greyraven8
Registered User
Killion
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2010
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^^^ That Bannerman mask an unusual design & paint job for Toronto's Greg Harrison who started making masks in the late 60's early 70's after the style of Ernie Higgins. Harrison was a decent amateur goalie himself and an art student, starting up out of his parents basement, going on to make (including paint jobs) hundreds of masks for amateurs, Juniors, Minor-Pro's & NHL Goalies through the 70's & into 80's. I had one made by him as well that I used for several seasons in the late 60's early 70's but it was before he started going crazy with the airbrush, adding colors, "Wings" & so on to various Goalies masks. Back then he'd give it to you finished in basic bondo grey or painted white....
Interesting procedure as it was totally custom. You'd lie on a table breathing through a straw while Greg applied gauze strips & Plaster of Paris to your face to make the mold. Let it dry enough for handling then let it cure, from there applying fiberglass. Took as I recall about 4-6wks to receive the finished product, cost was about $300 so not cheap for the era. Excellent masks. Great vision with no blind spots. Lightweight but solid with full forehead & crown protection, backplate. Most of Harrisons masks that signature style as used by the likes of Gilles Gilbert, Jimmy Rutherford, Gilles Meloche etc etc etc. Fact is, you just never even had the slightest concern that taking a 100mph shot to the head would be a problem, didnt even think about it really. If you did, you were playing the wrong position, probably the wrong sport altogether.
Interesting procedure as it was totally custom. You'd lie on a table breathing through a straw while Greg applied gauze strips & Plaster of Paris to your face to make the mold. Let it dry enough for handling then let it cure, from there applying fiberglass. Took as I recall about 4-6wks to receive the finished product, cost was about $300 so not cheap for the era. Excellent masks. Great vision with no blind spots. Lightweight but solid with full forehead & crown protection, backplate. Most of Harrisons masks that signature style as used by the likes of Gilles Gilbert, Jimmy Rutherford, Gilles Meloche etc etc etc. Fact is, you just never even had the slightest concern that taking a 100mph shot to the head would be a problem, didnt even think about it really. If you did, you were playing the wrong position, probably the wrong sport altogether.
DJ Man
Registered User
Wouldn't extra coats of paint make the mask slightly hotter to wear? I don't think I'd like that, as they were pretty stifling to begin with!
cheevers the first guy i can recall
ever doing anything with his mask.
<---------------
:d
Killion
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Top one's a Lefty Wilson mask, Lefty the Trainer/Eqp Mgr & sometimes Practice Goalie (and spare when just one Goalie was on the roster) for the Red Wings for years. Built quite the cottage industry for himself after designing & making a mask for Sawchuk. Orders pouring in. Charged $30 well into the 60's. The one above further modified using a jigsaw & liberal use of a file in making the eyeholes & mouth openings, area around the nose a lot bigger.
Second one, real hard to tell whether its an Ernie Higgins or a Greg Harrison model. Higgins was a plumber based in Massachusetts who made a mask for his son who was playing goal for Boston College back around 62. Demand grew after making masks for Eddie Johnston & Gerry Cheevers, and by 69 Ernie turning in his plumbers wrench & going at it full time. Made other items as well, special "Rib Protector" for Goalies; designed & made a special helmet for Ted Green after he'd suffered serious head trauma in that infamous stick swinging incident with Wayne Maki.... Greg Harrison copied Ernies designs and vice-versa pretty much so its sometimes hard to tell who made them.
That bottom photo is of course of Clint Praying Benny Benedict, arguably the greatest goalie of the early era. He got dinged by a Howie Morenz shot & the story goes he had that mask custom made, and Id assume either by a Cobbler or perhaps sports equipment manufacturer. Indeed, back around 1930 or so, rising pucks, with goalies receiving cuts, lacerations, losing teeth, being knocked out, concussions etc was such a concern that Conn Smythe suggested way back then that masks be mandated goalie equipment. Obviously no majority support amongst the leagues owners. But yes, it was Benedict, not Plante who was the first to wear a mask in the NHL. Benedict in fact so good at his craft (like Plante) that his style widely copied, rules changed as a result. Some suggest that really the Vezina Trophy should be called the Benedict Trophy, that he was not only better than Georges Vezina but so too far more innovative & influential however, Georges died tragically young of Tuberculosis in 1926 after an outstanding career with the Habs, so I think it only fitting he have that trophy & honor named after him.
