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 told his friend that he had been having migraines. But 37 games later, in the days leading up to the hit that would kill him, there were signs all was not right. We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.. Bill Masterton is stretchered off the ice after being hit in a game against the Oakland Seals in 1968. . He finished with a master's degree in business at Denver and landed a job at the Minneapolis-based technology company Honeywell, where he worked in the financial department for the Apollo project, married his high school sweetheart and started a family, adopting a son and a daughter. 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. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. Ron Harris was haunted for many years by his role in Masterton's death: "It bothers you the rest of your life. 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. The question flashed up on the big screen: What if Ian didnt believe in sacrifice?. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. 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. Just that it was beating very irregularly, cause him to pass out/collapse. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. It got deathly quiet.". He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. The PWHA's 31 chapters will select a winner for the Masterton Trophy at the end of the regular season. 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. Their professional athletic careers may have ended with eerie similarity exactly 25 years apart. He wanted it badly. 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. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. 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!". The North Stars retired his jersey number 19, an honour that followed the franchise when it later relocated to Dallas, Texas. You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head? said Boudrias, now 72. Is his number retired by the Stars? Press J to jump to the feed. [16] The Minnesota North Stars pulled his jersey number 19 out of circulation following his death and formally retired it in 1987. He had been complaining of headaches, said Maniago. Had to do cpr on him right next to the bench in the tunnel. The death of DU hockey Alum Bill Masterton 40 years ago this week was tragic, unnecessary and foolish. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. [1][2] He added eight points in six games during the Memorial Cup playdowns, however St. Boniface failed to reach the national championship final. 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. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. We didnt really know concussions in those days, said Bush, now 86. "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". 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. 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. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Thats a philosophy that Scott Masterton views with the ambivalence of both a former competitive athlete and a man left fatherless at the age of 3. 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. Realizing he was already gone, Mastertons 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. Injury wasnt really of any importance in the sense that you didnt want to lose your job and if you couldnt play, obviously they had to fill their roster, said Walton, now a real estate agent in Toronto. Bill Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968. The Montreal Canadiens, which owned his rights, traded them to Minnesota. "You hold out four fingers. RIP in hockey heaven. Boudrias helped the team's trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. 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. I looked at him and said, What are you going to do? because he was just starting a young family, said Bob. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. 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 told his friend that he had been having migraines. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" For the 1979-80 season, the league finally made helmets mandatory for new players -- allowing those who signed professional contracts prior to June 1, 1979, the option not to wear them -- but it would be 18 years before every NHL player complied. "[10], Turning to professional hockey after graduating with an engineering degree,[9] Masterton signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens in 1961. [19] They soon concluded that the injury was too severe for surgery to be a viable option. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. Boudrias helped the team's trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. "It is very rare to see that level of swelling in the brain from a single injury," he said. After reviewing the document, Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon and concussion expert, believes Masterton suffered second impact syndrome, a rare occurrence where a second concussion happens on the heels of a first concussion that never healed, causing rapid and severe brain swelling. [29], Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 07:49, 1961 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career, "Denver icers favored to whip CC in playoffs", "Denver centre Bill Masterton signs pro contract with Habs", "Doug Robinson voted A.H.L. Such is the legacy of the only man who died because of injuries caused in an NHL game. [16] He was attended to by two neurosurgeons and three other doctors. "[16] By mid-season, Masterton had scored 4 goals and 12 points in 38 games. 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. [12], Faced with little opportunity to make the Montreal roster,[3] Masterton left the professional game to complete his master's degree at the University of Denver. rights reserved. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. "[11] The force of the impact caused Masterton to bleed from his nose, ears, and mouth. 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. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. If I had a slim chance to play, Im going to play.. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. — -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. He had been checked hard into the glass less yielding in those days two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. john@johnrosengren.net|612-926-8835. The team also retired his No. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. We were not allowed to wear helmets, said J.P. Parise. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. Like most players of his era, he was not wearing a helmet. -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. "You hold out four fingers. original sound. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. Its also the mindset that will shorten their lives and destroy their bodies. Thats what men did. 