Jim "Seaweed" Pettie

This is Jim Pettie. He was nicknamed "Seaweed" because of his clumpy, stringy hair.

Pettie was the Boston Bruins back up netminder in 1978-79, playing in 21 career NHL games. He was a tough bugger, too, picking up 13 PIMs in the NHL. In one minor league season he actually earned an amazing 145 PIMs.

He is most famous for being prolific writer George Plimpton's roommate when Plimpton participated in the Bruins training camp (even playing 5 minutes against the Flyers) while writing the book Open Net. As a result, he was prominently featured in the classic book.

In the minor leagues Seaweed found Darryl Edestrand also as a roommate while in Rochester. Edestrand had some great memories of Pettie.

"My romie was a goalie named Jim "Seaweed" Pettie, a little guy, typical goaltender, stranger than a shithouse rat," Edestrand so eloquently stated in Ross Brewitt's excellent book "Into The Empty Net."

Edestrand also recalled the strangest story of how their hotel room was mistaken for someone else's rambunctious party. The story reached the newspaper headlines, complete with the headline "Nude Hockey Players Assault Cops."

It seems Edestrand, who is sleeping with no clothes on, and Pettie, who was enjoying a long bath, were surprised by six cops and the hotel night manager who came into break up the non-existent party.

"About six cops come barelling down the hallway, and in the meantime Seaweed has gotten out of the tub, into a twoel, and comes out of the room. Me and the night manager jump aside, and two cops steamroll ol' Seaweed to the floor. But he's soaking wet and the first cop skidded off him like a greased pig, the second cop can't get the cuffs on him 'cause he's all soaped up or using bath gel or something.

"The cop told the judge Seaweed was like a wiry peach pit, couldn't find a place to grab onto him. We got off, but the best part was the cop who skidded into the wall sued Seaweed for $150,000, claiming that ever since the incident he could no longer perform his manly duties at home. I think he settled for $1,500."