Thursday, November 2, 2017

The Origin Of Gilles Gratton's Mask - Lion or Tiger?

If you are aware of Gilles Gratton's great mask, you might be interested to know where it came from and whether it's a Lion or a Tiger.



This is a 5 minute interview recorded in 2012 with Gilles at his work, discussing the origin of his mask. It tells the wholes story, so if you have a chance, take 5 minutes and hear Gilles tell the story live and in person.
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:

Gilles explains that when he was with the Rangers in 1976-77, he was on a plane playing backgammon with teammate Ron Greshner. Between games, Gilles was flipping through the pages of a National Geographic magazine and came across a great photo of a tiger - see the actual photo below.

The actual Tiger photo from National Geographic
Gilles thought the image would be great on a mask, and asked his pal Greshner what he thought. Gresh was less than enthusiastic, but Gilles kept the magazine and over the next little while kept thinking how great the tiger image would look on a mask. Some time later, Gilles contacted custom mask maker Greg Harrison and told him about the tiger image. Greg asked Gilles to show him the image next time he was in Toronto, which Gilles did.

A short while later, Harrison had made the mask - in the video Gilles describes the mask's debut and how none of his teammates had seen the mask until he wore it onto the ice for the start of a home game against the Blues. The date was January 30, 1977 - a 5-2 win for Gilles and the Rangers. The game stats can be found here:

Even though the mask is clearly that of a Tiger, people speak of the mask as being a Lion, and even now Gilles sometimes finds himself referring to it as a Lion (see the end of the 3rd video) even though he knows better than anyone that it's a Tiger.

So Lion or Tiger? Tiger it is.

Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my.

=============================

The only other part of the story that should be told is that I previously believed the urban myth that the mask idea came from a combination of astrology and past lives... The astrology part is that Gilles Gratton was born July 28, and thus is a Leo - Leo the Lion. That makes some sense. The past lives part stems from the stories that Gratton had a reputation for being a bit flaky (he did after all quit hockey to spend several years pursuing Transcendental Meditation), and he apparently talked about past lives he had lived - and I thought I had heard that he felt in one past life he had been a lion, or perhaps killed by a lion. So merge those thoughts together and that's where I thought the Lion motif had come from.

But now we know the true story - it's not really a Lion, it's a Tiger. And it came from the pages of National Geographic.


Thanks for reading -
Scott

PS Don't forget that Goalies Rule sells some great Gille Gratton goalie mask products ranging from cell phone case to coffee mugs.


To see more Gilles Gratton products or to purchase, just choose which phrase you like and click on it.

The Puck Stops Here

Born To Save

And On The 7th Day, God Created Goalies

Beware – Old Goalie Inside

My Crease Is My Castle

Goalies Rule

Eat. Sleep. Stop Pucks.

Card Carrying Goalie

Steve Baker Rules - We pay tribute to Steve Baker


If you like Steve Baker as well as his great mask, you might want to check out these videos.

1. This is a fantastic eight minute long intermission special circa 1982. Phil Esposito and injured Rangers goaltender Steve Baker discuss sticks, masks, chest protectors, blockers, and catching gloves. A very insightful piece that gives you a great glimpse into goaltending equipment circa 1982 as well as Steve Baker’s personality.

2. Here’s a 16 minute video of a March 22nd, 1981 game at MSG between the Rangers and the Nordiques that ended in a 7-7 tie - our hero Steve Baker is in net for the Rangers. This game is a classic example of what happened in the early-mid 80’s when the NHL was absorbing the four WHA franchises into the NHL - goal scoring ruled and defence was largely ignored.

3. On March 4th (not the 7th as the Youtube text suggests) 1981, the Rangers played host to Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers, the Oilers fourth ever visit to MSG. Steve Baker was between the pipes for the Rangers in an end-to-end game that ended in a 5-5 tie.
This is a 10 minute clip of that game, and here's the same game in a 13 minute package.

4. Contrary to all the goal scoring seen above, here’s a really rare scoreless tie between Rick St.Croix of the Philadelphia Flyers and Steve Baker of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on March 30, 1981. Sadly, it’s only a 60 second clip. Steve had an 8-6-4 record and a 4.00 GAA going into this game.

