Page 48 - February 2017

TheStars come out
FOP Stars Hockey Team faced off in its annual rivalry game with Chicago re ghters on a night that produced so many winners
Stories by Nick Swedberg Photos by James Pinto
Missing a Star
Lodge 7 Member Andrew Napolitano has played in so many games for the FOP Stars hockey team. He vows to recover from serious injury and get back on the ice.
Andrew Napolitano’s eyes rarely strayed away from the ice as he stood behind the row of pad- ded hockey players.
The veteran officer didn’t exactly serve as coach to the contingent of Chicago FOP Stars hockey players, although he occasionally called out advice as wings, defensemen and other players moved the puck back-and-forth. They had good reason to listen to him: Napolitano has played on the department’s various hock- ey teams for more than two decades during 22 years on the job.
However, he missed the Jan. 22 charity game between the Stars and the Chicago Fire Department team because he is putting all his work into recovering from brain sur- gery. Being unable to play in the matchup, which benefit- ted Salute Inc., also meant missing the chance to hit the ice against his brother, Alderman Anthony Napolitano, who played for the firefighters.
“It’s killing me. It’s heartbreaking. They say ‘love of the game.’ People don’t understand until they play the game,” Andrew Napolitano said.
Being relegated to a sideline role is new to Napolitano. He has joined his police brethren in charity hockey games in the U.S. and Canada, and played in the majority of the contests against the fire department, over the past two decades.
Napolitano, who was also a member of the Chicago En-
48 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ FEBRUARY 2017
forcers police football team, fell while playing hockey and suffered a subdural hematoma. Af- ter dealing with headaches for months, he un- derwent emergency surgery.
“I didn’t die, so I’m OK,” he joked before ad- mitting that if he were to get hit hard enough again, it would be “lights out.”
For that reason, his football days are done.
“Football is more mental. You have to become a different person. It’s all about aggression,” Na- politano said.
But, he still holds onto hockey. His “love of the game” is part of his desire to be on the ice, while also helping others by participating in the events like the annual char- ity game against the firefighters. The proceeds from this year’s game, held at the Morgan Park Ice Arena, went to Salute, the nonprofit group which provides financial and other assistance to post-Sept. 11 military veterans.
Watching the game from the Stars bench, Napolitano started to mention he’s still on medical leave, but inter- rupted himself to erupt with a roar after the Stars scored their lone goal in a 4-1 loss. He seems at home around hockey. Napolitano said regardless of how old you are, you feel like a 15-year-old on the ice. For Napolitano, it’s a “Utopia” with his friends.
“You miss the brotherhood out there,” he said. “I don’t know if they’ll let me play again. I might be done forever.” d