The Boots Buried Under The Ice At Xcel Energy Center

The boys state hockey tournament, which started in 1945, is packed with legendary stories. Here's one that is mostly unknown, about a high school player skating at Xcel Energy Center over the boots that his grandfather buried in the concrete after completing his final job before retiring as a pipefitter. This story is from the 2008 state tournament.

Boots on the ground is one thing. But boots under the ice?

Tom McCarthy knows what that means. He was a proud man Thursday, sitting six rows from the glass as he watched Benilde-St. Margaret's face Woodbury in the boys hockey state tournament.

He was proud of his grandson, Benilde-St. Margaret's senior defenseman and team captain Thomas McCarthy, who was named after him. He was proud to have been part of the crew that built Xcel Energy Center.

And he took pride in knowing that his work boots -- the last pair he wore before retiring -- are buried in concrete beneath center ice.

Before Xcel opened in 2000, McCarthy worked in the arena as a construction pipefitter. That was his occupation for 45 years, and he knew Xcel was his final job. He wanted to do something special, find a way to pay tribute to 45 years on the job and to his fellow building tradesmen.

"It's kind of an obscure line of work, until somebody goes to the faucet or switches on a light," he said.

He thought about sticking his boots inside a wall for posterity. But once his co-workers found out he wanted his footwear to be in the building forever, they found the perfect spot. McCarthy figures the old pair of Red Wings are about 10 feet below ice level.

After the concrete was poured and his boots were encased, some of the construction guys made a sign on a piece of sheetrock and placed it above the spot. It read: "Big Mac's boots."

McCarthy's family knows about his boots, and word has spread with those who work in his former occupation.

"In the building and trades industry, it's common knowledge. I hear about it all the time," he said.

After Benilde-St. Margaret's beat Woodbury 4-1, Thomas McCarthy said, "It's kind of cool to think about. It's cool to play over [the boots] and to know he's with me, there and in the stands."

Tom McCarthy was 65 when he retired, and "I knew the game was over. It's not easy to retire, but when you've got grandkids you think, 'Wow, this is sort of neat.' "

He played basketball as a kid and graduated from St. Paul Monroe High School in 1951. His kids grew up in the Como Park area and became hockey players.

He was turned into a hockey fan "sort of by osmosis," he said. And when grandkids came along and began playing hockey at higher levels, he began thinking, "Maybe someday they'll take a faceoff at [Xcel's] center ice, and they can say their grandpa's boots are under there."

Tim McCarthy (Tom's son and Thomas' dad) said of his father, "He worked in the trades so long and he's a St. Paul guy. With his connection to this city and his connection to this rink, and now to have his grandkids here, it's very special."

While warming up for Thursday's game, Thomas McCarthy skated to center ice and stayed there for a few moments.

"I stood on top of the spot and said a little something to myself," he said. "A couple words to get myself focused and pay a little reverence."

A little reverence to his grandfather's life, his occupation, and his boots.

--MSHSL media specialist John Millea has been the leading voice of Minnesota high school activities for decades. Follow him on Twitter @MSHSLjohn and listen to "Preps Today with John Millea” wherever you get podcasts. Contact John at [email protected]