Houston Apollos
{{short description|Former professional minor-league ice hockey team in Houston, Texas, United States}}
{{Infobox ice hockey team
| name = Houston Apollos
| logo =
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| founded =
| folded =
| league = Central Hockey League
| region =
| history = 1965-1969, 1979-1981
| arena = Sam Houston Coliseum
| city = Houston, Texas, USA
| colors =
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| owner =
| coach =
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| mascot =
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| league_titles =
| main_sponsor =
| parent_group =
| name1 = Omaha Knights
| dates1 = 1963–1965
| name2 = Houston Apollos
| dates2 = 1965–1969
| name3 = Houston Apollos
| dates3 = 1979–1981
| reg_season_titles =
| division_titles =
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}}
The Houston Apollos were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Houston, Texas. They played in the Central Hockey League from 1965 to 1969, and then from 1979 to 1981.{{cite web
| url = https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/houston-apollos-10531.html
| title = Houston Apollos Statistics and History, 1979-1981 CHL
| last =
| first =
| date =
| website = hockeydb.com
| publisher =
| access-date = May 23, 2024
| quote = }}{{cite web
| url = https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/houston-apollos-6121.html
| title = Houston Apollos Statistics and History, 1965-1969 CHL
| last =
| first =
| date =
| website = hockeydb.com
| publisher =
| access-date = May 23, 2024
| quote = }}
History
From 1965 to 1969, they were a farm team of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens pulled the team out and moved it to Montreal, where they became the Montreal Voyageurs of the American Hockey League. Aside from cutting back on travel costs, the Canadiens cited problems in Houston of low attendance, poor choice of dates in the local arena, and lack of practice time. {{citation needed|date=May 2024}}
The team was revived in 1979, after the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association folded. The team only lasted one and a half seasons before folding on January 8, 1981. The team played in the Sam Houston Coliseum. Unremarkably, before his Hall of Fame NHL career began with the Edmonton Oilers, Mark Messier played 4 games with the Apollos in 1979 before going to Edmonton.{{cite web | url = https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_players.php?tmi=10531 | title = Houston Apollos all-time player list | website = hockeydb.com | access-date = May 23, 2024}}
Season-by-season records
=Central Hockey League=
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! Season !! Games !! Wins !! Losses !! Ties !! Points !! Goals For !! Goals Against !! Standing !! Playoffs | |||||||||
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| 1965–66 | 70 | 27 | 32 | 11 | 65 | 221 | 244 | 5th | Missed |
| align=center bgcolor=eeeeee
| 1966–67 | 70 | 32 | 28 | 10 | 74 | 255 | 229 | 3rd | Lost Semi |
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| 1967–68 | 70 | 28 | 31 | 11 | 67 | 220 | 216 | 4th South | Missed |
| align=center bgcolor=eeeeee
| 1968–69 | 72 | 34 | 26 | 12 | 80 | 224 | 204 | 3rd South | Lost Quarter |
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| 1979–80 | 80 | 32 | 38 | 10 | 74 | 300 | 319 | 6th | Lost Quarter |
| align=center bgcolor=eeeeee
| 1980–81 | 33 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 32 | 97 | 98 | colspan=2|Withdrew on Jan. 8th |
References
{{reflist}}
{{CCBYSASource|source=Wikia Sports|sourcepath=http://icehockey.wikia.com/wiki/Houston_Apollos|sourcearticle=Houston Apollos|revision=354800698}}
Category:Central Professional Hockey League teams
Category:Defunct ice hockey teams in Texas
Category:Edmonton Oilers minor league affiliates
Category:Ice hockey teams in Houston
Category:Montreal Canadiens minor league affiliates
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{{Houston-stub}}