The Legend Plays Broadway, 2016
Lou Regains NYTHL Title, 2018
“Once a champion, always a champion” — Ferdinand Marcos
After 23 years of retirement, and at age 55, Lou re-entered the classic table hockey fray in 2006.
His comeback was prompted by two friends: Martin Labelle, and John Power.
Lou’s Coleco Titles Since His 2006 Comeback:
2007: New York City Table Hockey Association (NYCTHA) Champion
2008: Las Vegas Classic Champion
2008: NYCTHA Champion
2009: Las Vegas Classic Champion
2009: NYCTHA Champion
2012: Johnny Good Guy Champion
2015: NYCTHA Champion
2015: Tri-State (NY, NJ, PA) Champion
2015: US Open Champion
2016: New York Table Hockey League (NYTHL) Champion
2016: Susquehanna River Rock Cancer Tourney Champion (multiple boards)
2018: NYTHL Champion
Lou’s Cumulative Regular Season League Record and Playoff Results, 1977-2018
Lou’s Cumulative Record in Tournament Finals, 1978-2016
How did table hockey itself make such a fabulous comeback? Read on …
Lou and Martin in Sherbrooke, 2006
As the table hockey revival built up steam, established leagues and tournaments began to join forces. In August 2006, Lou met Martin Labelle in Sherbrooke, and acquired a hand-crafted Labelle-Coleco. This propelled Lou into organized table hockey, for the first time since 1983.
Inspired by the Table Hockey movie, Martin hand-crafted only 56 Labelle-Coleco boards, enough to fuel the classic table hockey revival. Until his retirement in 2011, Martin was the dominant force in the Sherbrooke Table Hockey League, and was founding president of Hockey Sur Table Quebec.
Lou and JP in Montreal, 2007
Lou joined John Power‘s New York City Table Hockey Association (NYCTHA) in 2007, as Honorary Commissioner.
Read John Power’s story: “My Day with Table Hockey Legend Lou Marinoff.”
Lou was NYCTHA Classic league and playoff champion in 2007, 2008, 2009, and playoff champion in 2015.
Left: Lou and John in 2007, in a downtown Montreal hotel, in front of a statue of Rocket Richard. A savvy sportsman and sports fan, JP knew that Lou idolized “The Rocket.”
In fact, “The Legend” met “The Rocket” back in 1990, when he (Maurice Richard) opened the Acadienne Museum
in Bonaventure, Quebec.
Here’s a commemorative postcard, signed by “The Rocket” himself. He wishes Lou “bonne chance,” or “good luck.”
Coming from “The Rocket,” that could only boost “The Legend’s comeback!
NYCTHA Classic Champion 2007: John Power presents cup.
Las Vegas Classic Champion 2008: A.J. Sarma presents cup.
NYCTHA Classic Champion 2008: John Power presents cup.
NYCTHA Classic Champion 2009
Johnny Good Guy Champion 2012: John Beedham presents cup to Lou. Dave Kraehling (2), Bernie Kunzler (3).
Vintage Munro Cup, New York 2014. Gino Bossio (2), Dave Kraehling (1), Lou Marinoff (3), defeated Carlo Bossio to capture bronze.
NYCTHA Classic Champion 2015: John Power presents cup
Tri-State Champion 2015 (NY, NJ. PA)
US Open Champion 2015. Jim Rzonca presents cup
NYTHL Champion 2016. Finalist, Vinny Catania. 3rd, Len Mecca
Susquehanna River Rock Cancer Tourney Champion 2016: Joe Gurney presents cup.
NYTHL Champion 2018. Finalist, Vinny Catania. 3rd, John Fayolle
Lou’s comeback trail has led most often to Quebec, his native province, home to the world’s greatest Coleco champions and toughest tournaments. There, and in affiliated tournaments in Chicago, Detroit, New York, Toronto, and other venues, Lou has battled the best: Carlo and Gino Bossio, Martin Labelle, Pat Cote, Dave Kraehling, Dany Leclerc, Sam and Alex Anoussis, among many other talents. Lou clawed his way into the top 5 in 2013-14, finishing behind Carlo, Gino, Pat and Sam. Julian hung on to 10th that year, making this the first ever father-son top-10 finish. See 2013-14 stats here.
This league of tournaments, founded in 2006 by Denis Begin, Carlo Bossio, Martin Labelle, was called
Hockey Sur Table Quebec (HTQ). In 2014, HTQ was reborn as the National Table Hockey League (NTHL). Since 2006, Lou has chronicled his HTQ and other table hockey encounters in a blog called The Comeback Trail.
HTQ “Terminators” Martin Labelle, Carlo Bossio, Pat Cote
The National Table Hockey League was founded in 2014 by Carlo Bossio, Burt Brassard, and Lou Marinoff.
The NTHL emerged from Hockey Sur Table Quebec (HTQ), and remains the premier organization for Classic table hockey.
The undisputed current world Coleco champion, for eleven years and counting, is “King” Carlo Bossio, the greatest Classic champion of all-time. For up-to-date information on tournaments, standings, and more, visit www.nthl.ca
Carlo and Sam duel in an NTHL final
“King” Carlo Bossio: IN a League of His Own
Founded in 2015 by Vinny “The Vinner” Catania, a formidable competitor and talented organizer, the New York Table Hockey League (NYTHL) is the premiere venue for classic table hockey in New York and the tri-state area.
“The Legend” won the inaugural NYTHL title in 2016. “The Vinner” dethroned him in 2017. “The Legend” found redemption in 2018, in a 7-game thriller. For all the NYTHL standings, photos, videos, and stories, see https://www.nythl.com/home
Lou and Vinny both finished in the NTHL’s top-10 in 2017-18, the first time two Americans have ever cracked this elite Canadian group. That is a testament to the strength and competitiveness of the NYTHL. See http://www.nthl.ca/2017-2018.pdf
Vinny and Lou battle on the board
Big League table hockey in the Big Apple
Fathers and Sons
Table hockey has always been a sport for brothers, and sisters too. Fearsome Canadian brother combos include Alex, Sam, and Peter Anoussis, Gino and Carlo Bossio, Pat and Francois Cote, Lou and (the late) Sid Marinoff, Bob and Lorne Tierney. American combos include Ed and John Power. Swedish combos include Karl and Nils Jonsson. Nowadays table hockey has also become a sport for fathers and sons. HTQ/NTHL feature four father-son combos: Burt and Charles Brassard, Michel and Simon Martin Decarie, Martin and Thierri Douville, and Lou and Julian Marinoff. Brampton, Ontario features father-son champions John and Sean Beedham. A great US father-son combo from the Golden Age was the late Kenny “The Slammer” Dubois and Kenny Jr. A future great US father-son combo will be Vinny “The Vinner” Catania and Vinny Jr.
Lou & Julian Marinoff, Charles & Burt Brassard, Simon & Michel Decarie, Martin & Thierri Douville
Quebec Classic, 2017, B-Division: Michel (2), Lou (1), Julian (3)
Monroe Classic, 2018, A-Division. Julian (2), Michael Brossard (1), Lou (3)