Second one, real hard to tell whether its an Ernie Higgins or a Greg Harrison model. Higgins was a plumber based in Massachusetts who made a mask for his son who was playing goal for Boston College back around 62. Demand grew after making masks for Eddie Johnston & Gerry Cheevers, and by 69 Ernie turning in his plumbers wrench & going at it full time. Made other items as well, special "Rib Protector" for Goalies; designed & made a special helmet for Ted Green after he'd suffered serious head trauma in that infamous stick swinging incident with Wayne Maki.... Greg Harrison copied Ernies designs and vice-versa pretty much so its sometimes hard to tell who made them.
That bottom photo is of course of Clint Praying Benny Benedict, arguably the greatest goalie of the early era. He got dinged by a Howie Morenz shot & the story goes he had that mask custom made, and Id assume either by a Cobbler or perhaps sports equipment manufacturer. Indeed, back around 1930 or so, rising pucks, with goalies receiving cuts, lacerations, losing teeth, being knocked out, concussions etc was such a concern that Conn Smythe suggested way back then that masks be mandated goalie equipment. Obviously no majority support amongst the leagues owners. But yes, it was Benedict, not Plante who was the first to wear a mask in the NHL. Benedict in fact so good at his craft (like Plante) that his style widely copied, rules changed as a result. Some suggest that really the Vezina Trophy should be called the Benedict Trophy, that he was not only better than Georges Vezina but so too far more innovative & influential however, Georges died tragically young of Tuberculosis in 1926 after an outstanding career with the Habs, so I think it only fitting he have that trophy & honor named after him.
Voight
#winning
I was at Wayne Gretzky's restaurant today and they have Kelly Hrudey's LA goalie mask on display, thought it looked awesome.
Killion
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2010
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Not at all, no. Fiberglass doesnt breathe so it doesnt matter if its got a dozen or more coats on it.
David Bruce Banner
Nude Cabdriver Ban
Doctor Coffin
This may hurt a bit...
- May 23, 2013
- 425
- 154
John Vanbiesbrouck.
Florida Panthers.
1993-98.
K.McLean.
Vancouver Canucks.
1993-1994.
E.Belfour.
Chicago Blackhawks/Dallas Stars.
1989-1997.
1997-2002.
Worst: Anything from Daveart.
Florida Panthers.
1993-98.
K.McLean.
Vancouver Canucks.
1993-1994.
E.Belfour.
Chicago Blackhawks/Dallas Stars.
1989-1997.
1997-2002.
Worst: Anything from Daveart.
Last edited by a moderator:
^^^there ya go....My face is my mask.. Gump Worsley...
Quick Olympic mask
..
Nice thread guys.
Just wanted to point out that 'Uncle Sam' above was Ryan Miller's 2010 mask.
Uncle Sam was also featured on Miller's 2014 mask.
Quick had a cool backplate on his 2014 Olympic mask.
Pominville Knows
Registered User
Proof that scaring tactics sometimes actually is not that important in hockey.
Killion
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2010
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I have a Bannerman replica... As a young Hawks fan in the 80's that mask was something I really wanted - screw the cookies I wanted that mask.. Of course now I own it, autographed by Mr. Bannerman himself.
I have a replica of this mask too.. Pretty expesive at a grand but hey, as a Hawks fan it was a "must have"..
Doctor Coffin
This may hurt a bit...
- May 23, 2013
- 425
- 154
That's pretty impressive, that's my favorite one of all time. He only wore it in three regular season games for Chicago.
NewtJorden
Unitas est Invicta
Caeldan
Whippet Whisperer
- Jun 21, 2008
- 15,459
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Although I agree for the most part, I'll offer up:
My personal favourite mask of all time. Even had a poster of it as a kid
I really liked this era for masks because they really looked like masks. Today's look like helmets IMO. I am all for the saftey and vision factor but that earlier era of masks had a lot of flare that can not be duplicated in todays design.
That one has to be my favorite.
The Pale King
Go easy on those Mango Giapanes brother...
I really liked this era for masks because they really looked like masks. Today's look like helmets IMO. I am all for the saftey and vision factor but that earlier era of masks had a lot of flare that can not be duplicated in todays design.
That's a great mask for sure. Has a plague doctor feel to it. Mr. Dion actually might be trying to protect himself from some sort of miasma there as well... those Pittsburgh teams were not exactly great.
This picture from Doctor No's Goalie Archives website has Gilles Meloche wearing a very modern looking mask for the mid-80's. One of just a handfull of guys I can think of who used both the oldschool Dryden style masks and stuck around long enough to get to the more modern "helmet" style cages.
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