Behind The Readers' Forum: A compromise for a Walleye hockey tradition

Letter writer Ted Katafiasz has a compromise for the controversial "hit somebody" chant that happens during the National Anthem at Toledo Walleye games.

In this week’s edition of Behind The Readers’ Forum, The Blade welcomes letter writer Ted Katafiasz to discuss his recent letter.

VIDEO: A compromise for the ‘hit somebody’ chant
View last week’s Behind The Readers’ Forum

Here is the text of Mr. Katafiasz’s letter:

As a 64-year-old hockey fan, I’ve been to my share of Toledo Blades, Hornets, Goaldiggers, Storm, and Walleye games.

Many years ago, fans marked the start of the game by standing and singing to the national anthem. As the game transitioned to a sport with more fighting and less hockey, an occasional fan or two would shout “hit somebody” in anticipation of the fights that were sure to come. The chant caught on so much that fans raced to be the first to yell it out. The “hit somebody” chant eventually encroached into the ending of our anthem.

Now that fighting during hockey games is more in check, is it time to respect the anthem and the tradition by yelling “hit somebody” as the puck is being dropped to start the game and when we really want to see someone hit?

TED KATAFIASZ
Maumee

Each week The Blade’s editorial board will pick a “letter of the week,” and the writer will be asked to come to The Blade to be interviewed for our Behind the Readers’ Forum feature, which appears on toledoblade.com and Blade NewsSlide.