Can you believe it was 3 years ago this month that Razor, the long-time Tomcat goalie and Hall of Fame member walked away from ball hockey? “The Tomcats has never seen, and likely will never see again a goalie with such quick reflexes, technical proficiency and with such a head for the game as The Razor’” said Tomcat VP Hollywood. “The guy was as good on stage and on the golf course’” added Assistant Captain Sparky.
Here is an excerpt from the press release on windsor tomcats.com from 3 years ago:
Retirement Announcement – Big Loss for the Tomcats
After a year of speculation, the Tomcats received word July 17th that The Razor is officially hanging up his blocker and pads. In a statement released by his agent, Sam Smooth, Razor indicated, “After 15 years of hard fought, dedicated service, I respectfully submit my official notice of retirement from the Tomcats effectively immediately.” The press release went on to say, “I can no longer give 100% to the game, which is the way I tried to play every night. I will miss robbing the big shooters of goals, and yelling at those few that hack at us goaltenders. Hopefully along the way, I stopped more than I let in.”
Finally, Razor concluded, “…the thing I will miss most are the Tomcats, past and present. I’ll always have the memories of exciting nights on the floor and having a cold one or two afterwards with the greatest group of ball hockey players on the planet.”
When inquired, Tomcat President Rocky stated, “While not a total surprise, based off of the recent injuries and recovery Razor had to endure in 2016/2017, a loss of a perennial superstar goalie is a big deal. You don’t replace a player of his caliber easily, but more importantly, you don’t replace a person of his class and character easily! Razor was the epitome of what a stand-up Tomcat should be, and he is a huge loss on the floor and on the stage. The Tomcats wish nothing but the best for Razor and his family. We know this announcement will give him more time to transition to his next career as part of the PGA.”
While nothing is officially planned, there is word that a number retirement and banner raising ceremony will be planned once the season begins. Another legend will be placed in the hallowed halls of the Kapusta.
The Tomcats will continue their effort to beef up the goalie ranks and ensure we have quality back stoppers between the pipes each and every week.