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49 years later, jersey returned to UND star

Last update: April 9, 2008 - 7:31 PM

MINOT, N.D. - Former University of North Dakota hockey standout Reggie Morelli has a piece of his past back, and a mystery to go along with it.

About two months ago, his wife, Brenda Morelli, got a telephone call from a person inquiring about whether her husband was alive. The caller, who did not identify himself, told her to expect a package in the near future.

A week later, a package arrived that contained the Fighting Sioux No. 16 jersey that Reggie Morelli had worn 49 years before.

The package had a Minneapolis postmark but no name or return address.

Morelli said he has no idea where the jersey came from, but he remembers how he lost it.

"It was in the second period of our second game against Minnesota in my junior year," he said. "I got into a fight near their bench. He pulled my jersey off me and threw it into the crowd."

Morelli said the Sioux-Gophers rivalry was every bit as intense then as it is now.

"The series between UND and Minnesota doesn't need any juice, it's just automatic," he said. "It's been a great rivalry since Day One."

Later that year, Morelli scored the game-winning goal in the national championship game against Michigan State and was voted tournament MVP -- wearing jersey No. 19.

While the No. 16 jersey shows some signs of wear, it appears to have spent a majority of the past 49 years in storage.

"It's still in pretty good shape for an old wooly thing," Morelli said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS