Injury wasnt really of any importance in the sense that you didnt want to lose your job and if you couldnt play, obviously they had to fill their roster, said Walton, now a real estate agent in Toronto. Didn't he die on the bench and then was revived. [19] They soon concluded that the injury was too severe for surgery to be a viable option. "He didn't move after that. By "at" an NHL game I'm guessing you just meant players? It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. One of their sticks tangled with Mastertons skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. Bill Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968. Goaltender Cesare Maniago recalled that the night before the fatal hit, Masterton had been complaining of severe migraines that he had had for over a week. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. 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." He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. "I wouldn't do it.". Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. Ron Harris was haunted for many years by his role in Masterton's death: "It bothers you the rest of your life. It was a dictatorship. But four neurologists cleared him to play after the spot disappeared. Masterton had not told the North Stars' coach, Wren Blair, about his headaches, but Blair had thought something might be amiss and commented to the team trainer, "I wonder if we could have him checked," according to the Toronto Star, which first reported this story on May 28, 2011. RIP Bill Masterton. His death eventually led to rule changes, but they were not quick in coming. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. 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. 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. (Or was she paralyzed). My mother, before she died, talked about it. Latest News Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. "[3] However, Masterton's family held no animosity towards the players involved or the game. [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. He played that game standing up, Williamson said. [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. [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. But from that moment forward, the echoes of his fathers life stopped. said Boudrias, now 72. He understands how passion and perseverance can deliver both glory and death. Boudrias helped the teams trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. "He was a team man off the charts.". Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? Usually Masterton is described as the first death caused directly by an on-ice incident to differentiate from Morenz dying of complications. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? The specter of Mastertons death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. Since 1968, Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is voted to player who "best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship & dedication to hockey" pic.twitter.com/CU2adCoSaV Dave Stubbs (@Dave_Stubbs) January 15, 2020 It goes on today, theres no question about it. We are the premier subreddit to talk everything hockey! Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. "You hold out four fingers. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. In several games prior to the tragedy, Blair had also noticed something strange. It was always in the back of his mind.. -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. I looked at him and said, What are you going to do? because he was just starting a young family, said Bob. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. 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.". 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. Its a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but its regrettable that it ever came to be. His face is blood red, almost purple. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. 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. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. A college standout with the Denver Pioneers, Masterton was a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams in 1960 and 1961, was twice an NCAA All-Star and was the most valuable player of the 1961 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. He starred at the University of Denver from 1957-61, helping the Pioneers win three national collegiate titles and earning tournament MVP honours his senior year. 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. 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. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. 's top rookie", "Brain injuries takes life of Stars' Bill Masterton", "Star investigation: What really killed NHL's Bill Masterton", "North Star player's death 40 years ago changed the game of hockey forever", "N.H.L. You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head? said Boudrias, now 72. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. There's also the girl that was killed in the stands by a puck. "This is an urgent matter," UMC CEO Bill Masterton said. "He didn't move after that. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. Ive never thought that it had anything to do with that hit. The season started with promise: Masterton scored the first goal in North Stars history. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. 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. [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. He settled in Minneapolis with his high school sweetheart, Carol, and they adopted two children, Scott and Sally. Bill Masterton played only 38 games in the NHL, but his memory has left a lasting impression. They didn't. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! I thought he was out then and just went fast right down.. "He was a team man off the charts.". When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. 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. He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game, the result of massive head injuries suffered following a hit during a January 13, 1968 contest against the Oakland Seals. 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." Yep, retired by the North Stars and carried over to Dallas. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. We didn't think it was that serious.". 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. Yeah was going to say maybe the only death by a player, not in general. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. The irony is that perseverance probably killed Bill Masterton. Minnesota goalie Cesare Maniagos wife, Mavis, had a clear view of Mastertons fall from her seat in the stands. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. [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. — -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. You hold out four fingers. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. "[11] The force of the impact caused Masterton to bleed from his nose, ears, and mouth. Yet that might not actually be the case. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. He died from a coronary embolism caused by blood clots from his damaged leg, so related but not directly because of the injury (he had a heart attack before the coronary embolism). 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. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 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. . "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. 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. [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. 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. [14] He and his wife Carol adopted two children, Scott and Sally. It got deathly quiet.". Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. [16] The Minnesota North Stars pulled his jersey number 19 out of circulation following his death and formally retired it in 1987. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. I wouldnt do it.. Season. [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. Bob Masterton remembers his brother telling him about the NHL offer over dinner. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. It was 50 years ago on January 13, 1968 that Winnipeger Bill Masterton lost his life on the ice of the Met Center playing for the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. 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. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. I knew he was done.. The usual story is just as has unfolded here, that they can even talk a bit after that final hit and then they lapse into a coma, Tator said. Hed never show when he got hurt. We spent a lot of time dreaming, said Bob. RIP Bill Masterton. NHL -- Real reasons for the death of Bill Masterton highlight concussion issue Skip to main content Skip to navigation Presented By > ESPN Search You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. "I knew he was done.". When Bill Mastertons limp body collapsed to the ice on Jan. 15, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars centre appeared to be the victim of an innocuous hit. "I wouldn't do it.". After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. 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. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. [3] Masterton was promoted to the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 196263 season, where he led the team with 82 points. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. 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. And in Mastertons case, it probably cost him his life. [22] The "macho" attitude of the game, including fear of being called a coward, was an often cited reason for reluctance. [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. Thirty hours later, he was dead in hospital. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias logic. 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. They didn't. Twice last season, Laperriere took slapshots in the face. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. 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. 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. Theres something wrong.. [11] He finished as the runner up to Doug Robinson for the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's top rookie. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. Is his number retired by the Stars? 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