Abilene Aviators
The Abilene Aviators were a short-lived hockey team that played out of the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene, Texas. They played in the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) for a season and a half, starting play in 1998-99.
On the ice, the team was an immediate success, winning 43 of 69 games and their division. They made the playoffs and earned a first-round bye, but were swept by the Fort Worth Brahmas in the second round.
Unfortunately, the Aviators wouldn't make it through their second season. The ownership fell behind on its bills and the league took over the franchise. The team started 6-16-4 before folding 26 games into the 1999-2000 season, in December 1999.
