Herb Brooks statue set to be unveiled in Lake Placid on Jan. 31

LAKE PLACID | The legend of the late hockey coach Herb Brooks continues to reverberate some four and a half decades after his young, upstart United States squad shocked the world by defeating the Soviet Union in the Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games. The victory was punctuated two days later with a win over Finland, securing the gold medal. Longtime observers continue to call this seismic upset of the USSR the greatest sports moment in American history. Now, almost 46 years later, a life-size bronze statue will be unveiled of Brooks in the Lake Placid arena that bears his name to perpetuate the legacy of the coach and his team. It will occur on Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. in the Olympic Center, site of those memorable hockey games. "The Herb Brooks family is incredibly honored to have our father's legacy forever linked to the great community of Lake Placid," said Dan Brooks, Herb's son. "The town and its people were integral to the Miracle on Ice. We could not imagine this accomplishment happening anywhere else." The theme of the evening will have attendees dress up with a tan sport coat, blue shirt and dark blue tie to memorialize the iconic coach. The game, forever known as the Miracle on Ice, and its architect, Herb Brooks, will be celebrated outside the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, near the original scoreboard that shows the 4-3 final score, making the spot a shrine to hockey fans. The creation of his statue was made possible by a noteworthy donation by Stanley Rumbough, a nine-time participant in the annual Miracle on Ice Fantasy Camp held here each spring. "Herb Brooks was the straw that stirred the drink," said Rumbough. "He famously said that he didn't want the best players but the right players. Pure genius." Rumbough and Herb's children, Kelly and Dan, will unveil the statue. The event will be live streamed with a lineup of speakers, including team member Jack O'Callahan. "Lake Placid, Herb Brooks and the Miracle on Ice are forever intertwined," said James McKenna, CEO of the Uihlein Foundation, whose Lake Placid organization is supporting the project. "Visitors treat the Olympic Center as a shrine, while players who skate on the very same ice surface remain in awe. A perfect storm occurred in 1980. Henry Uihlein was one of the founders of winter sports in North America over 100 years ago here in Lake Placid, and I know Henry would be very proud of this tribute to Herb." This is one of several January events to note the achievement of the 1980 U.S. hockey team. Last month, the team met with President Donald J. Trump at the White House where they received the Congressional Gold Medal proclamation.

Signup for our newsletter

Herb Brooks statue set to be unveiled in Lake Placid on Jan. 31

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS