The Greatest One

BY HOLLY DODGE

One thing that Lower North Mankato residents can look forward to each winter is the joyous sounds of cheering, music, and hockey sticks tapping that reverberate through the cold air at the Anthony Ford Pond Hockey Classic hosted at Spring Lake Park.

The fun and competitive event has been hosted for 16 years, allowing youth and adults of all levels to gather together to play pick-up hockey. The event is free to the public and includes viewing from the pier, a sledding hill for kids, a hospitality area serving food and refreshments including beer and wine, warming houses, and plenty of parking.

However, the tradition of the Pond Hockey Classic is more than just fun; it honors the life and legacy of Anthony Ford, a bright and compassionate young man who passed away too soon at the age of nine after a courageous 18-month-long battle with leukemia.

Throughout his life, Anthony lived his life to the fullest, determined never to allow his disease to interfere with doing things that he loved. His mother, Robin Ford, shares, “Anthony was really invested in the community. Even when he was sick, he was worried about everyone else.” He was so generous that he even decided he wanted to be an organ donor, which he was unable to do because of the intensive chemotherapy he underwent.

Anthony loved playing hockey in his favorite position as goalie and dreamed of one day playing in the NHL as the “Next Great One.” He knew every single stat for every single player. Robin reflects, “He had a notebook, and he would watch all the drafts and keep track of where everyone was playing.”

Anthony was diagnosed on October 30, 2005, with a very rare form of leukemia. He was sent immediately to Rochester for treatment. When Troy Jutting, the MNSU hockey coach at the time, heard the news, he brought three hockey players to the hospital to visit the young hockey enthusiast. Originally an avid Gophers hockey fan, Anthony quickly bonded with the players and changed his team loyalty to the Mavericks.

The whole Mavericks team regularly visited Anthony in the hospital and eventually back at his home. “They always visited him, and we would have Sunday meals together. It gave Anthony a little hope.” Robin said. Even today, a banner honoring Anthony, #99, is hung in his honor above the Mavericks ice. “They fought the battle with him.”

The day Anthony passed away, his house was packed with just a tiny portion of the people who loved him. His entire hockey team, coaches, his best friend, and his family. Everyone took time with him, a testament to his impact.

Anthony’s funeral was hosted at the MNSU Taylor Center. Many teams from the Mankato Area Hockey Association, both East and West teams, and the MNSU teams were in attendance. “As they brought the casket out, all the teams lined up and did a stick tap.” Robin reflects. Chad Brownlee, a now famous Canadian country singer, performed an original song, inspired by Anthony, titled “The Hero I See.”

It was only a few months later that family friends Larry and Ellen Wild ran into MNSU hockey player Matt Tyree. They decided they had to do something to keep Anthony’s memory alive. In true Minnesota tradition, they decided a pond hockey tournament was the way to go.

Many people impacted by Anthony’s legacy gathered and formed a committee, and the first Anthony Ford Pond Hockey Classic happened at Lake Washington. But soon they had to decide how best to utilize the funds they were raising.

The Anthony Ford Fund was created in 2007. Since its inception, they have donated more than $100,000 to Pediatric Cancer Research and to hockey scholarships to ensure all kids have the chance to be the “Next Great One.” The Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia & Lymphoma (TACL) consortium, which is supported by funds, has already had promising results that have put young leukemia patients into remission. The Anthony Ford Fund also donated $50,000 to build the warming house in Spring Lake Park, akin to the Anthony Ford rink. A shadow box in the warming house contains Anthony’s hockey mementos— including his stick, a puck, and medals.

The two-day pond hockey tournament, which has been hosted at Spring Lake Park for seven years, is no easy undertaking. It takes slews of sponsors, volunteers, and dedicated community members to make it a success. Many area hockey teams dedicate time and talent to referee the games and the city of North Mankato prepares the ice.

Before his passing, Anthony had the opportunity to meet his mentor and hero, the original “Great One,” Hockey Hall-ofFamer, Wayne Gretzky, in Toronto. Anthony even got to tour his home and view all his trophies and awards. But anyone who knew Anthony knows he wasn’t the “Next Great One,” he was the “Greatest One.”