Goalies Rule is not only a blog, it’s also a great e-commerce store where you can buy some fun goalie-mask themed products for the goalie (or goalie lover) in your family. If you like Steve Baker’s mask, you can buy his mask image with one of eight fun catch-phrases on a dozen different products ranging from cell phone cases to pillows, from t-shirts to coffee mugs. These products are reasonably priced and make great gifts / presents - Christmas presents, birthday presents, graduation gifts, anniversary gifts, etc.





To purchase a product with Steve Baker’s mask, choose your favourite catch-phrase as shown below, then click on that phrase to see the dozen different products being sold with that phrase.

The Puck Stops Here

Born To Save

And On The 7th Day, God Created Goalies

Beware – Old Goalie Inside

My Crease Is My Castle

Goalies Rule

Eat. Sleep. Stop Pucks.

Card Carrying Goalie

Please also note that we are working with a number of different goalies - The Great Eight - to see/purchase products featuring those masks, please visit our website and click on GOALIES.

The Great Eight

Goalies Rule is a celebration of great goalie masks from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Even though the era of face-fitting masks has passed, these masks are timeless in their beauty and simplicity. Goalies Rule marries some great goalie mask images with some great products ranging from t-shirts and cell phone cases to pillows and stretched canvas prints. These products will make fantastic gifts for the hockey fan / goalie fan in your family. These products are fun, iconic and really eye-catchingly beautiful.

We are a Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) company making Direct-To-Print products – what this means is that if you place an order with us today, your product will be made for you within 48 hours and shipped to you anywhere in North America from our production facility in Florida. If you are in Europe, they will be shipped from our facility in Germany or Latvia. And if you’re in Asia, they’ll be shipped to you from our facility in China.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you receive your purchase and you are dissatisfied for any reason, just let me know and I will make it right either by refunding your payment in full or sending you another product.

Goalies Rule is owned and operated by me, Scott Sillcox of Aurora, Ontario. I’m a real person and I’d like to have nothing but delighted customers. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please call me 416-315-4736 or email me.

Many thanks
Scott

Gary Bromley Rules - We pay tribute to Gary Bromley


If you like Gary Bromley and his great mask, I’d love to point you to a treasure trove of video of Gary in action over the course of his career. But I’m afraid there just aren’t that many videos publicly available showing Gary Bromley in action. If you know of any good videos showing Gary during a game, please share!

Videos:

1. Here’s an odd one - in a game between the Flyers and Canucks on Feb 22, 1980, all four goalies - Gary Bromley and Glen Hanlon of the Vancouver Canucks, and Phil Myre and Pete Peeters of the Flyers - scrap in a brawl at the end of a Flyers 7-3 win at the Pacific Coliseum. Not something you see in hockey nowadays…
Watch one version here and here’s an 8 minute version of the same brawl - old time hockey.

2. Here’s a silly little 30 second clip of Bromley and mask photos

As mentioned above, if you have access to any Gary Bromley video, please let me know.

Goalies Rule is not only a blog, it’s also a great e-commerce store where you can buy some fun goalie-mask themed products for the goalie (or goalie lover) in your family. If you like Gary Bromley’s mask, you can buy his mask image with one of eight fun catch-phrases on a dozen different products ranging from cell phone cases to pillows, from t-shirts to coffee mugs. These products are reasonably priced and make great gifts / presents - Christmas presents, birthday presents, graduation gifts, anniversary gifts, etc.





To purchase a product with Gary Bromley’s mask, choose your favourite catch-phrase as shown below, then click on that phrase to see the dozen different products being sold with that phrase.

The Puck Stops Here

Born To Save

And On The 7th Day, God Created Goalies

Beware – Old Goalie Inside

My Crease Is My Castle

Goalies Rule

Eat. Sleep. Stop Pucks.

Card Carrying Goalie

Please also note that we are working with a number of different goalies - The Great Eight - to see/purchase products featuring those masks, please visit our website and click on GOALIES.

