The Life Of Mike Karakas (Part One)

Mike Karakas was the first American-born goalie to make an impact in the National Hockey League.

A few years back I was researching Mike Karakas for a past project and had reached out to his family to get some information on the netminder. What I found out is that Mike’s younger brother Tom Karakas, who was also a pro hockey goalie in his own right, was the family historian and had previously written extensively about his older brother for a family book. Here is Tom’s writing’s on Mike in a two-part series here. Enjoy!

This brother’s life and success will take a book, but we’ll put it into Chapter 6 and let it go for all to read about a brother who brought fame to his family in the world of ice hockey, something few Americans had the ability to do during his life span. The family took pride in Mike’s making it to the big time with the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League. Anna, momma, was on top of the hill when Mike went to Chicago to play for the Blackhawks. There weren’t going to be any rats chase him out of Chicago like they did Luka, her and Katie. Mike had winning inner spirit from the day he was born to the day he passed away. He made the name “Karakas” known throughout the U.S.A. and Canada, and wherever the great sport of hockey is played.

Like all his brothers he started his hockey career in Chickentown (a part of Eveleth, Minnesota) next to the underground mine and the Spruce open pit. He got his first start when he tried out for the high school team and the coach said he wasn’t up to the abilities of the players on the present team. This didn’t stop Mike and he formed a team of rink rats from the Hippodrome Ice Rink and beat the high school hockey team in a game. Cliff Thompson, the high school coach, changed his mind about Mike’s ability and put him on the team when the goalie at the time was hurt, and he was never able to replace Mike once he got healthy. Coach Thompson remained Mike’s good friend for years to come, and I’m sure the rest of the three Karakas boys got more than a fair chance to make the high school team when they got to that age. Mike learned to skate on his sister Katie’s old skates.