Roller Hockey Loses Two Great Inspirations

Recently, the sport of inline hockey has seen the passing of two important members of the industry – Joe Zambri of Black Biscuit, a clothing and equipment line at the greatest height of the sport’s popularity, and Todd Melton of the 99ers youth travel program, the North American Roller Hockey Championships and American Inline Roller Hockey Series.

Zambri passed away on March 6.

“Joe Zambri, my good friend of several years and co-founder of Black Biscuit, passed away in Los Angeles after an eight-month battle with brain cancer,” said his longtime business partner Paul Hughes. “Many of you knew Joe through our roller hockey connections and he truly loved being a part of the sport. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”

On Saturday, March 24 at 9:00 a.m., a memorial gathering for Zambri was held at the Veterans Park at the Redondo Beach Pier.

Todd Melton, who was one of the major movers and shakers of amateur inline hockey in the 1990s, passed away on March 26 of a heart attack. Funeral services will be held on Friday March 30, 2012, at Mt. Carmel Church, 250 Chestnut Ave., West Berlin, NJ, with a viewing at 9 a.m. and services to follow at 10 am.

A Facebook memorial page for Melton has been set up at https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/371571216199066/

Our sport mourns these special men.