The Great Eight

Goalies Rule is a celebration of great goalie masks from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Even though the era of face-fitting masks has passed, these masks are timeless in their beauty and simplicity. Goalies Rule marries some great goalie mask images with some great products ranging from t-shirts and cell phone cases to pillows and stretched canvas prints. These products will make fantastic gifts for the hockey fan / goalie fan in your family. These products are fun, iconic and really eye-catchingly beautiful.

We are a Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) company making Direct-To-Print products – what this means is that if you place an order with us today, your product will be made for you within 48 hours and shipped to you anywhere in North America from our production facility in Florida. If you are in Europe, they will be shipped from our facility in Germany or Latvia. And if you’re in Asia, they’ll be shipped to you from our facility in China.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you receive your purchase and you are dissatisfied for any reason, just let me know and I will make it right either by refunding your payment in full or sending you another product.

Goalies Rule is owned and operated by me, Scott Sillcox of Aurora, Ontario. I’m a real person and I’d like to have nothing but delighted customers. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please call me 416-315-4736 or email me.

Many thanks
Scott

Gerry Cheevers Rules - We pay tribute to Gerry Cheevers


If you like Gerry Cheevers and his great mask, you might want to check out these videos and book and a bonus!

Videos:

1. 37 minutes of great Gerry Cheevers saves from the 1960’s and 70’s

2. A nice Legends of Hockey video featuring Gerry - a 3 minute video

3. Five minutes of Cheevers saves

4. In this 1980 Coach’s Corner segment, Don Cherry talks about Mike Palmateer, Don Edwards and Denis Herron - none of whom can compare to Cheery’s favourite Gerry Cheevers.

5. Once again Don Cherry extols the virtues of Gerry Cheevers (90 seconds)

6. Here are 9 minutes of great Cheevers saves

7. Gerry Cheevers tells the story of the stitches and his mask - 90 seconds recorded in 2012

Book:
Goaltender Gerry Cheevers
Author: Trent Frayne (Author)
Publisher: Dood Mead Co. and Random House (1971)



Bonus:
Rock song “I Feel Like Gerry Cheevers (I’ve got stitch marks on my heart)” about Gerry Cheevers by Canadian band Chixdiggit including the great line "He wore a mask just like my heart/it had stitch-marks on every part!"


Goalies Rule is not only a blog, it’s also a great e-commerce store where you can buy some fun goalie-mask themed products for the goalie (or goalie lover) in your family. If you like Gerry Cheevers’ mask, you can buy his mask image with one of eight fun catch-phrases on a dozen different products ranging from cell phone cases to pillows, from t-shirts to coffee mugs. These products are reasonably priced and make great gifts / presents - Christmas presents, birthday presents, graduation gifts, anniversary gifts, etc.






To purchase a product with Gerry Cheevers’ mask, choose your favourite catch-phrase as shown below, then click on that phrase to see the dozen different products being sold with that phrase.

The Puck Stops Here

Born To Save

And On The 7th Day, God Created Goalies

Beware – Old Goalie Inside

My Crease Is My Castle

Goalies Rule

Eat. Sleep. Stop Pucks.

Card Carrying Goalie

Please also note that we are working with a number of different goalies - The Great Eight - to see/purchase products featuring those masks, please visit our website and click on GOALIES.

The Great Eight

Goalies Rule is a celebration of great goalie masks from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Even though the era of face-fitting masks has passed, these masks are timeless in their beauty and simplicity. Goalies Rule marries some great goalie mask images with some great products ranging from t-shirts and cell phone cases to pillows and stretched canvas prints. These products will make fantastic gifts for the hockey fan / goalie fan in your family. These products are fun, iconic and really eye-catchingly beautiful.

We are a Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) company making Direct-To-Print products – what this means is that if you place an order with us today, your product will be made for you within 48 hours and shipped to you anywhere in North America from our production facility in Florida. If you are in Europe, they will be shipped from our facility in Germany or Latvia. And if you’re in Asia, they’ll be shipped to you from our facility in China.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you receive your purchase and you are dissatisfied for any reason, just let me know and I will make it right either by refunding your payment in full or sending you another product.

