North Star player's death 40 years ago changed the game of hockey forever

http://www.startribune.com/local/13797041.html

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The death of Bill Masterton 40 years ago today was tragic, unnecessary and foolish. And it changed hockey forever.

Such is the legacy of the only man who died because of injuries caused in an NHL game.



Masterton died in a Minneapolis hospital shortly after midnight on Jan. 15, 1968, a little more than one day after the 29-year-old rookie center for the Minnesota North Stars fell to the ice during the first period of a game against the Oakland Seals and suffered significant damage to his brain stem. Masterton, like virtually every other player in the NHL at the time, wasn't wearing a helmet.

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I was at that game where he hit his head and later died.

im afraid were gonna see somebody else die on the ice one of these days..not from an accident like in masterton's case, but its gonna be one of these clowns in the oh so entertaining "new nhl" stepping on somebodys neck or something

aside from that ive heard stories about the guy being a pretty good hockey player besides being notable because of that tragic incident..the fact that guys didnt wear helmets back then was totally nuts, and its amazing that in this day and age were in right now, with all the sophisticated equipment guys are wearing, the rate of injuries is somehow higher than ever

You were there Cojo? Wow, that must have been something to see. Doesn't the NHL or Minnesota franchise have a "Bill Masterton Trophy" or something in his honor?

I used to be a season ticket holder for the old Minneapolis Miller's hockey team that used to play Uptown at the Minneapolis Arena. When the North Stars came to town season ticket holders for the old Millers got first crack at season tickets for the North Stars. I bought a pair and attended most of the North Stars games from 1967 to about 1970 when I moved away from the area. It was in that first season that Masterson was hit.
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is an annual award under the trusteeship of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association and is given to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

I tried playing a game w/o a mask a few years ago and couldn't do it....
scared the hell out of me.
Between periods I had to put it back on.

Hell it was scary the day I forgot my cup....

No helmet... no freakin way.. That is insane.