Saving Face : The Art and History of the Goalie Mask

by McRae, Jim; Hynes, Jim; Smith, Gary

• ISBN13: 9780470155585
• ISBN10: 0470155582
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-09-09
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

The game of hockey changed forever when the legendary Jacques Plante donned a face mask on November 1, 1959, and kept it on for good. From those early, primitive leather masks, the goaltender's mask has evolved into what it is today-a high-tech piece of protective equipment and a thing of beauty. Today's goaltending stars owe a debt of thanks to the original mask makers. Saving Face is the story of those who developed, championed, and continuously improved the most unique and intriguing piece of equipment in all of sports. These original creators, some of them goalies themselves, experimented with crude materials like plastic and fiberglass in basement workshops, making ace molds of plaster to ensure the masks fit. Sometimes they even created works of art. The goalie mask has become the most recognizable piece of sporting equipment in the world. In the realm of sports, where uniforms are intended to make everyone on a team look the same, the goalie mask is highly personalized and truly unique. Today, every NHL goalie is identifiable by his mask and the original artwork on it. Iconic and emblematic of not just the individual player, but also the team and the game, the goalie mask holds appeal for every hockey fan. Saving Face explores the fascinating history, art, and craft of the goalie mask, how it was made in the past and how it is constructed today. Archival photographs from Jacques Plante to Gerry Cheevers, Ken Dryden, and Tony Esposito, illustrate the evolution of the mask from rudimentary leather masks and pretzel masks to the early classic masks, and the high-tech marvels of today. This book includes a wealth of fascinating information, featuring sidebars throughout on famous masks, famous goalies, mask construction, and mask artists and mask makers. Goalie masks are above all a visual delight, and Saving Face illustrates the text richly with over 150 archival black-and-whites as well as colour photographs, of some of the most unique and beautiful masks in the world of hockey today. Saving Face highlights the work of some of the world's most famous mask artists and mask makers in action shots and stunning stills and features commissioned photographs from the Hockey Hall of Fame's unparalleled collection of masks. Goalies are notoriously quirky characters. This book explores the mystique of their world, their thinking, and their personal tastes and touches. Each chapter looks at the greatest masks of that era, the goalies behind them...and the mask makers behind them.

Author Biography

Jim Hynes is a Montreal-based writer and editor who has written about a wide range of subjects, from the history of Montreal to the history of one Canada's oldest golf clubs. A lifelong hockey fan and player, he has played the game for over 35 years...but not even once in net. Jim lives in Beaconsfield, Quebec, with his wife Mary-Margaret and their sons Jason and Samuel.

Gary Smith grew up playing hockey in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and made his first mask when he was 14 years old. Hockey eventually took him to the East Coast where he was recruited to play golf for St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Gary lives in Grand Falls, NB, where he is a school vice principal and continues to make and collect goalie masks. He and his wife, Lissa, have three children, Julie, Sean and Ryan.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

The Innovators

The Golden Age

Paint Jobs and Metal Bars

The Freedom of Expression

Index

Picture Credits

Acknowledgments

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.