[29], Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 07:49, 1961 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career, "Denver icers favored to whip CC in playoffs", "Denver centre Bill Masterton signs pro contract with Habs", "Doug Robinson voted A.H.L. RIP Bill Masterton. [21] It was 11 years before the NHL finally mandated the use of helmets by all players entering the league beginning in the 197980 season. "[11] The force of the impact caused Masterton to bleed from his nose, ears, and mouth. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". [23], A later analysis by the Toronto Star in 2011 suggested that the "macho" attitude of the NHL in that era, as well as Masterton's aggressive playing style, played a significant role in his death. So has NHL protocol, initiated in 2011, which has spotters to flag potentially concussed players and bans those from returning to games in which they were injured. 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. Masterton was not a marquee player, but he was a skilled playmaker who was willing to work in the corners and be a team player. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. When Bill Masterton's limp body collapsed to the ice on Jan. 15, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars centre appeared to be the victim of an innocuous hit. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. [4] At the time of his graduation, he was the Pioneers' all-time leading point scorer, a record he held for 25 years. 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. It honours perseverance and dedication to hockey. The Hennepin County medical examiner found evidence of a previous injury on the left side of Mastertons skull on the temporal region of the brain. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. So has NHL protocol, initiated in 2011, which has spotters to flag potentially concussed players and bans those from returning to games in which they were injured. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. 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. While knowledge of concussions has increased dramatically since Masterton died, the warrior-like mindset of professional hockey players is everlasting, he said. What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.. The season started with promise: Masterton scored the first goal in North Stars history. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. William Masterton (August 13, 1938 January 15, 1968) was a Canadian American professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars in 196768. Discover the real story, facts, and details of Bill Masterton. [18], "Because he had a habit of giving everything he had for every second he was on the ice, Bill was the type of player who didn't have to score a lot of goals to help a club. When Mastertons 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. [16] In that game, a 22 tie, Masterton scored the first goal in Minnesota franchise history. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. 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. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. 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. accessed ), memorial page for William Duncan "Bill" Cromie (24 Apr 1915-20 Feb 2002), Find a Grave Memorial ID 244481111, citing Riverside Cemetery . They didn't. [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. The team also retired his No. Thirty hours later, he was dead in. It is very rare to see that level of swelling in the brain from a single injury, he said. They didn't. You were a yellow belly if you wore a helmet.. ", North Stars coach Wren Blair describes Masterton's qualities as a player. It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball, teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. original sound. That was the NHLs code. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". [24] The University of Denver Pioneers hockey team named its most valuable player award after him,[25] and his Winnipeg high school, Miles Macdonell Collegiate, presents a scholarship in his name. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. He averaged a goal per game and finished with 49 points in 22 games in 195556 as the Canadiens won the Turnbull Cup. Masterton is credited with the scoring the first goal by a Minnesota franchise in the NHL. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. As dramatic music replaced a play-by-play call of the incident, the video moved backwards in slow motion until just before Laperrieres face absorbed the slapshot. That's what men did. [13] He joined the Honeywell Corporation where he worked on the Apollo program. Nowhere was that more apparent than during a standing ovation for Laperriere during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston last year. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. Explore Bill Masterton's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. [16] He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of an injury suffered on the ice. [13] Masterton's Minnesota teammates, who were playing a game in Boston on the 14th, were informed that he had been removed from life support in the dressing room in what was ultimately a 92 loss to the Bruins. Carol, who was watching the game from the stands, and Masterton's parents, who were listening to the game from their home in Winnipeg, rushed to his bedside at the hospital. His aggressiveness got him.. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. "You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days?" 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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. [15] However, Masterton's death sparked an immediate debate on whether their use should be compulsory. We know the second hit can be fatal. Hed never show when he got hurt. [14] His wife Carol later recalled that it was a "dream come true" for her husband: "He always wanted a shot at the NHL, and expansion was a wonderful thing for him and guys like him. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. NHL Home Scores Schedule Standings Stats Teams Daily Lines Power Rankings More Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. Masterton was not a marquee player, but he was a skilled playmaker who was willing to work in the corners and be a team player. Hed got hit and even that night he said Gee, Ive really been getting these migraines and theyve been with me for about a week.. