Relive an exhilarating chapter in sports history with our exclusive St. Louis Vipers tribute t-shirt, celebrating one of the pioneering teams in professional roller hockey. The St. Louis Vipers was a professional roller hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri as a member of the now-defunct Roller Hockey International. The team played their first two seasons at the St. Louis Arena before moving to the newer Kiel Center in 1995.
The ownership of the club was led by former NHL St. Louis Blues star Bernie Federko, who also served as the head coach. Along with the Anaheim Bullfrogs, they were one of only two clubs to survive for all six seasons that RHI existed from 1993 to 1999. According to a December 1996 St. Louis Business Journal profile, the franchise lost $1.5 million over its first four seasons of operation and required a lifeline from the owners of the St. Louis Blues and the Kiel Center to return for a fifth season in 1997.
After the 1997 season, RHI suspended operations and cancelled the 1998 campaign. The league re-organized under former Major League Baseball executive Bernie Mullin and managed to get a chaotic and under-capitalized 1999 season off the ground. The Vipers returned from the one-year layoff and won the final Murphy Cup championship in the summer of 1999, defeating the Anaheim Bullfrogs 8-6 in the league's last ever game. It was the final year of Roller Hockey International's existence.
This t-shirt features our exclusive St. Louis Vipers logo with an authentically distressed, cracked, vintage feel that captures the nostalgic spirit of 1990s roller hockey. The design appears on the front only, with a clean, blank back.
Superior Quality & Comfort
- Printed on premium Gildan 5000
- 5.3 oz, 100% preshrunk cotton for lasting quality
- Tear-away label for maximum comfort
- Classic unisex fit that works for everyone
- Available in sizes S-5XL
- Choose from a variety of popular colors
- Produced using state-of-the-art direct-to-garment printing technology
Perfect for hockey enthusiasts, inline skating fans, Missouri sports fans, or anyone who appreciates the forgotten chapters of sports history. Own a piece of St. Louis roller hockey heritage today!