Bob Sabourin: A hockey living legend

Hockey legend right here in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There's a hockey legend living right here in Jacksonville, but Bob Sabourin's influence goes far beyond the ice.

"When I first came here there were maybe four or five-hundred thousand people," said Sabourin. "It was like my hometown in Canada."

There's not much in Jacksonville that Sabourin hasn't seen or done. He came to town in 1966, joining the Jacksonville Rockets of the Eastern Hockey League. He eventually served as their coach and general manager. For most southerner's hockey was a foreign concept but Sabourin says fans caught on quickly once they saw the action in person.

"People weren't really aware of the whole situation," said Sabourin. "It was kind of tough to draw people, because they weren't aware of it. Once they came to a game they became a fan."

The old Veteran's Memorial Coliseum not only played home to the Rockets. But Sabourin also promoted various acts at the Coliseum, from Kenny Rogers to Joe Frazier.

"I did over 500 shows between the Coliseum and the Civic Auditorium in all the years I was here," said Sabourin.

But of the hundreds of events that Sabourin put on at the Coliseum. There was one moment that he would never forget.

"I was the first one to bring monster trucks here inside," said Sabourin. "I bought 60 loads of dirt and I piled them along an expressway. Some company came in and stole it from me. I couldn't believe it. It was funny because the last truckload, somebody told me they were grabbing my dirt. So I shot over there and I had my gun in my car. And a guy said hey stop. The guy wouldn't stop so I pulled out my gun. The guy put up his hands and got out of there and kept on going. I got one load that I save out of 60."