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. Explore Bill Masterton's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. Still, he returned to play following lost teeth, hundreds of stitches and even the discovery of a spot on his brain visible on a CAT scan. the Story Of Hockey History Bill Masterton a unforchanate hit that lead to his death He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. "You hold out four fingers. [11], The NHL expanded in 1967, doubling from 6 teams to 12. It got deathly quiet.". They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. Bill Masterton is the only man to die of injuries sustained in a National Hockey League (NHL) game. He speaks with the authority of an athlete accustomed to putting his body at risk. https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html 11 [deleted] 5 yr. ago This reminded me of Rich Beverly or Peverly for the Stars. Minnesota goalie Cesare Maniagos wife, Mavis, had a clear view of Mastertons fall from her seat in the stands. rights reserved. The irony is that perseverance probably killed Bill Masterton. Carl Johnson, assistant general manager of Minnesotas farm team in Memphis, said he was told Masterton had blacked out while on line rushes during practice. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. 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. The hit was considered clean but the back of Masterton's head hit the ice hard and he died after being rushed to the hospital. Back at the 1968 All-Star Game, discussion among beat writers went beyond the helmet debate to come up with a way to commemorate the league's first casualty. 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. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. [3] The impact of the hit caused him to lose consciousness before he hit the ice; according to some accounts, he briefly came to and muttered, "Never again, never again" before passing back out. Toronto neurosurgeon and concussion expert Charles Tator reviewed Masterton's autopsy and opined that Masterton had suffered second-impact syndrome, which occurs when a person suffers a second concussion on top of an earlier, untreated concussion. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. NHL Home Scores Schedule Standings Stats Teams Daily Lines Power Rankings More When he suffered the final hit of his career, Masterton was making his patented move crossing the opposing blueline and cutting to one side before passing the puck to a teammate. [14] He and his wife Carol adopted two children, Scott and Sally. When he had headaches early on, we wouldnt have had him on the ice, he said. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution But my brother was the worker and he had the ethic that you need to make the NHL.. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. 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. Twice last season, Laperriere took slapshots in the face. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Mastertons death. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Like most players of his era, he was not wearing a helmet. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. [19] They soon concluded that the injury was too severe for surgery to be a viable option. [13] He joined the Honeywell Corporation where he worked on the Apollo program. It wasn't dirty and it wasn't meant to happen that way. It was kind of one of those things where I asked the question but I knew what he was going to do. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. His death eventually led to rule changes, but they were not quick in coming. For my iTunes documentary, "The California Golden Seals Story" - I interviewed three witnesses to the tragic sequence of events that led to the death of Minn. During the same season, just a few months later, he was flying up open ice with the puck and was sandwiched by 2 California Seals. 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. That was the NHL's code. Prior concussion was a factor in Bill Masterton's death, Wyshynski's NHL trade deadline tiers: From elite game-changers to bargain beauties, NHL trade deadline guides for all 32 teams: Players, picks in play, cap space, team status. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! And in Mastertons case, it probably cost him his life. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. One of their sticks tangled with Mastertons skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. The team also retired his No. We didn't think it was that serious.". Like many Canadian boys growing up in the '50s, Masterton listened to Saturday night radio broadcasts of "Hockey Night in Canada" and dreamed of Foster Hewitt making the call: "Masterton shoots, he scores!". He didnt just work on the ice. "It is very rare to see that level of swelling in the brain from a single injury," he said. Those closest to Masterton concur he was suffering from a brain injury before he stepped on to the ice that night, as does a medical expert who reviewed an autopsy report obtained by the Star. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. 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. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. Its a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but its regrettable that it ever came to be. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. [21], Some players began to wear helmets following Masterton's death,[16] but adoption was slow. We didn't think it was that serious.". [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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. Thats what men did. [15], After taking a year off from hockey in 1964, Masterton regained his amateur status so that he could play senior hockey in the United States Hockey League. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. Nowhere was that more apparent than during a standing ovation for Laperriere during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston last year. Their professional athletic careers may have ended with eerie similarity exactly 25 years apart. The trophy named in Masterton's honor was originally presented by the NHL Writers' Association in 1968 to commemorate the late Bill Masterton, a player with the Minnesota North Stars, who . 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 The scoreboard showed a video of Laperriere getting nailed in face with a puck in the opening series against New Jersey, blood pouring from a gash over his right eye. The Professional Hockey Writers Association proposed -- and the league immediately approved -- the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy to be awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the virtues of perseverance, courage and sportsmanship that Masterton displayed. You stopped elbowing guys in the head, Matt?". [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. [11] He finished as the runner up to Doug Robinson for the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's top rookie. Back at the 1968 All-Star Game, discussion among beat writers went beyond the helmet debate to come up with a way to commemorate the leagues first casualty. That's what men did. Just that it was beating very irregularly, cause him to pass out/collapse. [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. