We spent a lot of time dreaming, said Bob. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. said Boudrias, now 72. The North Stars retired his jersey number 19, an honour that followed the franchise when it later relocated to Dallas, Texas. He pursued a masters degree in business engineering, eventually joining technology giant Honeywell, where he worked on the financial end of the Apollo project. That same year a trophy called the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was established by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, in his memory. He admits he lied to team doctors about his post-concussion issues in order to return for a shot at the Stanley Cup. In 1968, Bill Masterton became the only NHL player to date to die as the result of injuries suffered during a game. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. Even as Walter Bush, one of the North Star owners, saw him lying motionless on the ice, he did not think Masterton had sustained a concussion. Ive always thought of this after, that when he complained (of headaches) at least he could have put on a helmet for a couple of days, said teammate Wayne Connolly. For the 1979-80 season, the league finally made helmets mandatory for new players allowing those who signed professional contracts prior to June 1, 1979, the option not to wear them but it would be 18 years before every NHL player complied. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. Back at the 1968 All-Star Game, discussion among beat writers went beyond the helmet debate to come up with a way to commemorate the leagues first casualty. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. For the 1979-80 season, the league finally made helmets mandatory for new players -- allowing those who signed professional contracts prior to June 1, 1979, the option not to wear them -- but it would be 18 years before every NHL player complied. While knowledge of concussions has increased dramatically since Masterton died, the warrior-like mindset of professional hockey players is everlasting, he said. rules new players now must wear helmets", "Alumni of Distinction Inductees - Bill Masterton Class of 1955", "Division I 50th anniversary hockey team announced", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Masterton&oldid=1139666631, NCAA Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 07:49. That's what men did. States the autopsy report: "There was a blow to the left temple in a game some days prior to the fatal injury and the deceased is said to have complained of headaches in the left temporal region.". His playing style has endeared him to hockey fans. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. Such is the legacy of the only man who died because of injuries caused in an NHL game. "He was a team man off the charts.". That was the NHL's code. For the 1979-80 season, the league finally made helmets mandatory for new players -- allowing those who signed professional contracts prior to June 1, 1979, the option not to wear them -- but it would be 18 years before every NHL player complied. Like many Canadian boys growing up in the '50s, Masterton listened to Saturday night radio broadcasts of "Hockey Night in Canada" and dreamed of Foster Hewitt making the call: "Masterton shoots, he scores!". While much in hockey has changed since Masterton died, one thing hasnt: Playing hurt is a sacred principle. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" The team also retired his No. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. Is his number retired by the Stars? Throughout his college career, right through to his training camp in Memphis, Masterton wore a helmet, a rarity in an age when head protection was dismissed by players and management alike. Its a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but its regrettable that it ever came to be. In a quiet moment, Masterton made a rare admission to Maniago: He was struggling with the effects of a head check into the glass during a recent game. Corry confirmed the opinion of Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon quoted in the Toronto Star article, who also said Masterton showed signs of "second-impact syndrome." Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. "I wouldn't do it.". My interpretation is that the seeds of this catastrophic injury were sown days before.. I know that in our training camp he got hit hard a couple of times. [1] Following a second season in which he recorded 53 points in 30 games, Masterton chose to attend the University of Denver where he was offered a scholarship to play with the Denver Pioneers hockey program. He speaks with the authority of an athlete accustomed to putting his body at risk. Laperriere acknowledged his career may be over, though he cant bring himself to retire. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesnt matter anyway., Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. #nhl #hockeydeath #rip #hockey #sports". To order . Born Aug 16 1938 -- Winnipeg, MAN. Among the new entries was the Minnesota North Stars. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. My mother, before she died, talked about it. "I knew he was done.". He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. [15], Several awards were named in Masterton's memory. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. Players, coaches, execs vote for NHL's top centers, NHL Power Rankings: Checking in on each team's 25-and-under core, McAvoy scores in OT, Bruins beat Flames for 8th win a row, Gaudreau scores in shootout, Wild beat Islanders 2-1, Geekie ends drought with 2 goals, Kraken beat Blues 5-3, Robinson scores 3 goals in Blue Jackets' 5-3 win over Sabres. the Story Of Hockey History Bill Masterton a unforchanate hit that lead to his death A helmet obviously would not have hurt Masterton, but it might not have been enough to spare his life, given the nature of his injury and the fact he had not healed from a recent concussion. [3], Masterton played three seasons in Denver between 1958 and 1961, appearing in a total of 89 games, scoring 66 goals and 196 points in that time. Press J to jump to the feed. The Hennepin County medical examiner found evidence of a previous injury on the left side of Masterton's skull on the temporal region of the brain. The death of DU hockey Alum Bill Masterton 40 years ago this week was tragic, unnecessary and foolish. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. Still, it's very hard because I made the play. On that fatal night at Met Center on Jan. 13, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars center, playing against the Oakland Seals, carried the puck across the blue line and cut to the right while Seals defensemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris closed in. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. I was asked to take it off, Boudrias said. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias logic. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. It's always in the back of my mind. Blair, in charge of the North Stars, came calling. Season. Masterton left pro hockey after two seasons when it appeared hed never make the NHL. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. You stopped elbowing guys in the head, Matt?". "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. Nor did he see evidence of CTE, the progressive degenerative disease found posthumously in the brains of nearly 87 of 91 NFL players who suffered multiple blows to the head. On that fatal night at Met Center on Jan. 13, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars center, playing against the Oakland Seals, carried the puck across the blue line and cut to the right while Seals defensemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris closed in. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. [22] The "macho" attitude of the game, including fear of being called a coward, was an often cited reason for reluctance. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about He wanted it badly. Masterton wasnt big. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. But it was frowned on, really.. When he suffered the final hit of his career, Masterton was making his patented move crossing the opposing blueline and cutting to one side before passing the puck to a teammate. Yep, retired by the North Stars and carried over to Dallas. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. States the autopsy report: There was a blow to the left temple in a game some days prior to the fatal injury and the deceased is said to have complained of headaches in the left temporal region.. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game. That dream carried him through junior hockey in his hometown of Winnipeg and three years at the University of Denver, where he was an All-American and led the Pioneers to the 1961 NCAA championship, but the dream stalled after two years of minor league hockey in the Montreal Canadiens' organization. When Masterton's head struck the ice at Met Center, there was no skull fracture, but his brain swelled very quickly, evidenced by his dilated pupils and elevated blood pressure -- which pointed to a previous head injury. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. He understands how passion and perseverance can deliver both glory and death. That injury was compounded by the age-old hockey code that preaches shake-it-off-and-get-back-out-there resilience in the face of pain, serious injury, even brain trauma. At 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1968 -- almost 30 hours after he struck his head on the ice -- Bill Masterton died at the age of 29. They didnt. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. original sound. This reminded me of Rich Beverly or Peverly for the Stars. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. The Professional Hockey Writers Association proposed -- and the league immediately approved -- the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy to be awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the virtues of perseverance, courage and sportsmanship that Masterton displayed. Copies of Toronto Star content for distribution `` I was asked to take it off, '' said. 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