Would you believe I’ve missed fewer games than Cal Ripken? The total is exactly one. It happened for the Wichita Thunder Hockey Club in March, 1998. On that evening, I flew in (on an airplane) but the bags didn’t make it.
There was a sellout crowd at the coliseum and all I had was my head and tail, which I always carry onboard. To salvage the night, I decided I had to at least do something and make a token appearance. It wasn’t pretty.
During the 1st period intermission, I took to the ice almost as naked as a jaybird. Donning only my Chicken head, tail and loincloth, I presented myself as the public address announcer explained the situation. The fans screamed and howled and the scene actually made the Today Show, ESPN’s SportsCenter and CNN’s Play Of The Day!
But my streak of more than 5,200 games in a row was broken. Yet all went well when I had the chance to return the next week and make up the date. And this time, I used a different airline.
