Senior hockey: through the golden years on silver blades

While most retirees look foward to the slower pace of life in the golden years, Theodore A. Dunn '42, at age 62, finds that retirement life provides him with more time to devote to one of his favorite hobbies: "playing hockey as fast as aging bodies will carry it."

Dunn, a first-string defenseman in the 60- and-over class of the Burbank, Calif., senior hockey team, earned recognition for his involvement in hockey both on and off the ice.

In fact, Dunn's greatest claim to hockey fame was earned off the ice in the daring rescue of the world's oldest surviving Zamboni -the now-common machines used to groom the rink surface.

"Old Number Four," as the 30-year-old machine is known, found a home with the Los Alamos, N.M., Skating Association back in the early sixties, when Dunn was an assistant personnel director at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Dunn was also president of the Los Alamos Skating Association and was largely responsible for the construction of a new rink to serve the scientific community. Old Number Four toiled valiantly, cleaning the ice of the Los Alamos rink for many years. Then late one night a few years ago Dunn arrived at the rink to find the storage garage engulfed in flames. To complicate matters, flammables such as rubber mats and hockey sticks were stored with the Zamboni. According .to a February 1978 story in Hockey magazine, Dunn rescued Old Number Four by throwing a piece of wet canvas over the engine, starting the machine, and driving it out the door, "carrying burning hockey sticks, part of the garage door, and other debris with him." After hearing of the dramatic rescue, the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame had the machine rebuilt and brought to the Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minn. It stands right next to a plaque commemorating Dunn and giving the history of the Zamboni.

Dunn's performance on the ice, as a senior hockey player with the "Burbank Skates," may also qualify him for recognition in the Hall of Fame. During this past summer's Senior Olympics Hockey Tournament in Santa Rosa, Calif., Dunn scored one goal and assisted on six more -an admirable scoring record for a defenseman, who spends much of his time far away from the opponent's goal. It was quite a series for Dunn, who also confessed to three neargoals -to hitting the left post, the right post, and the crossbar during the Skates' march to a silver medal in the 60-and-over division. This was Dunn's first year playing in the eldest division; previously he had been a part of 55-and-over teams.

Dunn never played hockey for the Big Green, but he has obviously more than made up for lost time. Though he used to skate on Occom Pond while in Hanover, a track injury at Kimball Union Academy gave him an "aching, stupid ankle" that kept him from trying out for the hockey team at Dartmouth. Now, in addition to playing in senior leagues, he also plays against and even occasionally with - undergraduates and recent graduates of Brigham Young and University of' Utah teams. Once a week, Dunn and 'other seniors play against the "kids." And every now and then the former personnel director says he plays with the students against the "old timers." "Though I'm always two steps behind the kids," he says, "when I get to tournaments like Santa Rosa, I'm no longer two steps behind."

When he's not involved in hockey, Dunn finds that retirement in Ogden, Utah, also gives him time to improve his golf and bridge. In addition, he does part-time work for H & R Block and helps his two sons with insurance business and rental properties. He also babysits for his four grandchildren twice a week.

But it's hard to keep the irrepressible Dunn off the subject of hockey for long. "My wife says I gotta stop doing that silly stuff," the senior star confessed. He said he has gone as far as agreeing to wear more protective equipment, including shoulder pads. "Without it, I look like a skinny kid in the team pictures anyway," he said. But then he goes on enthusiastically to say that he's already looking forward to next year's tournament. Dunn also has no plans to stop skating with players as much as 35 years his junior. And he says prospects are excellent for keeping his spot on the Burbank Skates defensive line.

Theodore A. Dunn '42 describes himself as a"certified hockey nut," and a chief enjoyment ofhis retirement is lacing up skates, taking stickin hand, and stepping out onto the ice.