Charlotte is considered the birthplace of professional hockey in the South. The city of Charlotte, home of the Checkers (originally known as the Clippers), is the greatest Southern town in the history of professional hockey, winning the most play-off championships: three Eastern Hockey League titles, two Southern Hockey League titles, and one East Coast Hockey League title. Several Charlotte players and coaches starred in the National Hockey League—including Walter "Turk" Broda, John Brophy, Fred Creighton, Bill "Cowboy" Flett, Mike Hartman, Pat Kelly, Jackie Leclair, and John Muckler.
Jim Mancuso, a member of the Society for International Hockey Research, has written several books on minor league hockey, including Hockey in Springfield and Hockey in Syracuse. Pat Kelly is commissioner emeritus of the East Coast Hockey League and has been involved with professional hockey for almost 50 years.