One account holds that Masterton regained consciousness for a few moments and repeated the words, Never again, never again, before closing his eyes for the final time. That's what men did. We didn't think it was that serious.". 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. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. Corry believes Mastertons death could have been prevented and would be today. Death 20 Feb 2002 (aged 86) New Zealand. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". 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. said Boudrias, now 72. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. [9] The Pioneers finished the season with a 30-1-1 record and were hailed as "the greatest hockey team to ever represent an American college or university. [15], Several awards were named in Masterton's memory. Boudrias helped the team's trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. Brittanie Cecil, as mentioned in the comments above. Masterton was caught in an awkward collision that sent his head slamming backwards onto the ice. A ritual unfolded every Saturday evening in the small Masterton home in Winnipegs East Kildonan neighbourhood: brothers Bill and Bob took a bath, slipped into pajamas and sat together in front of a tiny electric fireplace while listening to Foster Hewitt on the radio. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. 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. 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. 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 original sound. The team doctor soon joined him. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto [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. https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html. My interpretation is that the seeds of this catastrophic injury were sown days before.. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. That was the NHL's code. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. 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. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. This is the story of the death of Masterton, one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history. The following season, Blair traded Boudrias, who had scored the second-most points for the team in its first season, citing a drop in his production. 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. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. 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. "I wouldn't do it.". "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. Hed never show when he got hurt. Men are the way men are.. Born Aug 16 1938 -- Winnipeg, MAN. Bills son Scott Masterton, now 46 with four children of his own, also believes that his fathers fate was sealed long before the night when the final blow was dealt. On that fatal night at Met Center on Jan. 13, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars center, playing against the Oakland Seals, carried the puck across the blue line and cut to the right while Seals defensemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris closed in. Hes also convinced a helmet would have saved Mastertons life. If I had a slim chance to play, Im going to play.. By "at" an NHL game I'm guessing you just meant players? They didn't. -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. 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. He served as captain on that team and was considered its most valuable player. 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. Its kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the What if? [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. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. That was the NHL's code. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. Murray Williamson, who coached both amateur teams Masterton played for, remembered a night in Rochester, Minnesota, when Masterton backed into a radiator in the dressing room and singed his rear end. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. "I knew he was done.". 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. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. He remains the last fatality in any professional team sport involving a direct in-game injury in North America. 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. [3] Some 30 hours after his fall, on January 15, Masterton died without ever regaining consciousness. Witnesses . 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. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. The NHLs expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. 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. Today his story is nearly forgotten, but for an annual NHL award that bears his name. 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." They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. 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. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. [3] He had 31 goals and 65 points for Hull-Ottawa,[1] placing him in the top ten in both categories. 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. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? [4] At the time of his graduation, he was the Pioneers' all-time leading point scorer, a record he held for 25 years. 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. He was traded the following season to Chicago. Masterton's death sparked a long-running debate in hockey about the merits of wearing helmets, as few NHL players did so in that time. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. Masterton had worn a helmet when he played college hockey in Denver because NCAA regulations required players to wear them, but he did not wear one as a professional. If anyone is wondering his story here's a short video TSN did on him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh_uLi6Bf7s and here is a list of the previous winners of the trophy named after him. He never laid down.. Nor did he see evidence of CTE, the progressive degenerative disease found posthumously in the brains of nearly 87 of 91 NFL players who suffered multiple blows to the head. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. 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 didn't move after that. The death of DU hockey Alum Bill Masterton 40 years ago this week was tragic, unnecessary and foolish. One of their sticks tangled with Mastertons skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. What makes hockey players hide their injuries and re-enter games knowing the next hit could spell ruin? 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. "He didn't move after that. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. 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. It got deathly quiet.". You were a yellow belly if you wore a helmet.. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". 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