Jack Driscoll In Memoriam

1938-2024

Our rink family is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our founding fathers.

Jack Driscoll has been with us since the beginning in early 1971.

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Jack was born in the Old First Ward and educated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help & Bishop Timon HS.

Jack believed strongly in family first.

He worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for his three hockey-playing sons & his beloved daughter.

Jack was a railroad man possessing a profound passion for all things railroad. 

He began his railroad career at the age of 18 as a clerk with DL&W Railroad.

Jack was promoted to Supervisor of Train Operations at the Erie Lackawanna Railroad & retired in 1994 as a Trainmaster for Conrail.

Jack was a proud longtime member of the Grain Handlers Local #109. 

He was a “scooper” for 33 years, where he led Driscoll’s Gang as a gang boss before retiring as Division Boss.

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However, Jack also truly loved the game of hockey. 

Stories abound recalling Jack promoting the game along the streets of the Old First Ward throughout the 1940’s & 50’s.

“We didn’t have a lot in those days.  But Jack would show up with sticks & balls and before we knew it, we were playing hockey!”

When Jack’s sons were born, they were born into hockey. 

In those days of the late 1960’s local developing hockey players skated early mornings at the Barn in Fort Erie.

To attend a hockey school or to play games one had to travel further into Canada to places such as Welland, Port Colborne, or Fonthill.

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It is at this time that Jack Driscoll crossed paths with Glenn Grundtisch. 

Both Jack & Glenn each had sons skating with the Buffalo Regals and traveling to Canada for ice time. 

A fast friendship evolved into a remarkable life-long bond.

John “Crunch” McFall coaching those young Regal teams back then was also deep in the mix as HOLIDAY/LEISURE RINKS were born.

The sky was the limit as Holiday Twin Rinks emerged, followed shortly thereafter by Leisure Rinks Southtowns.

Jack Driscoll teamed up with Glenn Grundtisch & a solid initial core to begin summer hockey in Buffalo.

Spring/summer had always been baseball season; it was unheard of to play ice hockey in the summer.

The Spring House League with Jack as the League Commissioner changed local youth hockey forever.

The SHL went on to be the largest spring/summer program of its time. 

Countless young area skaters could now skate competitively year-round. 

Looking back the impact was truly profound. 

Spring House League Alumni have skated all over the world. 

A few have gone on to hockey’s biggest stage -the NHL as players and referees.

No matter how you look at it the NHL is a long way from the Old First Ward.

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Jack & Glenn doubled down on the Spring House League’s success, paving the way for the beginner hockey program -The Pepsi Kids.

The Pepsi Kids have been on our ice ever since.  Countless hockey careers began, and continue to begin, in this program.           

Jack was also an initial key figure responsible for organizing the first Pepsi Hockey Invitational Tournament in 1976.

The Pepsi Hockey Invitational Tournament went on to become the biggest youth hockey tournament in the United States.

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Jack Driscoll made significant contributions to our rink’s success in our infancy & beyond.

Jack’s commitment to family & local youth ice hockey provides a dignified example to be followed.

Jack will live long in our hearts.  We are forever grateful.