Early in the 1977-1978 season, the Birmingham Bulls acquired defenseman Steve Durbano from the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. A veteran of six NHL seasons with over 1,000 penalty minutes to his credit, Durbano came with a reputation of having a penchant for the fisticuffs and showed his new team what he was made of. Despite suiting up in only 45 regular season games, Durbano racked up 284 penalty minutes and added 16 more in four playoff games.
On one occasion in Winnipeg, Durbano led the Bulls off the bench and tackled Bobby Hull from behind, triggering a brawl that lasted nearly a half hour. For his role in the brawl, Durbano received a 12-game suspension and it was his third suspension of the season.
Following his one season in Birmingham, Durbano played one more season in the St. Louis Blues' organization before his retirement. He passed away in 2002 as a result of liver cancer. |
