WINTHROP, MASS. (WHDH) - One of the stars of the gold-medal winning 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team hosted a charity event in his hometown of Winthrop Thursday night.
Mike Eruzione is celebrating the 40-year anniversary of the night he took the winning shot to carry his team to victory over the Soviet Union in what is considered one of the — if not the greatest — moments in sports history.
“At the time, the country was looking for something to feel good about and of all things it was a hockey team, and it was us,” Eruzione said.
He’s remembering that special night by supporting youth hockey teams and showing the next generation the importance of the “Miracle on Ice.”
On Thursday, his charity hosted the Winthrop boys and girls hockey players for a dinner.
Both teams are competing in the playoffs and Eurzione said he hopes another great player is among them.
“I think that would be awesome, it would be great to see a young boy or lady, to play college, then Olympics, it would be a dream for Winthrop to have another Olympian,” he said.
Eurzione coaches the boy’s team.
The 4-3 victory catapulted the players to fame and led to the popular movie “Miracle.”
Team USA, all amateurs in their 20’s, were the definition of underdogs when they took on the professional Soviet players and won.
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