1993 Portland Rage Tee

The Story

The Rage were a classic mom-and-pop operation. They competed in a rather goofy start-up league where ownership ranged from deep-pocketed Major Leaguers like the Buss family in L.A. to an unwanted, league-run club promoted by city employees at Connecticut’s New Haven Coliseum. Bill Conyard’s brother-in-law, a doctor in L.A., signed on as co-owner of the Rage. Tim, of course, would play for the Rage as planned.  Bill Conyard’s other son Joe served as the team’s Assistant GM. As RHI’s July 1993 debut approached, the Conyards’ lack of sports management experience showed.  With a roster drawn largely from local junior players from the amateur Portland Winter Hawks ice hockey team and fellow alumni from Tim Conyard’s alma mater of St. John’s (MN) University, the Rage found themselves outclassed against bigger, more experienced players in a pre-season tune-up against the Vancouver Voodoo. Off the court, the Rage sold only about 100 season tickets for the 10,000-seat Memorial Coliseum, according to the Portland Business Journal. By contrast, RHI’s Anaheim Bullfrogs club pre-sold 10,000 tickets for their inaugural game the same week. The Rage finished the 1993 season with a 4-10 record under Head Coach Blake Wesley, a former Winter Hawk and NHL vet. John Black took over the Head Coaching duties for the 1994 season. RHI expanded from 12 to 24 franchises and the season lengthened from 14 to 22 games.  The 1994 Rage eeked into the playoffs with an 11-10-1 record and then went on an Cinderella run to the RHI Championship Series, where they lost in a two-game sweep to the Buffalo Stampede (15-3-4). Bill Conyard folded the Portland Rage after the 1994 season.  Roller Hockey International suspended play after the 1997 season, returned for one last gasp in 1999 after taking a year off, and then disbanded for good.

Crafted with the intention of being the softest shirt in your lineup, our signature tees are made with premium airlume (for softness) and ringspun (for durability) cotton combined with poly to make the perfect tee👌 that wears and feels like a well-worn favorite. Our garments are printed with inks that actually blend into the fabric giving it more character and true vintage look with every wash.

Size Chart

• 52% airlume ring-spun cotton/48% polyester
• Unisex fit
• Imported garment with American-made fabrics.
• Printed in the USA 🇺🇸
• Made in certified eco-friendly facilities ♻️