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Show Many sports lay claim to the title of “the most dar.gerous game”—lacrosse, bob- sledding, rugby. But in the opinion of experts, the most violent groupsport played to- dayis professionalice hockey. With aggressive competitors slicing on honedskate-blades across theice at lightning-like speeds, carrying lancelike sticks capable of blasting a hard-rubber puck at speeds well over 100 m.p.h., it’s no wonderthe potential for serious physical injury is so great. Yet, though no one thought Roman gladiators were sissies because they wore protective leather coverings, and no one impugned the courage of metal-armored knights, modern hockey players seem to think any kind of protection is for the birds. In recent years, goalies have taken to wearing protective face masks. And gradually—after a rash of particularly violent accidents—a few other players are deciding that bareheadedness is not synonymous with bravery. Not long ago, Jack Egers, a rookie Resistance by “gung ho” layers to use of helmets and face masks may be disappearing. Above, Chicago's Stan Mikita wears helmet of his own design. Top (r) Toronto goalie Jacques Plante wears face mask. (r), Rangers’ Jack Egers wears helmet after head accident. on the New York Rangers, lunged for a loose puck and was rammed by a Minnesota North Stars’ defenseman. Egers’ skates flew out from under him, and his head thudded against theice. He went into convulsions and then lost Hockey No GameforSissies consciousness. A woman fan screamed: “My God, he’s dead!” Fortunately, he By BARRY ABRAMSON suffered only a mild concussion. Bu the near-tragedy called to mind the fatal accident suffered two years ago by Bill Masterson, center for the Minne- pete,” says 22-year-old Brad Park, an All-Star player for the Rangers who disdains helmets. “This is certainly no sport for sissies,” agrees Bobby Orr of “TI have to wear one now because I’ve got a plastic plate in my head, butit doesn’t feel right, and I'd sure like to get rid of it,” he says. But he insisted later, “If the mask hadn’t been on, I'd be dead.” About 20 players—nongoalies—in the Boston Bruins, who is rated the It was Jacques Plante, veteran goalie the National Hockey League now voluntarily wear helmets. Opposition to collision with two players for the Oak- greatest player in the gametoday. “I'd land Seals, caused the Journal of the feel unnatural in a helmet, and besides, for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who pioneered the idea of face and head pro- them probably will eventually disappear, as was the case with the goalies’ masks. American Medical Association to urge that all players in the National Hockey League wear protective helmets. The Egers incident has triggered a new drive it would restrict me too much.” Orr, tection for iockey players 11 years ago when he cameout for a game wearing a Clarence Campbell, president of the league, also feels hockey helmets will Halloween-style fiber- glass mask.Goalies are always in danger of being maimed come in time, but he is loath to push them on all teams now,largely because they are uncomfortable and they also sota team. Masterson’s fall, following a also 22, is only in his fourth year in the NHLandalready has had his nose broken six times, has suffered torn car- tilages in his knee, a fractured left for helmets by Alan Eagleson, the director of the NHL’s Player Association. shoulder, a separateti right shoulder, “Football players not only wear hel- and a total of 25 facial stitches. Yet he mets but face guards as well,” says tells you these injuries only amount to Eagleson.“It’s wrong for hockey players to go on risking their lives by play- “band-aid stuff” and are no reason for or badly cut up when hard-rubber pucks aimed at their goals crash instead into restrict peripheral vision. The answer to the helmet’s draw- Tequesting more protection. their faces. Despite their injury record, however,the other goalies in the league laughed at Plante when he first experimented with his mask. backs, however, may be the “Mikita Helmet” designed by Stan Mikita, center for the Chicago Black Hawks and of the NHL’s top referees for the past Ov: teammate, “Terrible” Teddy But as the years went by and goalies began to add up their facial stitches, wears a head covering. Mikita says his 16 years, says, “I’m emphatically in favor of compelling every man who Green, has long been knownas an “Enforcer”—one who provokes fights with fractured chins, and the near-loss of helmet offers better protection than the plays hockey to wear helmets.I've seen far too many skull injuries and brain opposing players who have been rough eyesight, they changed their tune. More goalies began to wear masks,first in on the scoring stars of his own team. practice and then in regular games, This standard type, yet is more comfortable. Helmet advocate Eagleson says that in order to protect all players, the wear- concussions.” Eighteen months ago, in an exhibition year, goalies Ed Giacomin of the Rangers and Les Binkley of the Pittsburgh Penguins have joined the parade of masked men, leaving Lorne Worsley of Minnesota as the only holdout. Last year, when Plante was playing for St. Louis in the finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs, hockey’s World Series, a cannonlike drive smashed into his mask at the forehead. The result of the impact knocked him out of the whole series. ing bare-headed.” Bill Chadwick, one But much of the resistance to pro- game, the “Enforcer” got into a stick tective headgear stems from the “gung- fight with Wayne Maki of the St. Louis Blues. Maki impulsively crashed his stick against Green’s temple, and Green ho”origins of the game, where only the toughest and hardiest of men played outdoor hockey in the subzero temperatures of Canada, There remains a tradition of physical courage. “It takes a lot of guts to play in the National Hockey League, and if you den’t have it, you shouldn’t try to com- toppled like a felled oak. He suffered a skull fracture and temporary paralysis and underwentthree delicate brain operations. He returned recently and even after his ordeal, doesn’t feel that helmets belong in the game. one of the few top-level players who ing of helmets should be made mandatory. Most players don’t want to wear helmets on a voluntary basis now because it will make them seem less rugged. “If a compulsory rule were putinto effect, nobody would be at a disadvantage, and the overwhelming majorityaof the players will accept it without too much objection,” Eagleson says. “Then we'd have added safety without taking away the excitement of the sport.” @ Family Weekly, February 21,1971 |