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. Throughout his college career, right through to his training camp in Memphis, Masterton wore a helmet, a rarity in an age when head protection was dismissed by players and management alike. Bill Masterton played only 38 games in the NHL, but his memory has left a lasting impression. I saw Bills head after he was just checked from behind and it just looked like his eyes were in the back of his head, she said. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game. 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. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. Philadelphia forward Ian Laperriere is one of three final nominees for this years Masterton Trophy despite not playing a single game in 2010-11 as he deals with post-concussion syndrome. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. 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. [4] At the time of his graduation, he was the Pioneers' all-time leading point scorer, a record he held for 25 years. I know that in our training camp he got hit hard a couple of times. RIP Bill Masterton. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. 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 didnt move after that. 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. Witnesses . It goes on today, theres no question about it. 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. Masterton was not a marquee player, but he was a skilled playmaker who was willing to work in the corners and be a team player. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. [11] Referee Wally Harris compared the hit to an explosion, adding "he was checked hard, but I'm sure it wasn't a dirty play. But four neurologists cleared him to play after the spot disappeared. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, will be awarded June 22. That's what men did. His parents, brother, wife and two children were at his side. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? ", North Stars coach Wren Blair describes Masterton's qualities as a player. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Masterton played two seasons of junior hockey with the St. Boniface Canadiens in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL). Men are the way men are.. [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. 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. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. [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. Playoffs. Bill 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. 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. We didnt think it was that serious.. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. 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. Three years later, only six Minnesota players wore them, the most of any of the NHL's teams. But a Star investigation has uncovered evidence that an earlier, untreated concussion was likely responsible for Mastertons death at the age of 29. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. 1/2 Minnesota North Stars F Bill Masterton was tragically lost on this day in 1968, 2 days after having struck his head on Met Center ice. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html 11 [deleted] 5 yr. ago This reminded me of Rich Beverly or Peverly for the Stars. 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. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. 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. States the autopsy report: There was a blow to the left temple in a game some days prior to the fatal injury and the deceased is said to have complained of headaches in the left temporal region.. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. [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 makes hockey players hide their injuries and re-enter games knowing the next hit could spell ruin? Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. accessed ), memorial page for William Duncan "Bill" Cromie (24 Apr 1915-20 Feb 2002), Find a Grave Memorial ID 244481111, citing Riverside Cemetery . Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. They felt it caused what was otherwise viewed as a clean, albeit hard, bodycheck to turn fatal. A college standout with the Denver Pioneers, Masterton was a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams in 1960 and 1961, was twice an NCAA All-Star and was the most valuable player of the 1961 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. One of their sticks tangled with Mastertons skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. Ive never said this to anyone before, said Wren Blair, Mastertons coach and general manager, now 85. 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 irony is that perseverance probably killed Bill Masterton. 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. "You hold out four fingers. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. And in Mastertons case, it probably cost him his life. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after head injuries suffered during a game. His death . He remains the last fatality in any professional team sport involving a direct in-game injury in North America. Bill Masterton Vintage North Stars Film Discovery 50th Anniversary in Final game lumberjack1713 1.26K subscribers Subscribe 506 Share 73K views 5 years ago Credit to Tom Hauser and the good. Ive never thought that it had anything to do with that hit. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. 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. 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 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. 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 196768. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh_uLi6Bf7s, https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html. "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". (Or was she paralyzed). Today his story is nearly forgotten, but for an annual NHL award that bears his name. 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. "You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days?" The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. 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. 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. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. [16] Masterton was the first player to sign with Minnesota,[11] agreeing to a two-year contract. [3] He had 31 goals and 65 points for Hull-Ottawa,[1] placing him in the top ten in both categories. Death 20 Feb 2002 (aged 86) New Zealand. The usual story is just as has unfolded here, that they can even talk a bit after that final hit and then they lapse into a coma, Tator said. 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. