Throwing Octopus in Detroit Lands Man A Court Date & Fine! HUH?

The above image has been a tradition in Detroit since well let's say my mom was a one year old little girl...in July she will celebrating her 60th birthday-(sorry mom)...leave me in the will please.


To understand what I am talking about let's look at how the tradition of throwing a Octopus on the ice started and if any other teams have been caught doing something of the sorts at their arena's.


(Courtesy of WIKI) The Legend of the Octopus is a sports tradition during Detroit Red Wings home playoff games where octopodes are thrown onto the ice surface. The origins of the activity go back to the 1952 playoffs, when a NHL team played two best-of-seven series to capture the Stanley Cup. The octopus, having eight arms, symbolized the number of playoff wins necessary for the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup. The practice started April 15, 1952 when Pete and Jerry Cusimano, brothers and storeowners in Detroit's Eastern Market, hurled an octopus into the rink of  The Old Barn. The team swept the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens en route to winning the championship, as well as winning two of the next three championships.

Since 1952 the practice has persisted with each passing year. In one 1995 game, fans threw 36 octopuses, including a specimen weighing 38 pounds (17 kg). The Red Wings' unofficial mascot is a purple octopus named Al, and during playoff runs two of these mascots are also hung from the rafters of the Joe Louis Arena, symbolizing the 16 wins now needed to win the Stanley Cup. It has become such an accepted part of the team's lore, that fans have developed what is considered proper etiquette and technique for throwing an octopus onto the ice.

SO for almost 60 years what we Red Wings fans have called tradition is now trying be stopped by the NHL and it's head boss Gary Bettman. My question is why is Detroit being the example set for the league and now fans are being ticketed and even have to appear in court? Really? Court? Teams such as Florida use to throw rubber rats on the ice...Boston had fans throw lobster.... Nashville fans would throw cat-fish and now Vancouver, salmon can be seen hurled on the ice during the first goal scored by the team...so what gives Bettman?

Hence the story of Tom Balish who threw an octopus onto the ice in the second period of Wednesday’s game. It was game one of round one against the Coyotes. He said after he did, security grabbed, took him to lock-up and had him issued a ticket. 

“Above subject did throw an octopus onto the playing surface of a hockey game, is how it’s stated,” said Tom Balish. The shocked Canton man said he was told the fine was $500. He says no one warned him at the door when he showed several security guards the octopus in a clear bag.

“They asked me at the front door, sir what’s in your bag. I showed the young lady and she said, come right in, come on in,” said Balish. 
When it came time to throw the sea creature, he said he was swinging it around his head while he ran to the glass.

“I walked past eight to nine guards who said, hurry up, go ahead, go down. When I was done the lady usher told me to go back to my seat,” said Balish. “A man who liked like he was a security guard near the Phoenix bench came up to me then and said, Sir, you’re going to jail!”

That’s when Balish was escorted to the lock-up in Joe Louis Arena. He said security forced Detroit Police to issue him a ticket even though the officer did not want to. Then he was kicked out of the game. The guards told him the ticket was a $500 fine.-(Courtesy of WXYZ.com)

Bettman, you have caused a firestorm in the motor-city with this ridiculous rule. No one is getting hurt by it but my gf did bring up what if someone is allergic to sea-food and can't have contact with that stuff? Interesting point but I have not found a story of that happening to anyone at the Joe? I love the t-shirts and how the fans and players have spoken out for the tradition to continue....please keep the Octopi free...till the next time...see you at the games!

Rick Solis