1978 Goalie Mask Book

Here's a great book I picked up for the Den. This large, thick-stock book published in 1978 is titled "Hockey Masks and The Great Goalies Who Wear Them". It's filled with paintings of goalie masks of the era by Michael M. Cutler. I recall going on a class trip in the late 1970s or early 1980s to the McMichael Art Gallery in Kleinburg, Ontario and there being an exhibition of actual goalie masks. I'm not sure if this book was published in conjunction with that or not, but it is certainly along the same lines. 
The cover of the book is of course the mask of Hall of Famer Ken Dryden. In 1978, Dryden was in the midst of his final NHL campaign. He would lead the Canadiens to his sixth and last Stanley Cup in the spring of 1979.
Above is Vancouver's Curt Ridley mask included in the book. 1977/78 saw Ridley play a career high 40 games for the Canucks posting a 4.06 GAA. He would actually spend the entire next season with Dallas in the Central League. After the book came out, he played only 16 more NHL games, finishing with Toronto in 1980/81.
Next is Dan Bouchard of Atlanta Flames who in 78/79 led the NHL with 32 wins while posting a 3.33 GAA. He represented Canada in the 1978 World Championships going 2-4 allowing 4.19 goals per game. This particular mask was made by Bouchard himself with the design done by his 13-year old neighbour
By the time this book was released, Gilles Gratton was pretty much out of hockey. He had played 41 games for New York Rangers in 76/77 after starring in the WHA for three seasons. He played one game in 77/78 with New Haven of the AHL, allowing six goals before retiring for good.
The above mask of Washington Capital, Ron Low was a nod to the 1976 American Bicentennial. By the time the book came out, he was a Detroit Red Wing. 
The iconic mask of Gerry Cheevers is next. In 1978, Cheevers was winding down his Hall of Fame career. His final NHL numbers were 230-102-74 and a 2.89 GAA with two Cups. His four WHA seasons produced a 99-78-9 record and 3.12 GAA.
Lastly is one of the greatest goaltenders of all-time, another Hall of Famer, Vladislav Tretiak.
Over his last three seasons of his career with Moscow Red Army, he went a ridiculous 81-7-4 with a 1.67 GAA. Oh yeah, he also won three Olympic Golds and helped the Soviets win ten World Championships.

Comments

Scott I said…
I had that same book, which I also got at the McMichael Gallery. One of only a handful of things I regret getting rid of over the years. Good score!
December 13, 2021 at 1:09 PM
Stephen said…
This was the most often checked out book at my elementary school library! Thanks for the find!
June 1, 2023 at 9:17 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Team Canada 1972, What Might have Been

Image
Guy Lafleur, if he had played in the 72 Summit Series "No way. Can you imagine what our fans would say if we allowed Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito to play for Canada in that series and either...suffered an injury that might prevent them from playing with us for a year or more?" This was the concern of Weston Adams Jr, president of the Boston Bruins as quoted on April 20, 1972. After being speculated and discussed since February 1972 at the Olympics in Sapporo Japan, the series was set to go. Early on however, controversy stirred as to who exactly would be representing Canada. Bruins GM, Milt Schmidt agreed with his boss saying, "My only interest would be to see the Russians play the Bruins for the world championship...or whatever team wins the Stanley Cup." In the Vancouver Sun a few days later, the legendary Jim Coleman responds to the American naysayers suggesting that Team Canada should be made up strictly of players from Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal
Read more

WHA Ottawa Civics, The Two Week Franchise

Image
Tom Earl, Daryl Maggs, Mark Lomenda, Gary MacGregor, Garry Swain "Please let the fans make up their own minds," Henry Feller told a press gathering. "Let them decide if they want pro hockey here. We have to average 7,000 or 8,000 in the remaining 19 home games for a break-even point." Feller was a director of the Founders Club who had interest in buying the WHA's Denver Spurs club. Ivan Mullinex, owner of the Spurs had brought his team to Ottawa in an attempt to drum up interest and save his investment. The date was January 2, 1976 and Mullinex was in debt to a Denver bank to the tune of $1 million dollars. This same day, the newly christened Civics lost their first game under the new moniker by a score of 2-1 at Cincinnati. Star of the team, Ralph Backstrom said after the game, "Our first official notice of the move hit us when we entered the Cincinnati rink and the names on the big scoreboard read: Stingers and Civics. Until that moment we were un
Read more

Denman Arena, Vancouver - "The Pile"

Image
Situated at the corner of Denman and Georgia Streets in Vancouver, sitting on the shore of Coal Harbour, the Denman Arena was once the largest in the world. Built in 1911 by Frank and Lester Patrick at a cost of $300,000 it was the main venue for their newly formed Pacific Coast Hockey Association. Until the Montreal Forum was built in 1926, it was the largest artificial ice arena in the world seating 10,500. Constructed of wood and brick, the large brick facing led Vancouverites to refer to it as The Pile. The Patrick brothers simultaneously built the 3,500 seat Patrick Arena in Victoria to help house their three team league which also included New Westminster. They would proceed to raid the established National Hockey Association of much of it’s top talent to stock their teams. The Pile would host the Vancouver Millionaires Stanley Cup championship in March, 1915, boxing matches featuring Max Baer and “Cinderella Man” James Braddock, movie star Rudolph Valentino as well as bicycle r
Read more