Cubs ready for 50th anniversary home opener Saturday

By JAMES TUBB on October 4, 2023.

The Medicine Hat Cubs are set to celebrate an historic game Saturday night at the Kinplex.

The Cubs will host their home opener Saturday against the Rocky Rams, which will also serve as a celebration of their 50th year of operation as a franchise.

Before the HJHL game at the Kinplex starting at 7:30 p.m., the Cubs will have an alumni game from 4-6 p.m., also at the Kinplex, featuring 50 players from the past 50 years of Cubs hockey.

Head coach and Randy Wong says there is a lot of excitement throughout the organization for the day and recognizes what it means having that many alumni committed to the game.

“It shows what an outstanding program it’s been,” Wong said. “We actually had more, in fact, we had to cut it off and had to say no to some guys, so that number probably was closer to 65 people that signed up initially. The fact we got that many guys who want to participate, we’ve got others coming just to watch, their playing days are over, let’s say – they’re just going to come and socialize with their teammates and get to hang out.

“There’ll be a lot more than the 50 alumni in the building and we’re really excited to be able to host them for the weekend, and we have some traveling a fair distance to be part of it.”

The Cubs will also be retiring the jersey number of the late Terry Bartman, who wore No. 10, was one of the initial players from the 1974 Cubs team and served as captain for the next three seasons with the team. Bartman coached minor hockey in Medicine Hat and served as president of the South East Athletic Club and chaired the World U-17 Hockey Challenge in 2019.

Bartman, who died in March, was Wong’s coach when he was in AAA midget and he says honouring the Cubs legend was the least the organization could do.

“We wanted to show our respects and we thought it was fitting for how long he played with the Cubs and what he did in our community, that we put No. 10 up in the rafters,” Wong said. “So we can let people see the banner wave with Murray Craven, Blaine Lacher and Justin Bremer.”

As much as Saturday’s celebration and home opener will be about reflecting on the first 50 years of the Cubs franchise, the 2023-24 team will be unveiling in person a new look as a club while playing their first home game after starting the HJHL season 3-0.

The Cubs will have a beer garden on site and a silent auction that features game-worn jerseys from previous seasons, plus one jersey from the club’s new collection with the No. 50 on the back to commensurate the season. There are also some YETI cooler auction packs and a number of alumni-donated auction items, such as a fly-fishing day trip.

“We’re excited to get our first game in at home so people can finally see what we’re all about,” Wong said. “We’re hoping we fill the building for both the alumni game and our home opener.”

The Cubs will have a special in place for patrons wanting to attend both games, with a $5 ticket granting access to the alumni game and home opener.