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. john@johnrosengren.net|612-926-8835. 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. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. The night before the Oakland game, Mastertons family gathered at the house of their neighbor, North Star goaltender Cesare Maniago, to celebrate Maniagos 29th birthday. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. . I thought he was out then and just went fast right down.. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. In an age in which few players wore helmets, on January 13, 1968, 29-year-old Bill Masterton of the brand new Minnesota North Stars hit his head on the ice and never regained consciousness. 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, who was always quick to dismiss concerns, was never sent to a doctor. When Masterton's head struck the ice at Met Center, there was no skull fracture, but his brain swelled very quickly, evidenced by his dilated pupils and elevated blood pressure -- which pointed to a previous head injury. "I knew he was done.". So has NHL protocol, initiated in 2011, which has spotters to flag potentially concussed players and bans those from returning to games in which they were injured. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias logic. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. I looked at him and said, What are you going to do? because he was just starting a young family, said Bob. It was always in the back of his mind.. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. He was having some headaches. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. Former Edmonton Oilers coach John Muckler, who coached the North Stars farm club in Memphis that season, said he saw signs of trouble with Masterton in training camp. [16], Few NHL players wore helmets in 1968. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. The talented career, and tragic death, of Bill Masterton JJ (Governor) Carrier 1.38K subscribers Subscribe 3 Share 287 views 2 years ago Former NCAA star finally made the NHL with the Stars,. accessed ), memorial page for William Duncan "Bill" Cromie (24 Apr 1915-20 Feb 2002), Find a Grave Memorial ID 244481111, citing Riverside Cemetery . Masterton died in a Minneapolis hospital shortly after midnight on Jan. 15, 1968, a little more than one day after the 29 . The night before the Oakland game, Masterton's family gathered at the house of their neighbor, North Star goaltender Cesare Maniago, to celebrate Maniago's 29th birthday. 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). "You hold out four fingers. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. My grandfather and grandmother were at this game, it was also their only NHL game they ever attended. Hes also convinced a helmet would have saved Mastertons life. [16] Legislators in New York considered a law to make their use mandatory,[20] and the NHL voted on and rejected a rule requiring players wear helmets three times by 1971. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". 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. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after head injuries suffered during a game. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand, said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. With a blown knee and broken bones, Scott stepped away from his sport. 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." Back at the 1968 All-Star Game, discussion among beat writers went beyond the helmet debate to come up with a way to commemorate the league's first casualty. NHL trade grades: Kane deal to Rangers earns high marks for one side, NHL trade tracker: Latest deals, rumors and grades, Rangers clear hurdles, get Kane from Blackhawks, Oilers bulk up defense, secure Predators' Ekholm, Leafs win Schenn sweepstakes, trade for veteran, Leafs deal Sandin to Capitals for Gustafsson, pick, Wild add depth, acquire Johansson from Capitals, NHL suspends Rangers' Miller for spitting incident, Oilers trade ex-No. 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. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was created in 1968 under the trusteeship of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association and is presented annually to the "National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey". [11] The new team's coach and general manager, Wren Blair, had scouted Masterton while he played with the US Nationals and purchased his NHL playing rights from the Canadiens. said Boudrias, now 72. But that has not happened fast enough for a group of more than 120 ex-NHL players, including Bernie Nicholls, Mike Peluso and Steve Payne, who are suing the league in a class-action suit for putting their neurological health at risk despite knowing the violent play involved. Realizing he was already gone, Masterton's parents, who had flown in from Winnipeg after they heard of the incident, and his wife, Carol, made the decision to remove Masterton from life support. It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball, teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. What happened in the days leading up to that fatal moment in Minneapolis, when Masterton played his 38th and final NHL game, has been largely a mystery. (The trainer) said, Yeah, I notice that too. I said, I wonder if we could have him checked. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. 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. But he played as though he was, said Muckler. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. that is out of proportion to the blow that he got. 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. Latest News "He was a team man off the charts.". "You hold out four fingers. You hold out four fingers. Since Masterton was off balance at the time he got checked (cleanly; there was no penalty called), his brain twisted inside of his skull before his head struck the ice. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. Since Masterton was off balance at the time he got checked (cleanly; there was no penalty called), his brain twisted inside of his skull before his head struck the ice. . When Masterton's head struck the ice at Met Center, there was no skull fracture, but his brain swelled very quickly, evidenced by his dilated pupils and elevated blood pressure -- which pointed to a previous head injury. Prior concussion was a factor in Bill Masterton's death, Wyshynski's NHL trade deadline tiers: From elite game-changers to bargain beauties, NHL trade deadline guides for all 32 teams: Players, picks in play, cap space, team status. . When the brain hasn't healed completely from a previous injury, a subsequent blow can cause the type of sudden and severe swelling found in Masterton's brain. 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