Former beloved Cedar Rapids RoughRiders player Gerry Hickey dies at 35

CEDAR RAPIDS — One of the first captains of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders has died.

Gerry Hickey passed away Friday in his hometown of Boston, RoughRiders Coach/General Manager Mark Carlson said Saturday afternoon. He was just 35.

Carlson did not know the specifics of Hickey's death, only that he had been in the hospital over the past two weeks. Hickey had 38 goals and 31 assists combined in the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons, the first two in club history.

His fearless, rough-and-tumble, physical style of play helped him amass 393 penalty minutes and endeared him to fans, who chanted his name during games. After one season at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Hickey played three seasons of minor-pro hockey, mostly in the old United Hockey League.

'On the ice, he was the ultimate RoughRider,' Carlson said. 'He competed hard every night, was one tough son of a gun.

'He feared no opponent, no building, feared no one, nothing.'

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