Family Connections: Family Affair-The Fitzgeralds

Family Connection

The SUMH HOF Class of 2026 will mark the first time two members of the same family will share the honor of being Hall of Famers. Family connections among SUMH players and their siblings and/or parents has existed since the very beginning of the Modern Era (1959) right up to our current team. During the past 67 years there have been nine sets of brothers who have played for SUMH, five of those sets of brothers played together for a year or more including a set of twins (Scott and Glenn Schaul) and four pairs of siblings whose time with the program did not overlap. There has been instance of a father and son having played for SUMH during different decades (Mike Jacobs 1982-1983 and Matt Jacobs 2016-2020 – a class of 2026 inductee). And there have been six occasions where a player has been on a team coached by his father starting with the very first team in 1960 with Royden M. Fitzgerald helped coach his son Brian Fritzgerald (HOF Class 2021). The Fitzgerald family connection became even more unique when Royden J Fitzgerald joined the team the year after his brother graduated and this year with his post-humus induction as a member of the HOF Class 2026. Here is a brief overview of their unique connection. 

Family Affair: The Fitzgeralds– father and sons made strong contributions to the SU Men’s Hockey program in its early infancy 1959-1967 and are the first instance of multiple family members being in the program.

Royden Fitzgerald M. (father of Brian and Royden J) from Ontario, Canada. He went to Regis College in Ontario, Canada, then after a few years he came to the United States with a group of people, including Eddie Shore who had played in the NHL back in the old times and described Royden “as a great stick handler and a great skater”. Despite offers to join the NHL Royden decided to remain in Syracuse area where according to his grandson Jon Fitzgerald “my Uncle Brian and my father (Royden J) learned the game from him (Royden M.) by following him around like a bunch of ducklings on the ice.” “My father”, says Brian, “was the one who taught us to skate. He coached our youth teams.” Royden M. served as the Syracuse Men’s Hockey club Assistant Coach during Brian’s tenure with the team 1960-1963).

Brian Fitzgerald grew up in Syracuse and eastern Canada, was an early member and organizer of the original teams along with Richard Van Winkle from 1959-1963 playing forward. Brian served a SUHA club officer, was active in the SU Joint Student Legislature and president of Tau Delta Phi. After SU he ended up in Colorado where he traded his skates for a pair of rugby cleats and practiced law. He was inducted into the SUMH HOF in 2021. Brian explains, “My brother (Royden J) was younger than I was. We were different players, I (Brian) was small and fast and a forward and he (Royden J) was larger and a defenseman.” 

Royden J. Fitzgerald born in Syracuse followed his brother Brian joining the team in 1964 played as an offensive defenseman until 1967, contributing to the team’s success by being among of the team’s five top scorers during his tenure. He served as the team’s Assistant Captain. Royden, left early in order to secure his degree in Dentistry at Fairleigh Dickenson University and a brief stint in the Army based in Bowling Green, Kentucky. According to his brother Brian, “He (Royden) was the one who stuck with hockey, continuing to play for the industrial league in Syracuse and coaching high school hockey teams” After his military service Royden and his wife returned to Syracuse where he practiced dentistry for years including serving as team dentist for the local- semi-pro teams of Syracuse Blazers and the Syracuse Crunch, was an active men’s league player as well as successful high school hockey coach for West Genese earning them a New York state championship in 1990. Royden is being inducted into the HOF this year (2026). Brian and Royden J. Fitzgerald are the first two brothers represented in the SUMH HOF.

There are more Family Connection profiles to come soon.