New conference names honor Turner, Berry

{TEMPE, Az.} — Central Hockey League (CHL) Commissioner Duane Lewis announced today that the league will recognize two infamous figures for both the CHL and the International Hockey League (IHL) as the title names for the league’s two respective conferences for the 2010-11 season.  The CHL announced on June 1 that they have affiliated with the IHL with five teams joining the CHL for the upcoming season (Bloomington, Dayton, Evansville, Fort Wayne and Quad City).

The new conference alignment announced in July will bear the names of Joseph Turner, the Turner Conference, and N. Thomas Berry, Jr., the Berry Conference.  The team that captures the Turner Conference will win the newly created Turner Trophy and the team that captures the Berry Conference will claim the N. Thomas Berry Trophy.

“We are pleased to name the conferences after individuals who made significant contributions to the sport,” said Lewis.  “Joe Turner’s heroic life is a symbol that all athletes should revere and appreciate and Tom continues to play a large part in the growth and development of the CHL and has served as a role model for many people in the industry.  The Turner and Berry Conferences are very fitting and something all players will strive to win throughout the regular season.”

The Turner Trophy is named for Joseph Turner, a goaltender from Windsor, Ontario who played professionally with the Detroit Red Wings before serving in World War II with the United States Army.  Turner was killed on December 13, 1944 in Belgium during battle.  Turner drew distinction as an amateur goaltender in the Michigan-Ontario amateur league, a forerunner to the IHL, playing on teams in Detroit and Windsor.  Since 1945, the IHL awarded its league championship as the ‘Turner Cup’.  The Fort Wayne Komets have won the Turner Cup as the champions of the IHL for the past three seasons and seven times in the team’s history (1963, 1965, 1973, 1993, 2007, 2008, and 2009).

Tom Berry currently serves as the Commissioner Emeritus for the CHL and has been involved in the sport of hockey for close to a half-century.  He previously spent 13 years with the IHL serving as their commissioner from 1989-1994 adding seven new cities under his command.  The current resident of Indianapolis has served in many capacities in the sport covering the on-ice aspect of officiating all the way to running a hockey team.  In 1974, Berry was the principal investor in the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association.

The teams competing in each conference are listed below.

Turner Conference
Bloomington PrairieThunder
Colorado Eagles
Dayton Gems
Fort Wayne Komets
Evansville IceMen
Missouri Mavericks
Quad City Mallards
Rapid City Rush
Wichita Thunder 

Berry Conference
Allen Americans
Arizona Sundogs
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
Laredo Bucks
Mississippi RiverKings
Odessa Jackalopes
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
Texas Brahmas
Tulsa Oilers