Bloomington Tequila co-founder inducted into Chicago Blackhawks Hall of Fame

Posted on February 23, 2024
Chelios co-founded El Bandido Yankee Tequila in Bloomington. (Photo courtesy: El Bandido Yankee Tequila/X)

By Blake Haas

CHICAGO – After this weekend, a new banner hangs inside the United Center to recognize the Hall of Fame career of Chicago Blackhawks legend Chris Chelios.

Chelios, a former defenseman, spent nine seasons with the Blackhawks, including stops with the Detroit Red Wings and the Atlanta Thrashers.

“I always said that growing up as a child or kid, it wasn’t my dream to be in the NHL. It wasn’t a reality; I was small and undersized, and I was never the best player on my team,” Chelios told WJBC’s Scott Miller. “As I got older and turned 18 and 19, the goal was to get to college. After getting into college, all of a sudden, it became a reality that I had a shot at least getting a tryout to an NHL team.”

During his career, Chelios was a U.S. 1984 Winter Olympics hockey team member. Chelios, one of the longest-tenured players in the NHL, won the Stanley Cup championship three times.

After retirement in 201, Chelios and Jim Bob Morris founded El Bandido Yankee Tequila in Bloomington.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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