Danny Oberst to be Chiefs' guest of honor this Saturday

March 27, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Johnstown Chiefs News Release


Johnstown, PA - A freshman at Westmont Hilltop High School made national news on ESPN this week for his work on the basketball court. This Saturday, the Johnstown Chiefs will welcome Danny Oberst as their Guest of Honor for their game against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Chiefs fans will also have an opportunity to meet Danny and get his autograph during a special post-game autograph session.

Oberst, a 16-year-old with Down syndrome, came off the bench in a ninth-grade game in early February between Westmont and Bishop Carroll, and scored a bucket in the Westmont win. Danny's mother Patty, his coach Ron Flick, his teammates, and the Bishop Carroll team all worked to get Danny in the game, and he did not disappoint.

But it was Danny's brother Mike, a Slippery Rock University grad student and an intern with the Chiefs, who gave the story the legs it would need to get to ESPN. Mike, Westmont Assistant Principal Tom Mitchell, and Danny's teacher Heather Molnarko each wrote a letter to ESPN to suggest airing a feature on Danny. This was in late February, and Mike was a little skeptical about the results at first.

"I didn't hear anything for a week or two, and I thought it would blow over," Danny's oldest brother said.

But it didn't blow over and ESPN came calling. Pete McConville, a producer for ESPN's ‘First Take' called last Friday with the news that the program wanted to air Danny's story. An interview with Danny and Mike Oberst, and Mitchell was taped in Pittsburgh last Tuesday morning and aired twice that afternoon. As would be expected, the story brought a ton of attention to Danny and his brother.

"My phone was off the hook on Tuesday, and I went to the bank yesterday and everyone was like, ‘Are you the brother,'" Mike said.

As for Danny, Mike said, "He hasn't gotten any mail or anything like that yet, but we're expecting it'll start coming in over the next couple days, but everyone at school has been great. I don't think he thought it would get this big."

And even though Danny's favorite sport is basketball, hockey isn't very far behind, and Mike would know.

"We watch as many Penguins games together as we can, and with me working for the Chiefs he's always telling me to get him good tickets," Mike said.

As the Guest of Honor this Saturday, good seats won't be something Danny has to worry about. In fact, he'll get closer to the action than any other fan that night. Danny will come down to ice level and drop the ceremonial opening faceoff at center ice before taking in the action between the Chiefs and Cincinnati Cyclones.

The Chiefs beat Cincinnati on home ice last Friday in one of the most exciting victories of the season. Johnstown used a 1-0 shootout victory to cap a 4-3 win, and Ryan Nie tied a team record with his 25th win of the season. With the Cyclones looming as a potential second round opponent in the playoffs, the Chiefs will look to set the tone for that series with a great effort on Saturday.

That game will also feature the final Dodge Shootout of the season. You could be the lucky fan to come down to ice level, and shoot for a brand new Dodge vehicle!

Great seats are still available for Saturday's game, and you can get yours by calling the War Memorial Box Office at 814-536-5156 or by going to www.johnstownchiefs.com.



ECHL Stories from March 27, 2008


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