Dave Schultz talks about bullying at Northampton; says he's happy ice hockey is finally coming to Allentown

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Caught up with former Philadelphia Flyer Dave "The Hammer Schultz" at the Northampton Middle School today where he was addressing the seventh and eighth-grade kids about bullying.

Nearly 900 kids heard his message in a program titled: "Put Bullying On Ice/"

Schultz, of course, was probably the most notorious member of the two-time Stanley Cup champion Broad Street Bullies back in the 1970s.

But it was a much kinder, gentler Schultz who addressed two full assemblies and talked about the negatives of bullying and how it has to stop in school.

Schultz revealed that he, himself, was bullied while growing up in Canada.

"It was in a little town called Waldheim, about 30 miles north of Saskatoon, and it was a difficult time," Schultz said. "People think I was a bully growing up and beating up people, which wasn't the case at all.

"When I am talking to the kids at these schools and I am asking them certain questions, it's interesting to see which kids respond almost immediately. They know what I am talking about, and maybe, in some cases, they've been bullied themselves. It should not be strictly up to our teachers to do something about. We all need to be more aware of what's going on. And this is the biggest age group right here. This is where it gets started, although it happens at younger ages, too."

I asked Schultz what he thought about Allentown finally getting a downtown arena and a hockey team.

He was involved with a group that was going to bring an arena and ice hockey to Allentown a decade ago.

"Oh my God, it's going to be great," Schultz said. "We were going to build in downtown Allentown and we ran into all kinds of problems. I thought they should have built a nice big arena out near near I-78 and Route 100, but economics dictate that it be built in downtown Allentown.

"They're going to have the Phantoms, the Flyers top affiliate, and you'll have rivalries with Hershey and Wilkes-Barre, and the hockey fans will be able to follow they guys as they go up and down. This has always been a very strong hockeyarea, big Flyers country, and I have no doubt that they are going to support this team very well."

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