * Kevin Kemp * John Kiely *

Mike Korney Michael Wayne Korney (born September 15, 1953) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. He played in 77 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers between 1973 and 1978.. Mike played 2 years ...

* Pierre Lagace * Floyd Lahache * Gord Lane *

* Norm LaPointe *

Roger Lemelin Roger Lemelin, (April 7, 1919 – March 16, 1992) was a Quebec novelist, television writer and essayist. Biography Lemelin was born in Quebec City. From 1944 to 1952, he was a Canadian correspondent for the American magazines ''Time'' and ...

* Jacques Locas * Ted Long * Jim McElmury * Bill McKenzie *

Eddie Mio Edward Dario Mio (born January 31, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Indianapolis Racers and Edmonton Oilers between 1977 and 1979, and in the National Hockey Le ...

* Ron Morgan *

Wayne Mosdell Wayne Mosdell (born December 4, 1944) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the World Hockey Association (WHA). Mosdell played part of the 1972–73 WHA season with the Philadelphia Blazers. References External links ...

* Murray Myers *

Cam Newton Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He has played for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Super Cam", he is the NF ...

* Don O'Donoghue * Bill Oleschuk *

Wally Olds Walter Raymond Olds (August 17, 1949 – January 11, 2009) was an ice hockey player who played three seasons in the World Hockey Association for the New York Raiders and Calgary Cowboys between 1973 and 1976. He was also part of the Chicago Coug ...

* Francois Ouimet *

Glenn Patrick Glenn Curtiss Patrick (born April 26, 1950) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 38 games in the National Hockey League and 23 games in the World Hockey Association between 1973 and 1977. He played with the St. Louis Bl ...

* Randy Pierce * Michel Plasse * Kelly Pratt *

Bill Prentice William John Prentice (born June 10, 1950) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 158 games in the World Hockey Association with the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, Houston Aeros, and Indianapolis Racers The I ...

* Lorne Rombough * Ted Scharf *

Buzz Schneider William Conrad "Buzz" Schneider (born September 14, 1954) is an American former ice hockey player best remembered for his role on the US Olympic hockey team that won the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. He was also a member ...

* Ron Serafini * Larry Skinner * Dale Smedsmo * Gene Sobchuk * Bill Steele * Bob Stephenson *

* Paul Terbenche * Hal Willis

References

{{Defunct AHL 1974 establishments in Virginia 1978 disestablishments in Virginia Cincinnati Stingers minor league affiliates Defunct American Hockey League teams Edmonton Oilers minor league affiliates Ice hockey teams in Virginia Minnesota Fighting Saints minor league affiliates Southern Hockey League (1973–1977) teams Ice hockey clubs established in 1974 Sports clubs disestablished in 1978