November 1, 1959 is a date all goaltenders should know and be thankful for. Jacques Plante took to the ice after being injured by an Andy Bathgate shot wearing a fiberglass mask. Although not the first mask to be word in an NHL Game – that had happened way back in the 1930s thanks to Clint Benedict of the Montreal Maroons- Plante was the first to wear one on a regular basis, literally changing the face of the game.
Of course let’s not forget the first mask worn in a hockey game was a fiberglass fencing mask used by Queen’s University goalie Elizabeth Graham in 1927.
There is fantastic material all over the web on this big day and we encourage you to take it all in. We’ll update this list throughout the day so keep checking in and if you have some great links, feel free to share them with us in the comments or direct via email or twitter.
Lots on masks from ESPN’s Puck Daddy today.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP-kdFAAMDg
Here’s a great review in video – toute en Francais (all in French) but fantastic and well worth a look.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUU7CAsIevU
TSN.ca has some great commemorative desktop wallpaper:
- VOTE! At NHL.com
- Calgary Herald poll of retried goalies – which mask is the greatest?
- NHL.com Plante’s Mask Inspired Goalies
- Remembering 50 Years Ago
- No Mask – Unthinkable today
- Some great photography from Nov 1, 1959 from Life Magazine
- Lunqvist to wear secial edition mask on Sunday
- good complete article wit lots of photos here at Habs Eyes on the Prize Blog
- ESPN bio
- TSN’s great feature on Plante / Bathgate
- Luongo’s mask – best?
- History series on TSN
- Carey Price’s Mask
- LeClaires Mask
- Joey MacDonald
- NHL.com Coverage
inGoal Magazine Posts on Goalie Masks
Some great Old School footage of Plante Playing Goal! It’s all in French – but the saves need no translation!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWOXF4I3MVU
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxqstjIhQmE
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3 Responses to November 1, 1959 – Plante Makes History
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I wish he would have painted the mask!
I am glad he didn’t paint it. It is wonderful to see the mask transition through the years.
Never mind the danger from pucks hitting them in the face … how is it that a goalie from that era never encountered an incident similar to Clint Malarchuk considering the way the forwards are crashing into Plante?