To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. Some favorite signs from the Phantom Signmakers: “Remember Bill’s novel relatives, ‘The Wuthering Hajts.’” “Bobby Orr has bad knees, but Taro has Japanese.” “Is a mad Makita a cross Czech?” “Hark the Herald Phantoms sing, Taro for the Lady Byng.” “Taro shivers, ‘Only one who could paint signs in this weather is my Asian cousin, Abominable Tsujimoto.’” (as the Blizzard of ‘77 was closing in) JOHN BOUTET COLLECTION Taro had a locker and a jersey waiting for him at training camp. “Is an escaped Godfather a Don Luce?” “Taro say, ‘Pick on mean Larry and you commit Hari Carriere!” “With Jerry and Taro, we have King and Hong Kong.” JOHN BOUTET COLLECTION “Kong skated three miles to upset Robinson– that’s ‘A Long Way to Tip a Larry.’” Roughly translated, Taro says, we’re gonna win that Cup. and an all-time classic from 1977: “Taro sing, ‘On the 12th day of Christmas, Punch Imlach gave to me: 12 Robert rebounds, 11 Gils a’rushing, 10 Rico rockets, 9 Korabs crunching, 8 Luce deflections, 7 Savard slapshots, 6 Seilings shooting, 5 golden seats, 4 Phantoms painting, 3 French Connections, 2 new defensemen, and an All-Star berth for Donny E!” A common Japanese name? Taro. A translator found the Japanese word for sabre: Katana. Taro Tsujimoto, a center for the Tokyo Katanas, was born. Tsujimoto’s arrival was greatly anticipated, as ownership lauded their scouting team for scouring the world. It wasn’t until Tsujimoto already had a practice jersey (#13) and locker at training camp that the Knoxes were let in on the joke. The Sabres’ trip to the Stanley Cup Finals that season fortunately overshadowed the waste of a draft pick, and fans loved the prank. “Tsujimoto” jerseys still crop up. Fans know he’ll never be traded, and he remained an official draft pick for decades. For the rest of the Sabres’ tenure at The Aud, fans known only as the “Phantom Signmakers” posted large, Confucius-style banners around the seating areas, such as “Taro says Swords mightier than the Pens!” and “Taro remember Bill’s allergic brother, Gesund Hajt.” 2 6