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====== Portarra Whales ======

{{ :thl_por_2.png?200|}}The **Portarra Whales** are a professional hockey team based in [[Portarra|Portarra, Galapetra]]. They compete in the [[Torland Hockey League]] as a member of the [[Willard Division]]. The team is owned by Steve Duval and plays their home games at the Market Marina Center.

Founded in 1960 by Seymour Duval, the Whales are one of four remaining charter franchises of the Torland Hockey League. The Whales have won 5 Marcotte Cup championships (1960, 1963, 1987, 1988, 1989). The Whales have a deep rivalry with the [[Port Alrene Anchors]], known as the Old Rivalry.

===== Team history =====

===== Team culture =====

==== Fan base ====

==== Rivalries ====

=== Port Alrene Anchors (The Old Rivalry) ===

Known as the “Old Rivals”, the rivalry between Portarra and Port Alrene goes much further back than just their THL days. The two cities have been competing against each other since their inception. The mutual hatred for each city is taught at an early age and even marriage between families from either city is considered a major taboo. In the THL the two teams have some of the most intense games both on the ice and in the stands.

On the ice, the teams have a long history, including meeting in the playoffs 8 different times.

===== Team information =====

==== Ownership ====

The Whales are owned by Steve Duval, who took over team operations in 1983 from his father, Seymour Duval, who founded the team in 1960. The Duvals are one of the premier families in Portarra and have been instrumental in developing the city into modern times.
==== Home ice ====

The Whales play their home games at the Market Marina Center in Portarra, Galapetra.
==== Logos and uniforms ====

The Whales' classic colors are navy and white. They introduced red as a tertiary color in 1984.
==== Minor league affiliates ====

The Whales are affiliated with the Taiver Black Diamonds of the CBIHL.
===== Players & personnel =====

==== Current roster ====

==== Team captains ====

  * Anton O'Reilly, 1960-1974
  * Walt Gulbrandsen, 1975-1978
  * Cal Capezzio, 1979-1980
  * Red Czekanski, 1981-1984
  * Bill Bronkowski, 1985-1993
  * Eli Priestley, 1994-present

==== Staff and coaches ====

The Whales have had four head coaches in their history, beginning with a future Hall of Famer in Cyrus Street who helped spearhead the Whales into early contention in the league. Street guided the Whales to a pair of Marcotte Cups in 1960 and 1963 along with three more appearances in the Finals. He won Best Coach three times and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981. Despite his long list of success on the bench, the Whales weathered a downturn at the end of the 60's and early 70's and prompted owner Seymour Duval to make a change. In a mutual but not necessarily amicable split, Street left the Whales and crossed town to helm the expansion Pioneers. Duval hired Larry Weatherford, son of successful THL coach Al Weatherford, despite his inexperience.

The Weatherford era proved to be good if not successful as the Whales proceeded to make 7 straight playoff appearances and developed a new reputation for being unable to win a big game and suffered numerous upsets by inferior teams. Larry brought his dad, Al, as an assistant co-head coach in 1973 but poor health led to the elder Weatherford to retire after the 1974 season. After reaching the semi-finals in 1977-1978, the team fell off a cliff and led Duval and O'Donnell to fire Weatherford in 1980 and begin a complete overhaul of the roster.

They hired Tom Cunningham, another candidate with little coaching experience, to lead the team during the rebuild. Many pundits believed Cunningham would be an easy scapegoat for a bad team during a rebuild and they were right. Cunningham had no success in Portarra while O'Donnell began drafting and trading for a new team. After three seasons of no playoffs, Cunningham was fired in 1983.

== Head Coaches ==

^ Name ^ Years Employed ^ Playoffs ^ Cups ^ Awards ^
| Cyrus Street |  1960-1971  |  7  |  2  | Best Coach; 1960, 1962, 1968. Hall of Fame, 1981 |
| Larry Weatherford |  1972-1980  |  7  |  0  | Silver Puck: 1972 |
| Tom Cunningham |  1981-1983  |  0  |  0  |  |
| Sid Snyder |   1984-present  |  9  |  3  | Silver Puck: 1986, 1987, 1988 |

== Assistant Coaches ==

== General Managers ==

  *** Don O'Donnell** (1973-present)

The Whales have only had one general manager in their history, Don O'Donnell, who assumed the role after the league mandate in 1973. O'Donnell was voted Best GM in 1984.

