CHL Mississippi RiverKings

Dumont Jersey Auction Helps Former Teammate

Published on December 8, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


(Southaven, MS) --- RiverKings fans have the opportunity to own a personal piece of last season's Northeast Division championship team and aid a member of the hockey community now in need.

Forward and assistant captain Louis Dumont is auctioning off the jersey that he wore during the 2008-09 RiverKings season in an effort to raise money for good friend and Dumont's ex-teammate in Louisiana, Rob Weingartner.

Weingartner is in the middle of a battle against colon cancer and concerted efforts are underway from around the hockey world to raise funds to help pay for Weingartner's medical bills.

"Rob was my teammate, captain, and roommate on the road," Dumont said. "We became good friends during our time with the Louisiana IceGators and still keep in touch, especially now that I play against Wichita during the hockey season."

Weingartner was a member of the Wichita Thunder and later coached the team for part of the 2007-08 season. This past March, the Thunder retired Rob's jersey number 15, becoming the latest of just three Wichita players to have been accorded the honor.

Rob played four seasons with the Thunder, including championship seasons in 1994 and 1995 under former RiverKings' coach Doug Shedden, before moving to the ECHL, where he played in Louisiana and Arkansas.

During his professional hockey career, Weingartner also had stints in San Antonio (CHL, 1995-96), Manitoba (IHL, 1996-97) and Fort Wayne (IHL, 1997-98).

It was in Louisiana where he met Dumont and played with him on the IceGators from 1996-1999. Weingartner played one more season in Louisiana after Dumont departed, before retiring from professional hockey in 2000.

"Rob defined everything a hockey player should be," Dumont notes. "He could score, play tough, and always gave everything he had. He and I had a saying in the locker room between the first and second periods of every game. He would look at me and say, 'Hey Lou, second period,' and I would say back to him, 'we only get better, Weiny.' I guess my only wish for Rob is the same thing, 'Get better Weiny.'"

With his playing days finished, Weingartner became an assistant coach in 2007 with the Thunder in Wichita, only to become the team's head coach as a replacement for Mark French after 17 games of the season. In 47 games as a head coach that season, Weingartner's Thunder posted a 16-29-2 record.

He now makes Wichita his permanent home and operates a hockey-themed sports bar there, called the "Penalty Box."

The 37-year old Weingartner has been diagnosed with colon cancer and is under treatment for the disease. The National Cancer Institute reports that 1 in 19 men and women will be diagnosed with colon cancer during their lifetime. The disease has a good survival rate when diagnosed early, as the NCI reports that the overall 5-year survival rate is 65.2% for people who have the disease.

Proceeds from the auction of Dumont's RiverKings jersey will go toward that effort helping to pay for Weingartner's medical bills.

The jersey auction can be found on Ebay.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2009


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