Photo by JAMIE-ANDREA YANAK / Special to the Observer-Dispatch: The Milwaukee Admirals' Mark Mowers (18), battles with the Cleveland Lumberjacks' Mike Matteucci (2), during a game at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Mar. 31, 2001.

Mark Mowers returns home to host his charity golf tournament

Originally published July 16, 2003

By Craig Muder
Observer-Dispatch

Quietly, Mark Mowers re-signed with the Detroit Red Wings this summer.

Little fanfare or hype accompanied the move, which keeps the 29-year-old Whitesboro native with one of the premier organizations of the National Hockey League.

It was typical of Mowers, who is about results, not honors. His pro hockey career — and his dogged commitment to the kids of the Mohawk Valley — is the proof.

Mowers, who lives in New Hampshire with his wife Jana and three-month-old daughter Gracy, will return home this weekend to host the fourth annual Mark Mowers Golf Tournament at Hidden Valley Golf Club in Whitesboro. The Tournament benefits Operation Sunshine, a charity of the Observer-Dispatch, and the money helps send children to summer camp.

In the tournament’s first three years, Mowers has helped raise nearly $20,000 for Operation Sunshine — including a record $9,541 last year.
This year, the tournament — with its captain’s choice format — was moved from its usual time of Boilermaker Weekend to this weekend. Mowers’ sister Kim was married in Florida July 5, and the family felt the turnaround time would be too quick.

“We’ve lost some golfers with conflicts — maybe four or five foursomes that were there from day one,” Mowers said. “But that’s the price you pay, I guess. We’re going to move it back to Boilermaker Weekend next year.”

This time next year, Mowers hopes to have a few more NHL games under his belt. The 2002-03 season marked only the second time in his five-year pro career that Mowers has not appeared in at least one NHL contest.

Mowers spent the entire 2002-03 season with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings’ top minor-league affiliate. Mowers signed with the Red Wings last year as a free agent, but could not win a job in training camp and was not recalled during the year despite scoring 81 points (34 goals, 47 assists) for the Griffins.

The veteran-laden Red Wings simply did not have many injuries at Mowers’ forward position, so the opportunity never came.
“I knew that was a problem with Detroit when I signed with them,” Mowers said. “Without any injuries, I just didn’t get a shot. But they told me that with any other club I’d probably be up and playing. They were very impressed with what they saw.”

The Red Wings were impressed enough to keep Mowers as a restricted free agent, meaning Detroit could match any offer from another club this summer. Mowers did consider offers to play in Europe, but the former University of New Hampshire star decided to stay with the Red Wings — and Grand Rapids, if necessary.

“That was one of reasons I re-signed — the city and fans are great in Grand Rapids,” said Mowers, who helped the Griffins win the AHL’s Central Division title this year. “If you’re going to be in an AHL team, they’re the top three or four in the league by far.”

In the meantime, Mowers will spend the summer taking care of his child — Gracy Lyn, born April 7 — and helping some other kids have a summer camp experience they won’t soon forget.

“The amount of money we have raised has far exceeded what I thought it would be,” Mowers said. “We’re not trying to set goals or break records, but there’s a lot of good people in the Mohawk Valley.

“Everyone seems to have a a big heart, and a willingness to give to some kids that need it.”

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