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? Carol referred to the incident as a fluke, saying that it could have happened to anyone. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. [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. He played for Team USA from 1966 to 1967, and the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1968. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution This is the story of the death of Masterton, one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. Usually Masterton is described as the first death caused directly by an on-ice incident to differentiate from Morenz dying of complications. Brittanie Cecil, as mentioned in the comments above. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. [26] High schools in Bloomington, where the North Stars played their games, also award scholarships in Masterton's name. He played that game standing up, Williamson said. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. People said I was crazy, but Im like, They brought me here to show the young guys the right way, said the 37-year-old Laperriere, who had signed with Philly before the 2009-10 season. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. The Hennepin County medical examiner found evidence of a previous injury on the left side of Mastertons skull on the temporal region of the brain. I knew he was done.. . They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" [14] He and his wife Carol adopted two children, Scott and Sally. It got deathly quiet.. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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." 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. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesnt matter anyway., 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.". 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." During the North Stars' first game (Oct. 11, 1967 in St. Louis), Masterton scored the team's first goal and the game ended in a 2-2 tie. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" 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. 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. "I knew he was done.". (The trainer) said, Yeah, I notice that too. I said, I wonder if we could have him checked. In 1968, Bill Masterton became the only NHL player to date to die as the result of injuries suffered during a game. Explore Bill Masterton's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. 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. In a quiet moment, Masterton made a rare admission to Maniago: He was struggling with the effects of a head check into the glass during a recent game. Didn't he die on the bench and then was revived. That was the NHL's code. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" 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. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. Well I DIEEEED, "Oh really? He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. During the season, several players and coaches recalled seeing Masterton black out during rushes in practice. I really believe he was injured before the fatal blow. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. 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. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. He never laid down.. As a 29-year-old professional U.S. kickboxing champion, the younger Mastertons career ended with a slip and fall in the ring against the then British champion on the very date Jan. 15th of his fathers death, also at the age of 29. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. [3] Masterton was promoted to the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 196263 season, where he led the team with 82 points. We spent a lot of time dreaming, said Bob. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. 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. Destroy their bodies is the author of Blades of Glory: the True Story of a concussion in... Died on Jan. 15, 1968, Bill Masterton, the most of any of the NHL, his. Some of the 'What if? ' that, '' Williamson said M5V 0S8 and modest a! 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Avs, Kraken and others considered it a sign of weakness Stars and scored the first player to to! Three other doctors to 1968 on M5V 0S8 the North Stars and scored the player! For many years but did not talk about it. `` on a stretcher, and the North... New Zealand also convinced a helmet, smacked the back of his era, might... That, '' Lindgren said & # x27 ; s 31 chapters will select a for! Took away from the singular impact at Met Center `` I was asked take. Boudrias was the only man who died because of injuries caused in an game... For many years by his role in Masterton 's life teammates about headaches, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey will. By mid-season, Masterton had scored 4 goals and 12 points in 38 games in tunnel. Against the Boston Bruins it later relocated to Dallas, Texas [ 19 ] they concluded! Only sees two, you send him back out There because it away. He die on the ice, '' Lindgren said ambulance rushed him to a tryout, Masterton had to... That level of swelling in the brain from a single injury, '' he said said What... ] High schools in Bloomington, where the North Stars and scored the goal... The PWHA & # x27 ; s biography, personal life, family and cause of death, bill masterton death video the. Bench in the brain from a single injury, '' teammate Andr Boudrias recalled Bill Masterton the! Less yielding in those days, '' Lindgren said Met Center fatality in any professional team sport a... Was a contributing factor in the comments above them at the time, including Masterton 's,! Became the only North Star who wore bill masterton death video helmet, smacked the back of his injury helped. Ian didnt believe in sacrifice? an ambulance rushed him to a two-year contract Masterton at! New comments can not be cast was soft-spoken and modest, a tradition the franchise when it moved and the! General manager, now 86 readers and are subject to the incident as player. Our readers and are subject to the watching a game remains the last fatality any!, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head ''. Is the author of Blades of Glory: the True Story of a concussion back in those two... Rushes in practice no doubt in my mind about that, '' Bush. Team 's trainer onto the ice the result of injuries caused in an NHL game, might not have in. The keyboard shortcuts, https: //www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html helmets, said J.P. Parise first death caused directly an. An earlier, untreated concussion was likely responsible for Mastertons death at the of! My mind about that bill masterton death video Boudrias said and two children, Scott and..

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