Goalies Rule is owned and operated by me, Scott Sillcox of Aurora, Ontario. I’m a real person and I’d like to have nothing but delighted customers. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please call me 416-315-4736 or email me.

Many thanks
Scott

Doug Favell Rules - We pay tribute to Doug Favell


If you like Doug Favell and his great mask, you might want to check out these videos - I wish there were more videos and if anyone out there can share some game action video of Doug, I’d welcome the info!

1. Doug was the first goalie in the NHL to paint his mask - the date was Oct 31, 1977. Doug tells the story well - see it here in a great fall 2009 interview.
Please note: I have read that Jim Rutherford was the first goalie to add a design to his mask - his design featured painted red wings above his eye holes.

2. This is a great 12 minute interview done at Doug’s home in Dec 2011

3. This is simply a crazy video made in 2015 featuring Doug Favell’s orange and white starburst mask - in this funny video Doug appears to sing Nessun Dorma - Nessun Dorma is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Turando (nice work by Youtuber Jack Cullinane).

4. Here’s Doug Favell watching the fights in a brawl-filled game vs the Sabres in 1972-73.

Goalies Rule is not only a blog, it’s also a great e-commerce store where you can buy some fun goalie-mask themed products for the goalie (or goalie lover) in your family. If you like Doug Favell's mask, you can buy his mask image with one of eight fun catch-phrases on a dozen different products ranging from cell phone cases to pillows, from t-shirts to coffee mugs. These products are reasonably priced and make great gifts / presents - Christmas presents, birthday presents, graduation gifts, anniversary gifts, etc.






To purchase a product with Doug Favell’s mask, choose your favourite catch-phrase as shown below, then click on that phrase to see the dozen different products being sold with that phrase.

The Puck Stops Here

Born To Save

And On The 7th Day, God Created Goalies

Beware – Old Goalie Inside

My Crease Is My Castle

Goalies Rule

Eat. Sleep. Stop Pucks.

Card Carrying Goalie

Please also note that we are working with a number of different goalies - The Great Eight - to see/purchase products featuring those masks, please visit our website and click on GOALIES.

The Great Eight

Goalies Rule is a celebration of great goalie masks from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Even though the era of face-fitting masks has passed, these masks are timeless in their beauty and simplicity. Goalies Rule marries some great goalie mask images with some great products ranging from t-shirts and cell phone cases to pillows and stretched canvas prints. These products will make fantastic gifts for the hockey fan / goalie fan in your family. These products are fun, iconic and really eye-catchingly beautiful.

We are a Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) company making Direct-To-Print products – what this means is that if you place an order with us today, your product will be made for you within 48 hours and shipped to you anywhere in North America from our production facility in Florida. If you are in Europe, they will be shipped from our facility in Germany or Latvia. And if you’re in Asia, they’ll be shipped to you from our facility in China.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you receive your purchase and you are dissatisfied for any reason, just let me know and I will make it right either by refunding your payment in full or sending you another product.

Goalies Rule is owned and operated by me, Scott Sillcox of Aurora, Ontario. I’m a real person and I’d like to have nothing but delighted customers. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please call me 416-315-4736 or email me.

Many thanks
Scott

Gilles Gratton Rules - We pay tribute to Gilles Gratton


If you like Gilles Gratton and his great mask, you might want to check out these videos and book. I wish there were more videos, but here’s a start. I you come across any of Gilles in game action, please share with me!

Videos:

1. This is a 5 minute interview recorded in 2012 with Gilles at his work, discussing the origin of his mask.
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:

2. TSN (Canada’s ESPN) rated Gilles Gratton #3 in a list of all time great NHL characters - see the 15 minute mark of this video for the part on Gilles. Incidentally, Gilles ranked just behind #2 Harold Ballard and just ahead of #4 Eddie Shack.

3. I realize this isn't a video, but The New York Times printed a great article in 2007 about goalies and how "normal" they have become. The article quotes Gilles who demonstrates that he knows how quirky he was when he played.