==== Drafts =====

===== Seasons =====

^  Season  ^  GP  ^  Record (W-T-L)  ^  Points  ^  Finish  ^  Playoffs  ^
|  1960  |  60  |  43-10-7  |  139  |  1st, THL  |  **Won Marcotte Cup (4-2 vs. Anchors)**  |
|  1961  |  60  |  30-8-22  |  98  |  4th, THL  |  Lost in semi-finals (1-4 vs. Heralds)  |
|  1962  |  60  |  21-20-19  |  83  |  3rd, THL  |  Lost in semi-finals (2-4 vs. Anchors)  |
|  1963  |  60  |  27-12-21  |  93  |  2nd, THL  |  **Won Marcotte Cup (4-2 vs. Falcons)**  |
|  1964  |  60  |  22-18-20  |  84  |  3rd, THL  |  Lost Marcotte Cup (2-4 vs. Heralds)  |
|  1965  |  60  |  28-13-19  |  97  |  1st, THL  |  Lost Marcotte Cup (2-4 vs. Falcons)  |
|  1966  |  60  |  26-12-22  |  90  |  5th, THL  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1967  |  60  |  21-17-22  |  80  |  6th, THL  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1968  |  60  |  29-14-17  |  101  |  3rd, THL  |  Lost Marcotte Cup (1-4 vs. Whales)  |
|  1969  |  60  |  10-8-42  |  38  |  8th, THL  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1970  |  60  |  18-12-30  |  66  |  6th, THL  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1971  |  60  |  9-18-33  |  51  |  7th, THL  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1972  |  71  |  39-12-20  |  129  |  2nd, Willard  |  Lost in quarter-finals (1-4 vs. Captains)  |
|  1973  |  72  |  27-22-23  |  107  |  4th, Willard  |  Lost in quarter-finals (1-4 vs. Captains)  |
|  1974  |  72  |  37-17-18  |  128  |  1st, Willard  |  Lost in quarter-finals (1-4 vs. Anchors)  |
|  1975  |  72  |  30-23-19  |  113  |  2nd, Willard  |  Lost in quarter-finals (3-4 vs. Glaciers)  |
|  1976  |  72  |  33-16-23  |  115  |  3rd, Willard  |  Lost in quarter-finals (0-4 vs. Anchors)  |
|  1977  |  72  |  31-16-25  |  109  |  4th, Willard  |  Lost in semi-finals (2-4 vs. Glaciers)  |
|  1978  |  72  |  35-14-23  |  119  |  2nd, Willard  |  Lost in semi-finals (2-4 vs. Anchors)  |
|  1979  |  72  |  27-19-26  |  100  |  5th, Willard  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1980  |  76  |  26-26-24  |  104  |  4th, Willard  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1981  |  76  |  9-21-46  |  48  |  4th, Willard  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1982  |  76  |  14-12-50  |  54  |  5th, Willard  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1983  |  76  |  18-19-39  |  73  |  4th, Willard  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1984  |  76  |  38-18-20  |  132  |  1st, Willard  |  Lost in quarter-finals (3-4 vs. Pioneers)  |
|  1985  |  48  |  28-9-11  |  93  |  1st, Willard  |  Lost in semi-finals (1-4 vs. Electrics)  |
|  1986  |  76  |  53-14-9  |  173  |  1st, Willard  |  Lost in semi-finals (3-4 vs. Kings)  |
|  1987  |  76  |  52-12-12  |  168  |  1st, Willard  |  **Won Marcotte Cup (4-3 vs. Electrics)**  |
|  1988  |  76  |  51-14-11  |  167  |  1st, Willard  |  **Won Marcotte Cup (4-1 vs. Electrics)**  |
|  1989  |  76  |  52-11-13  |  167  |  1st, Willard  |  **Won Marcotte Cup (4-2 vs. Wizards)**  |
|  1990  |  76  |  43-13-20  |  142  |  1st, Willard  |  Lost Marcotte Cup (2-4 vs. Kodiaks)  |
|  1991  |  76  |  30-23-23  |  113  |  3rd, Willard  |  Lost in wild card round (2-3 vs. Serpents)  |
|  1992  |  76  |  39-17-20  |  134  |  2nd, Willard  |  Lost in semi-finals (3-4 vs. Snappers)  |
|  1993  |  76  |  29-21-26  |  108  |  4th, Willard  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1994  |  76  |  27-11-38  |  92  |  5th, Willard  |  Missed playoffs  |
|  1995  |  76  |  14-15-47  |  57  |  6th, Willard  |  Missed playoffs  |

===== Team and league honors =====

==== Banners and trophies ====

^  Marcotte Cup  ^  Louis Trophy  ^  Division Title  ^
|  1960 Marcotte Cup  |  1960 Louis Trophy  |  1974 Willard Division  |
|  1963 Marcotte Cup  |  1965 Louis Trophy  |  1984 Willard Division  |
|  1987 Marcotte Cup  |  1974 Louis Trophy  |  1985 Willard Division  |
|  1988 Marcotte Cup  |  1986 Louis Trophy  |  1986 Willard Division  |
|  1989 Marcotte Cup  |  1987 Louis Trophy  |  1987 Willard Division  |
|    |  1988 Louis Trophy  |  1988 Willard Division  |
|    |  1989 Louis Trophy  |  1989 Willard Division  |
|    |    |  1990 Willard Division  |

==== Retired numbers ====

^  No.  ^  Player  ^  Position  ^  Career  ^  Retired  ^
|  4  |  Shane Galbraith  |  D  |  1975-1979  |  1980  |
|  9  |  Anton O'Reilly  |  D  |  1960-1974  |  1975  |
|  11  |  Marlin Parr  |  C  |  1960-1971  |  1973  |
|  35  |  Maxwell Blunt  |  G  |  1960-1979  |  1980  |

==== Hall of Famers ====

  * Marlin Parr, C, 1960-1971, inducted 1975
  * Anton O'Reilly, D, 1960-1974, inducted 1977
  * Cyrus Street, head coach, 1960-1971, inducted 1981
  * Al Weatherford, assistant coach, 1973-1974, inducted 1981
  * Shane Galbraith, D, 1975-1979, inducted 1983
  * Maxwell Blunt, G, 1960-1979, inducted 1989
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