Hudson Crusaders

Each team in the MN Junior Hockey League uses a Character, Theme, or Philosophy behind their name or mascot. The Hudson Crusaders chose a variation on the symbol of the Knights Templar, an order of knights that originated after the First Crusade in the 12^th Century. The order started with nine French noblemen who stayed to protect pilgrims who wanted to enter the Holy Lands in and around Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was a Holy site for both Muslims and Christians. Throughout the 10^th and 11^th century each religious group fought for control of it. After the First Crusade, the city was in Christian hands. Most Crusaders, having fulfilled their service and absolved of their sins by fighting in the holy war, went back to Europe. It was the nine Crusaders who stayed in Jerusalem to form the Knights Templar, or The Order of Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon.

It is in these humble beginnings that the Hudson Crusaders get their inspiration. The knights first started a hospital to care for sick and injured pilgrims, taking a triple vow of obedience, chastity, and poverty. Not only were pilgrims sick or injured from the journey to the Holy Lands, they were often attacked by robbers and criminals in the unstable territory surrounding Jerusalem.

The nine men who started the Knights Templar wore plain clothing and gave away all their possessions, were half sworn as warriors and half sworn to the Church. Their number one priority was to protect all pilgrims of all religions to the Holy Lands. The Knights Templar soon grew in size and became something of legend because of this split devotion between knighthood and piety. They were brave in battle, yet they spent much time in prayer and meditation.

Harry Urschel, the general manager of the Hudson Crusaders, was impressed by the knights’ philosophy and adopted it as a code of behavior for each hockey player on the team to follow. He used the Red Cross design that the knights wore, eventually settling on the one that is sewed on each Hudson Crusader jersey.

Like the knights protecting the Holy Lands, being a hockey player is more than the “battle” within the rink. Urschel states:

I wanted the Crusaders to stand for something in the community, be more than a hockey team.

I researched many logos and found the Knight's Templar cross Moline stood for a code of behavior. The eight points [referring to charity, loyalty, honesty, bravery, honor, self sacrifice, piety and respect for the church] were something we could point to and say, "To be a Crusader you must embrace these principles and live by them."

We have taken that seriously and disciplined/discharged players and coaches from the team for not living up to the standards. It has helped bond the players with other players, players with coaches and all Crusaders with the community. It has created a family that surpasses seasons, wins and losses, by having a moral compass to guide us in times of trouble and good will.

These philosophies are what make the Hudson Crusaders unique. Each player dedicates their potential as a player within the team and their charity within the community keeping the Red Cross on their jersey as a reminder. It is the hope of the Hudson Crusaders Organization that this will carry on throughout each player’s life.

References on the Knights Templar:

The Knights Templar, by G.A. Campbell, 1980 edition

The Knights Templar, The History and Myths of the Legendary Military Order, by Sean Martin, published 2004

The Enigma of the Knight’s Templar, Their History and Mystical Connections, by Marilyn Hopkins, published 2007

article by Amanda Marie Liesinger