Imagine a frozen vulcanized rubber disk flying towards you, most people's first reaction would be to get out of the way, not so for a hockey goalie. The job of the goalie is to protect his net and stop the puck from entering it. In the early years of the NHL, before rule changes allowed lifting of the puck and slap shots, the goalie manned his post without the benefit of any head protection. Clint Benedict, in 1930, wore a leather mask to protect his broken nose. Benedict's experiment lasted for two games. The NHL would not see another goalie mask used during a game until 1959, when once again to protect a broken nose Jacques Plante wore a homemade fiberglass mask he used to prevent injuries during practice. The masks were created from fiberglass and took considerable time to mold to the shape of the goalie's head and covered only the face with little eye protection. The 1960s saw the development of large fiberglass based masks that provided additional protection to the sides of the face. Advances in the manufacturing of masks allowed for smoother surfaces and addition of padding to lessen the impact of the puck. The cage style of mask consisting of a fiberglass face with wire framework over the eyes came into use in the 1970s and would later evolve into the modern day goalie mask. Early masks were plain in color. Gerry Cheevers would draw a stitch on his mask where he was hit in the face with a puck or stick. Glenn Resch, in 1976 had his masked painted by an artist ushering in the art of the goalie mask.
References:
Website: Wikipedia - Goaltender mask: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goaltender_mask
Website: NHL - Once vilified, masks now are tools of the trade: http://www.nhl.com/ice/newsprint.htm?id=408973
OUCH! Can you imagine getting hit with a hockey puck in the face with the way those hockey players hit the puck? That would make a lifetime mark in the face. I wonder how many victories were in these early years when it came to hockey games. How much difference and how much protection did these masks have on these players' faces? Not much i don't think, but the only safer mask that i would have to say that has been invented is "The cage style of mask consisting of a fiberglass face with wire framework over the eyes came into use in the 1970s and would later evolve into the modern day goalie mask".
ReplyDeleteBeing a big hockey fan myself, and being born in '71, I can remember watching games when these types of masks were still being used. I remember them slowly transitioning/evolving to the full cage style they now use. I played a lot of alley hockey and wore a style of mask similar to those shown. I remember taking hits to the face from the plastic style hockey balls; I could not imagine what it would feel like to be hit full force from a slap shot of a pro-player. No in the later years in unusual to see a goalie with missing teeth.
ReplyDelete