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. It was a dictatorship. When the brain hasn't healed completely from a previous injury, a subsequent blow can cause the type of sudden and severe swelling found in Masterton's brain. [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. 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. After his death, his #19 jersey was officially retired by the Minnesota North Stars. His eyes were gray at the time it was like a horror picture, Boudrias says. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. While much in hockey has changed since Masterton died, one thing hasnt: Playing hurt is a sacred principle. The underlying cause of his death almost 50 years ago elevates awareness about the risks of undiagnosed concussions -- and the NHL's responsibility to address them. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. 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. It got deathly quiet.". 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. Masterton had worn a helmet when he played college hockey in Denver because NCAA regulations required players to wear them, but he did not wear one as a professional. "It is very rare to see that level of swelling in the brain from a single injury," he said. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. Im fine, hed say, the mantra of a thousand hockey players. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Carol referred to the incident as a fluke, saying that it could have happened to anyone. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. Still, he returned to play following lost teeth, hundreds of stitches and even the discovery of a spot on his brain visible on a CAT scan. The North Stars retired his jersey number 19, an honour that followed the franchise when it later relocated to Dallas, Texas. He had been checked hard into the glass less yielding in those days two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. 1891 views | original sound - avalon 13.5K .mzrdo "I Got A Plan" Bills Death | #fyp #rdr1 #billwilliamson #johnmarston Yeah was going to say maybe the only death by a player, not in general. 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. If anyone is wondering his story here's a short video TSN did on him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh_uLi6Bf7s and here is a list of the previous winners of the trophy named after him. If I had a slim chance to play, Im going to play.. 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. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. The rarely told story behind the death of Bill Masterton -- the only NHL player to die from an injury suffered during a game -- highlights the risks and league culpability of concussions. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. His face is blood red, almost purple. Today his story is nearly forgotten, but for an annual NHL award that bears his name. 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. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Hes also convinced a helmet would have saved Mastertons life. He remains the last fatality in any professional team sport involving a direct in-game injury in North America. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. The team also retired his No. . Thats what men did. The night before the fatal game against Oakland, Masterton was at Maniagos house with his family Scott was 3 and Sally, 1 helping the genial goaltender celebrate his 29th birthday with teammates. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. What makes hockey players hide their injuries and re-enter games knowing the next hit could spell ruin? He was traded the following season to Chicago. Ive never thought that it had anything to do with that hit. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blairs decision. 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. He played for Team USA from 1966 to 1967, and the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1968. [11], Masterton suffered a severe internal brain injury during the first period of Minnesota's January 13, 1968, game against the Oakland Seals at the Met Center. [3], At the age of 29, Masterton made his NHL debut in the North Stars' inaugural game, played October 11, 1967, against the St. Louis Blues. He briefly played in the Montreal Canadiens organization before settling in Minnesota where he played senior hockey. The scoreboard showed a video of Laperriere getting nailed in face with a puck in the opening series against New Jersey, blood pouring from a gash over his right eye. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias logic. We are the premier subreddit to talk everything hockey! And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. William Masterton (August 13, 1938 - January 15, 1968) was a Canadian American professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars in 1967-68. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. [3] He had 31 goals and 65 points for Hull-Ottawa,[1] placing him in the top ten in both categories. 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. After reviewing the document, Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon and concussion expert, believes Masterton suffered second impact syndrome, a rare occurrence where a second concussion happens on the heels of a first concussion that never healed, causing rapid and severe brain swelling. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. In 1967, Mastertons nearly forgotten hope of playing in the NHL re-emerged with the leagues expansion from six to 12 teams. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. He understands how passion and perseverance can deliver both glory and death. Boudrias helped the teams trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. Just that it was beating very irregularly, cause him to pass out/collapse. After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. Realizing he was already gone, Masterton's parents, who had flown in from Winnipeg after they heard of the incident, and his wife, Carol, made the decision to remove Masterton from life support. