Green Bay loses another Legend in USA Hockey

Jack (Jackie) Poole was born in 1938 in Thief River Falls, Minnesota to Ella and Elmer Poole. One of 10 children, Jackie took to the ice and the ball diamond at an early age. Before he left in 1956, he would become one of the greatest athletes to come out of the Thief River Falls area. 

Jackie and his older brother Joe were dominant high school hockey players from 1954-1956. Joe would win the State Tournament with Thief River Falls High School in 1954 and with younger brother Jackie, they went back to the State Semi-Finals in 1955, but lost in 11 Overtimes. (A Minnesota State High School Hockey record). Joe would graduate later that year and went to play for the University of North Dakota.

With a depleted team, only 8 skaters and a goalie, Jackie would lead the 1956 Thief River Falls Prowlers to a season born of legends. Scoring 25 goals and 26 assists in just 20 games. The Prowlers would win 19 games that season, losing just 1 game to St. Paul Johnson, before beating a stacked International Falls team led by Oscar Mahle, 3-2.

Jackie and his teammates, Glen Carlson, Clifford (Chipper) Strand, Jim Hall, Jim (Cookie) Reese, Duane Glass, Fred Dablow, Ronnie Reese and goalie Rodney Collins inspired classmate Mary Halverson Schofield to write the screen play and book, River of Champions. Currently H2L Media Group has entered a shopping agreement with Powerplay Productions and Sunrise Films to bring this amazing story to the big screen. www.thiefrivermovie.com 

After graduating from Thief River Falls High School in 1956, Jackie would go on to play for the Rochester Mustangs of the USCHL before joining the Green Bay Bobcats from 1958-1965. Jackie would also play for three U.S. National Teams, winning the Bronze Medal in 1962 with the likes of Herb Brooks, John Mayasich, Oscar Mahle and Paul Coppo, who passed away earlier last year. 

Jackie and his wife Sharon had 3 children, Nick, Joe and Jill. They also had 6 grand children and 2 great grand children. Nick, his oldest son was a standout hockey player at Green Bay Southwest High School and played one season for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Nick later played for the DePere Deacons from 1983-1987, winning 2 State Championships in 4 seasons.

Jack Poole was 85 years old. RIP Jackie