Book:
This great book was published fall 2017
Gratoony The Loony: The Wild, Unpredictable Life of Gilles Gratton, written by Gilles Gratton and Greg Oliver
It can be purchased here and here.



Goalies Rule is not only a blog, it’s also a great e-commerce store where you can buy some fun goalie-mask themed products for the goalie (or goalie lover) in your family. If you like Gilles Gratton’s mask, you can buy his mask image with one of eight fun catch-phrases on a dozen different products ranging from cell phone cases to pillows, from t-shirts to coffee mugs. These products are reasonably priced and make great gifts / presents - Christmas presents, birthday presents, graduation gifts, anniversary gifts, etc.





To purchase a product with Gilles Gratton’s mask, choose your favourite catch-phrase as shown below, then click on that phrase to see the dozen different products being sold with that phrase.

The Puck Stops Here

Born To Save

And On The 7th Day, God Created Goalies

Beware – Old Goalie Inside

My Crease Is My Castle

Goalies Rule

Eat. Sleep. Stop Pucks.

Card Carrying Goalie


Please also note that we are working with a number of different goalies - The Great Eight - to see/purchase products featuring those masks, please visit our website and click on GOALIES.

The Great Eight

Goalies Rule is a celebration of great goalie masks from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Even though the era of face-fitting masks has passed, these masks are timeless in their beauty and simplicity. Goalies Rule marries some great goalie mask images with some great products ranging from t-shirts and cell phone cases to pillows and stretched canvas prints. These products will make fantastic gifts for the hockey fan / goalie fan in your family. These products are fun, iconic and really eye-catchingly beautiful.

We are a Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) company making Direct-To-Print products – what this means is that if you place an order with us today, your product will be made for you within 48 hours and shipped to you anywhere in North America from our production facility in Florida. If you are in Europe, they will be shipped from our facility in Germany or Latvia. And if you’re in Asia, they’ll be shipped to you from our facility in China.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you receive your purchase and you are dissatisfied for any reason, just let me know and I will make it right either by refunding your payment in full or sending you another product.

Goalies Rule is owned and operated by me, Scott Sillcox of Aurora, Ontario. I’m a real person and I’d like to have nothing but delighted customers. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please call me 416-315-4736 or email me.

Many thanks
Scott

Mike Palmateer Rules - We pay tribute to Mike Palmateer


If you like Mike Palmateer and his great mask, you might want to check out these videos.

1. This 5 minute video showing some great saves/clips from Palmy’s time in TO

2. A 5 minute episode of the intermission special shown throughout the 1979-80 NHL season, Showdown '80 which was a precursor to the NHL Skills Competition. In this episode, Reed Larson, Denis Potvin, Robert Picard, Barry Beck, Ron Greschner and Behn Wilson all have five chances on an exhausted Maple Leaf goalie Mike Palmateer.

3. Mike Palmateer candidly chatting for a couple minutes in 2017 at a Toronto Marlies 1973 Memorial Cup team reunion

4. In 2017, the Toronto Maple Leafs ranked Mike Palmateer #58 out of their all-time top 100 players in the history of the franchise

5. This is a fun two minute montage of great Palmy saves.

6. Here’s one for you - Palmy in a Dec 26, 1980 scrap with the Rangers’ forward Eddie Johnstone

Goalies Rule is not only a blog, it’s also a great e-commerce store where you can buy some fun goalie-mask themed products for the goalie (or goalie lover) in your family. If you like Mike Palmateer’s mask, you can buy his mask image with one of eight fun catch-phrases on a dozen different products ranging from cell phone cases to pillows, from t-shirts to coffee mugs. These products are reasonably priced and make great gifts / presents - Christmas presents, birthday presents, graduation gifts, anniversary gifts, etc.





To purchase a product with Mike Palmateer’s mask, choose your favourite catch-phrase as shown below, then click on that phrase to see the dozen different products being sold with that phrase.

The Puck Stops Here

Born To Save

And On The 7th Day, God Created Goalies

Beware – Old Goalie Inside

My Crease Is My Castle

Goalies Rule

Eat. Sleep. Stop Pucks.