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win . During the season, several players and coaches recalled seeing Masterton black out during rushes in practice. Fear, plain and simple, said Mike Walton, a Maple Leafs rookie when Masterton died. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. [19] He carried the puck up the ice at full speed, passing it off as two Seals defenders, Larry Cahan and Ron Harris, converged on him. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. The hit was considered clean but the back of Masterton's head hit the ice hard and he died after being rushed to the hospital. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. You took a stick to the face? Bill Masterton is stretchered off the ice after being hit in a game against the Oakland Seals in 1968. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. Id said to our trainer, Do you ever look at Billy when the games on? Blair recalled. It got deathly quiet.. My feeling is that he may have gotten a minor concussion playing or practising on some other day . "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. Thirty hours later, he was dead in hospital. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. They had total control.. A team of doctors at the hospital treated Masterton with steroids and diuretics, but the swelling in his brain was so swift and severe that they decided against operating. ' said Mastertons son, Scott, now 50. 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!". He said prior to the start of the 196768 season that being able to play in Minnesota was key as he would have been unlikely to consider an offer with any other team. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. 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. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. 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. We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.. 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. "He didn't move after that. [26] High schools in Bloomington, where the North Stars played their games, also award scholarships in Masterton's name. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. He played that game standing up, Williamson said. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. You stopped elbowing guys in the head, Matt?". That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. . "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. He was the first on-ice casualty in NHL history. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. It goes on today, theres no question about it. Boudrias helped the team's trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. Bill Masterton Vintage North Stars Film Discovery 50th Anniversary in Final game lumberjack1713 1.26K subscribers Subscribe 506 Share 73K views 5 years ago Credit to Tom Hauser and the good. He finished with a master's degree in business at Denver and landed a job at the Minneapolis-based technology company Honeywell, where he worked in the financial department for the Apollo project, married his high school sweetheart and started a family, adopting a son and a daughter. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. But that has not happened fast enough for a group of more than 120 ex-NHL players, including Bernie Nicholls, Mike Peluso and Steve Payne, who are suing the league in a class-action suit for putting their neurological health at risk despite knowing the violent play involved. People said I was crazy, but Im like, They brought me here to show the young guys the right way, said the 37-year-old Laperriere, who had signed with Philly before the 2009-10 season. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. You would get traded if you did. But my brother was the worker and he had the ethic that you need to make the NHL.. During the North Stars' first game (Oct. 11, 1967 in St. Louis), Masterton scored the team's first goal and the game ended in a 2-2 tie. The underlying cause of his death almost 50 years ago elevates awareness about the risks of undiagnosed concussions -- and the NHL's responsibility to address them. "You hold out four fingers. A team of doctors at the hospital treated Masterton with steroids and diuretics, but the swelling in his brain was so swift and severe that they decided against operating. But a Star investigation has uncovered evidence that an earlier, untreated concussion was likely responsible for Mastertons death at the age of 29. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" Carey Price addresses the media after winning the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for the 2021-22 season.SUBSCRIBE: http://goha.bs/1qHH4pZ He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. Masterton had worn a helmet when he played college hockey in Denver because NCAA regulations required players to wear them, but he did not wear one as a professional. What happened in the days leading up to that fatal moment in Minneapolis, when Masterton played his 38th and final NHL game, has been largely a mystery. 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." Philadelphia forward Ian Laperriere is one of three final nominees for this years Masterton Trophy despite not playing a single game in 2010-11 as he deals with post-concussion syndrome. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. The night before the Oakland game, Masterton's family gathered at the house of their neighbor, North Star goaltender Cesare Maniago, to celebrate Maniago's 29th birthday. It wasn't dirty and it wasn't meant to happen that way. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. That same year a trophy called the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was established by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, in his memory. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, will be awarded June 22. It got deathly quiet.". Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. 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. [11] The new team's coach and general manager, Wren Blair, had scouted Masterton while he played with the US Nationals and purchased his NHL playing rights from the Canadiens.
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