Marv Edwards...
As the collection grows...
Loved Marvelous Marv.... Dixie Flyer for quite some time starting around 62 or so through 67 at least. Guy who really got around even in Junior (lent to another club for their Memorial Cup run & so on)..... but that mask..... never seen it nor anything similar before, no idea who the maker might be. Certainly very early given the era, years. I was thinking maybe a Lefty Wilson with the holes added later on however the overall shape of its a bit off for it to be a Wilson..... Any ideas?
Killion, I tried to find out more about Marv Edward's mask but really couldn't find anything to confirm it's creator. I do agree with you that it could be a Lefty Wilson since you know a lot more about goalie masks than I do.
What I do find interesting about the goalie himself was that outside of the one NHL game he played in 1968-69, the first legitimate NHL season for him was the following year in 1969-70 with Toronto when he played 25 games. It's odd to think that he was 34 years of age at the time. In this day and age you wouldn't expect a goalie to have his first NHL season at such a late age. However, in the pre-expansion era, it was extremely tough for goalies to crack an NHL lineup due to the limited number of teams so it wasn't surprising for goalies to be a little older before getting an opportunity to play in the NHL.
Killion, I tried to find out more about Marv Edward's mask but really couldn't find anything to confirm it's creator. I do agree with you that it could be a Lefty Wilson since you know a lot more about goalie masks than I do.
.... oh, and forgot to mention another possibility with respect to the origins of Marvs' mask there DB..... as it does slightly resemble the mask made & worn by long time Minor Pro Goalie Glenn Ramsay who did make his own mask & I'm pretty darn sure did make some for others in the early through mid 60's. Glenn played (Jr & Pro frm 53/74) mainly in the IHL with various iterations of the Toledo franchise (Mercurys, Blades & Hornets), voted Best Goalie All Time in that Leagues 50yr history.
In 59/60 Marv Edwards played in the IHL briefly with Minneapolis while Glenn was playing for St.Pauls so there is some direct geo & league connection there, Marv then moving on to the EHL and as it truly is "a small world" entirely possible Glenn made a mask for Marv as seen in the photo above. The holes likely drilled in later after delivery as Marv was finding it rather hot to be wearing as of course fiberglass doesnt breathe. The shape of the eyes are very very similar to Glenns as are a couple of other features....
More here on Glenn Ramsay.... www.toledowalleye.com/toledo-hockey-hall-of-fame/glenn-ramsay
Killion, thanks for the link for Glenn Ramsay. He indeed did have quite the career in the IHL. His 6 James Norris Memorial Trophy awards is also an impressive achievement. I do feel bad that he never had the opportunity to play even one game in the NHL. It would have been nice to have had the experience at least one time. Nevertheless, he had lots to be proud of during his career.
In regards to the mask, it certainly does sound probable that Marv's was made by Glenn based on their shared connections. What a coincidence that both of them were born in the same year (1935). The goalie masks of that era in which they played were sure crude looking. Quite the dramatic shift occurred in the 1970s mainly with the 'Jacques Plante' style mask. Either way, the goalie masks and the stories behind them are always interesting.
It's pretty much the perfect mask to back up Beezers LOLIn that vein, Mark Fitzpatrick also did a nice job.
More here on Ramsay & the IHL Cincinnati Mohawks; www.nitzyshockeyden.com/2010/04/french-goalies-of-cincinnati.html ... a farm club of the Habs which will give you some perspective (excluding Jr, Intermediate & Senior & there too, young up and comers & older guys, all quality) as to the depths in the crease that that organization alone had available to them, though Ramsay a little unusual as he'd not come up through the Montreal system & his tenure with that club short as a result. But yes, loads of depth in the IHL, AHL, QSHL, WHL, EHL, CHL & Senior.... Cincinnati Gardens also interesting as its an exact replica of Maple Leaf Gardens before it was seriously renovated, built to the same building plans, many of the same personnel involved etc.
(Note; Links not working, look it up on-line or MOD?... fix please...)
Unfortunately the link was still not working at the time I checked it.
That's an interesting tidbit about the Cincinnati Gardens. I didn't know that it was a replica of Maple Leaf Gardens. Was it the same size or a smaller version?
Bump.
This is the face of truth.
As a Batman fan, this one has always been one of my favorites.
"Errant" lol Back then that shit was on purpose half the time and all the ol legends will be like "yeah, and" game and people were very different then..... ok..... and.... the face of a guy who in many ways revolutionized the way the position was played with his what was then super-low & aggressive crouch which resulted in far greater exposure & susceptibility to errant sticks & pucks.
"Errant" lol Back then that **** was on purpose half the time and all the ol legends will be like "yeah, and" game and people were very different then.
Those guys used to have stick fights and it was normal.Um what?
Those guys used to have stick fights and it was normal.
Well- someone posted a pic of Sawchuk, I reposted it. Then someone quoted my post adding that Sawchuks low crouch style allowed for "errant" sticks. I then added to that with the 'sometimes its on purpose' and 'because stick fighting was a thing then'This thread is about the maturation of goalie masks over the decades....how did stick fights make here?
Those guys used to have stick fights and it was normal.
Yes, same size. I believe it was demolished just this past March.... Opened in 1949.