Card Carrying Goalie


Please also note that we are working with a number of different goalies - The Great Eight - to see/purchase products featuring those masks, please visit our website and click on GOALIES.

The Great Eight

Goalies Rule is a celebration of great goalie masks from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Even though the era of face-fitting masks has passed, these masks are timeless in their beauty and simplicity. Goalies Rule marries some great goalie mask images with some great products ranging from t-shirts and cell phone cases to pillows and stretched canvas prints. These products will make fantastic gifts for the hockey fan / goalie fan in your family. These products are fun, iconic and really eye-catchingly beautiful.

We are a Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) company making Direct-To-Print products – what this means is that if you place an order with us today, your product will be made for you within 48 hours and shipped to you anywhere in North America from our production facility in Florida. If you are in Europe, they will be shipped from our facility in Germany or Latvia. And if you’re in Asia, they’ll be shipped to you from our facility in China.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you receive your purchase and you are dissatisfied for any reason, just let me know and I will make it right either by refunding your payment in full or sending you another product.

Goalies Rule is owned and operated by me, Scott Sillcox of Aurora, Ontario. I’m a real person and I’d like to have nothing but delighted customers. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please call me 416-315-4736 or email me.

Many thanks
Scott

Jacques Plante Rules - We pay tribute to the late, great Jacques Plante


If you like Jacques Plante and his great mask, you might want to check out these videos and books.

Videos:

1. This 5 minute video from 2011

2. This 90 second video from 2009

3. This remarkable 47 minute video on the life and career of Jacques Plante by Historica Canada

4. These great Jacques Plante highlights (in French - 4 minutes in total)
Video #1
Video #2

5. In this four minute clip from 1977 courtesy of the CBC’s archives, three of the greatest goalies in NHL history - Jacques Plante, Johnny Bower and Glenn Hall - talk with Peter Gzowski about each other's styles, quirks and achievements.

6. This is a 5 minute tribute to Jacques Plante by Dave Hodge at the time of Plante’s death in November 1986.

7. This is an interesting four minute video done in 2009 featuring Andy Bathgate where Bathgate presents his viewpoint on the infamous 1959 game where he hit Jacques Plante in the face with the puck - quite an interesting backstory. Stick with the video right to the end - interesting how Bathgate explains how he and Plante understood each other’s point of view despite their rivalry.


Books:

Jacques Plante: The Man Who Changed the Face of Hockey
Published in 2010
Author: Todd Denault


On Goaltending: Fundamentals of Hockey Netminding by the Master of the Game



Jacques Plante
Published in 2011 by Dundurn and XYZ Publishing
Author: Raymond Plante and Vladimir Konieczny (Translator)


Goalies Rule is not only a blog, it’s also a great e-commerce store where you can buy some fun goalie-mask themed products for the goalie (or goalie lover) in your family - please visit Heritage Sports Stuff. We were working with Jacques Plante's family for a period of time but that agreement expired in November 2019 - our loss.

Please also note that we are working with a number of different goalies - The Magnificent Seven - to see/purchase products featuring those masks, please visit our website.


Goalies Rule is a celebration of great goalie masks from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Even though the era of face-fitting masks has passed, these masks are timeless in their beauty and simplicity. Goalies Rule marries some great goalie mask images with some great products ranging from t-shirts and cell phone cases to pillows and stretched canvas prints. These products will make fantastic gifts for the hockey fan / goalie fan in your family. These products are fun, iconic and really eye-catchingly beautiful.

We are a Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) company making Direct-To-Print products – what this means is that if you place an order with us today, your product will be made for you within 48 hours and shipped to you anywhere in North America from our production facility in Florida. If you are in Europe, they will be shipped from our facility in Germany or Latvia. And if you’re in Asia, they’ll be shipped to you from our facility in China.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you receive your purchase and you are dissatisfied for any reason, just let me know and I will make it right either by refunding your payment in full or sending you another product.

Goalies Rule is owned and operated by me, Scott Sillcox of Aurora, Ontario. I’m a real person and I’d like to have nothing but delighted customers. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please call me 416-315-4736 or email me.

Many thanks
Scott