The "Old" Central Hockey League

In the late 1960's, the team of Roy Jackson and Merle Miller, one from Philidephia the other from Iowa, formed to bring Tucson its first Triple A Professional Baseball franchise, the Tucson Toros. In 1973, the Toro's attendace peaked at 233,000 fans during Pacific Coast Baseball League action. The same team of Jackson and Miller sold their baseball interests but kept their monies local and helped establish the Tucson Mavericks hockey team. Roy Jackson was to be president of the Mavericks. He had been president of the Eastern Baseball League and while serving as president of the Mavericks, he was still serving as president of the Pacific Coast Baseball League. Jackson was also an avid Philadelphia Flyers fan and a season ticket holder for many years. Merle Miller was to serve as vice president and general manager of the Mavericks. He has been a recipient of numerous awards. In 1968, he was named the General Manager of the Year in the Midwest Baseball League and was chosen Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year by the Sporting News. In 1970, he received the Tucson Conquistadores Special Recognition Award for his contribution to baseball in Arizona. In 1973, Merle and the Tucson Toro's were awarded the Larry MacPhail Promotional Trophy for the best overall rating among 144 minor league baseball teams. That same year, he was named Pacific Coast Baseball League General Manager of the Year and for a second time was awarded Executive of the Year by the Sporting News. While serving as vice president and general manager of the Mavericks, Merle was also owner of the Wausau, Wisconsin Mets of the Midwest Baseball League. The Tucson Mavericks joined the Central Hockey League for the 1975/76 season and then left following the season. I do not have any infomation on why the team folded and why they did not return for the next year.

Tucson Mavericks - 1975/76 Statistics

                     Regular Season
Name                 GP   G   A Pts PIM

Mike Hobin           66  27  39  66  31
Steve West           51  25  40  65  29
Gordon Titcomb       71  28  31  59  52
Mike Sleep           69  23  30  53  46
Neil Lyseng          74  17  30  47  47
Dan Mandryk          70  20  23  43  49
Norm Cournoyer       55  17  25  42  46
Dennis Olmstead      75  11  30  41  47
Dave Walter          47  17  16  33  54
Rick Newell          57   9  23  32 104
Blair Davidson       75   6  20  26  59
Bob Liddington       23  12  12  24  20
Grant Erickson       29  12  10  22  16
Mike Stevens         68   3  15  18 163
Duane Bray           76   0   9   9 200
Michel Rouleau       18   2   6   8  55
Ron DeLorme          18   2   5   7  18
Bruce Abbey          20   4   2   6  15
Lee Inglis           12   3   3   6   0
George Tower         53   1   5   6  86
Brian Erickson       33   1   4   5  24
Ron Serafini         20   1   3   4  39
Brian Gibbons        14   0   4   4  37
Peter McNamee         7   1   2   3  24
Bob Barlow            2   0   3   3   2
Jamie Bateman         6   0   2   2  44
Ray Martyniuk +      22   0   1   1  24
Robbie Watt           4   0   1   1   0
Mal Zinger            3   0   0   0   9
Denis DesLauriers     3   0   0   0   4
Roger Swanson        42   0   0   0   2
Clay Hebenton         7   0   0   0   2
Jim Sherrit           2   0   0   0   2
Bruce Aberhart       18   0   0   0   0
Nick Sanza            5   0   0   0   0
Jim Clarke            3   0   0   0   0
Ed Pizunski           2   0   0   0   0
---------------------------------------
Totals               76 242 394 636 1350

 + Played on two or more teams

                Regular Season

Name            GP  MIN  GA ENG GAA  SO   SS  W  L T
Ray Martyniuk   22 1180  91  0  4.63  1       7 10 2
Roger Swanson   42 2069 167  1  4.84  0       4 27 6
Nick Sanza       5  247  22  0  5.34  0       0  3 1
Clay Hebenton    7  379  40  0  6.33  0       1  5 0
Bruce Aberhart  18  677  74  1  6.56  0       2  8 0
----------------------------------------------------
Totals          76 4560 396  2  5.21  1      14 53 9

Tucson Mavericks All-Time Roster

Name          Position  # Yrs. Played

Bruce Abbey      (D)        1975/76
Bruce Aberhart   (G)        1975/76
Bob Barlow                  1975/76
Jamie Bateman    (D)        1975/76
Duane Bray       (D)        1975/76
Jim Clarke       (D)        1975/76
Norm Cournoyer   (C)        1975/76
Blair Davidson   (D)        1975/76
Ron DeLorme     (RW)        1975/76
Denis DesLauriers(D)        1975/76
Brian Erickson              1975/76
Grant Erickson  (LW)        1975/76
Brian Gibbons    (D)        1975/76
Clay Hebenton    (G)        1975/76
Mike Hobin       (C)        1975/76
Lee Inglis      (LW)        1975/76
Bob Liddington  (LW)        1975/76
Neil Lyseng     (RW)        1975/76
Dan Mandryk     (RW)        1975/76
Ray Martyniuk    (G)        1975/76
Peter McNamee    (D)        1975/76
Rick Newell (LW & D)        1975/76
Dennis Olmstead  (C)        1975/76
Ed Pizunski      (D)        1975/76
Michel Rouleau   (C)        1975/76
Nick Sanza       (G)        1975/76
Ron Serafini     (D)        1975/76
Jim Sherrit      (C)        1975/76
Mike Sleep      (RW)        1975/76
Mike Stevens     (D)        1975/76
Roger Swanson    (G)        1975/76
Gordon Titcomb  (LW)        1975/76
George Tower                1975/76
Dave Walter (C & RW)        1975/76
Robbie Watt     (LW)        1975/76
Steve West       (C)        1975/76
Mal Zinger      (RW)        1975/76

General Manager Merle Miller	Coach Adam Keller

	Coach Bob Barlow	missing photo

Regular Season Record
Seasons	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM	Finish	Playoffs
1975/76	76	14	53	9	37	242	396	1350	6th	Out of Playoffs