The Huntington Hornets were a professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
team that played in
Huntington, West Virginia as a member of the
International Hockey League during the 1956–57 season. The team was relocated to Huntington from
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...
where they played as the
Grand Rapids Rockets. The Huntington Hornets played their home games at the 4,100 seat
Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse
The Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse was an 8,500-seat (6,500 for basketball) multi-purpose arena in Huntington, West Virginia. It was built in 1950. Prior to the completion of the Huntington Civic Center (now known as Mountain Health Arena) in 197 ...
. They finished third overall in the International Hockey League's 1956–57 season. The team suffered from low attendance, prompting owner Ernie Berg to begin seeking for a new home as early as December, 1956. Local promoter Dick Deutsch attempted to keep the team in Huntington twice by seeking local investments. Ultimately, the attempts fell short, and the team was slated for suspension of operations or relocation. The IHL eventually approved relocation of the franchise to Louisville, Kentucky, where the team was rebranded as the Rebels.
Standings
Roster
References
Ice hockey clubs established in 1956
International Hockey League (1945–2001) teams
Defunct ice hockey teams in the United States
Sports clubs disestablished in 1957
1956 establishments in West Virginia
1957 disestablishments in West Virginia
Ice hockey teams in West Virginia
Sports in Huntington, West Virginia
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