While they may seem a relatively new team in the North American Hockey League (NAHL), the Tier II junior ice hockey team Lone Star Brahmas boasts a long history behind its name. The designation serves as a tribute to Central Hockey League and Western Professional Hockey League’s Fort Worth Brahmas that bid goodbye on June 16, 2013. Despite that, the Lone Star Brahmas is actually the former Texas Tornado, a Junior A hockey team from Frisco, Texas, USA,
In this article, let’s know more about how everything transpired to create the present Lone Star Brahmas in the NAHL.
Fort Worth Brahmas
The Brahmas nickname was derived from the Fort Worth Brahmas. Originally introduced as the Forth Worth Bulls, the Birmingham Bulls protested about the name, forcing them to change it to Fort Worth Brahmas. They started to play in the Western Professional Hockey League in the 1990s, with Fort Worth Convention Center serving as the venue for their home games. In 2006, the team had issues finalizing a lease agreement with FWCC that then caused them to skip the 2006-2007 season.
In the 2007-2008 season, the Fort Worth Brahmas returned under a new name, the Texas Brahmas, and began playing in NYTEX Sports Centre in North Richland Hills, Texas. The team’s first season was momentous for the returning Brahmas as they reached post-season, a feat they last did in 2002. However, they lost to the defending champions, Colorado Eagles, in Game 7.
In the following season, the Texas Brahmas emerged victorious against the Odessa Jackalopes to win the coveted Southern Conference Championship. They meet Colorado Eagles again in the CHL Finals but this time defeating their rivals in four games to one. It was the first Ray Miron President’s Cup trophy won by the Brahmas franchise, and the first for Forth Worth after the defunct Forth Worth Fire capture the champion in the 1996-1997 season.
Moving forward in the 2012-2013 pre-season, a Fort Worth-based investment group purchased the team’s franchise, reverting its name to Fort Worth Brahmas. However, they were brimmed with financial woes, resulting in the team to miss a season for the second time and eventually, ceased its operations.
Texas Tornado
The Texas Tornado first played in the NAHL in the 1999-2000 season and originally played at the NYTEX Sports Centre until 2003 before transferring to Frisco, Texas. The team was successful, being able to win five Roberson Cups, one in 2001, three-straight from 2004-2006, and another in 2012. While well-decorated, the Texas Tornado also suffered from financial losses.
The team owners explored all options until finally taking the last resort to sell the team to THP, relocating them back to North Richland Hills, TX, and renaming them to Lone Star Brahmas in the NAHL 2013-2014 season. The team won their first Robertson Cup Championship in the 2016–2017 season.
