Bill Masterton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Masterton
Born	(1938-08-13)August 13, 1938 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Died	January 15, 1968(1968-01-15) (aged 29) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Minnesota North Stars
National team	United States
Playing career	1961–1968

William "Bill" Masterton (born August 13, 1938 – died January 15, 1968) was a professional ice hockey player. He played as a centre for the Minnesota North Stars in the National Hockey League (NHL). Bill Masterton is the only player in NHL history to die because of injuries he got during a game. This happened after a serious hit during a game on January 13, 1968.

Masterton was a star player in college for the Denver Pioneers. He helped his team win two national championships in 1960 and 1961. He was also named the most valuable player in the 1961 championship tournament. After college, he played briefly for the Montreal Canadiens organization. He later moved to Minnesota and played senior hockey. When the NHL expanded in 1967, he got the chance to play for the new Minnesota North Stars. He even scored the first goal in the team's history!

Bill Masterton's death started a big discussion in hockey. People debated if players should wear helmets. At that time, very few NHL players wore them. It took 11 years for the NHL to make helmets required for all new players starting in the 1979–80 season. To remember him, the NHL created the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This award is given every year to a player who shows great determination and love for hockey. The North Stars also retired his jersey number 19. This honor stayed with the team even when it moved to Dallas and became the Dallas Stars.

Playing Hockey

Bill Masterton was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He played two seasons of junior hockey for the St. Boniface Canadiens. He was a great scorer, getting almost a goal per game in his first season. His team, the Canadiens, won the Turnbull Cup in 1955–56.

After junior hockey, Masterton chose to go to the University of Denver. He received a scholarship to play for the Denver Pioneers hockey team. He played three seasons there from 1958 to 1961. During this time, he scored 66 goals and had 196 points. When he graduated, he was the Pioneers' all-time leading scorer. This record lasted for 25 years!

Masterton was named an All-American twice. He was also chosen for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) All-Star team in 1960 and 1961. He led the WCHA in scoring in 1959–60. He also helped Denver win the NCAA national championship in 1960. In his final year, 1960–61, he was the team captain. He was named the most valuable player of the 1961 national championship. Denver won their second straight title that year. Their team was called "the greatest hockey team to ever represent an American college or university."

After college, Bill Masterton became a professional hockey player. He signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 1961. The Canadiens had many strong players, so Masterton was sent to play for their minor league team. He played for the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens in the EPHL. He scored 31 goals and had 65 points for that team. The next season, he moved up to the Cleveland Barons in the American Hockey League (AHL). He led his team with 82 points. He was also the runner-up for the award given to the AHL's best rookie.

Since it was hard to get a spot on the Montreal Canadiens' main team, Masterton decided to leave professional hockey. He went back to the University of Denver to finish his master's degree. He then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. There, he worked for the Honeywell Corporation and even helped with the Apollo program. He and his wife Carol adopted two children, Scott and Sally.

After a year away from hockey, Masterton started playing again. He regained his amateur status so he could play senior hockey in the United States Hockey League. He played two seasons for the St. Paul Steers. Masterton also became an American citizen. This allowed him to join the United States National Team in 1966–67. He was the captain of that team and was considered its most valuable player.

Minnesota North Stars

In 1967, the NHL expanded. The league grew from 6 teams to 12. One of the new teams was the Minnesota North Stars. The team's coach, Wren Blair, had seen Masterton play for the US Nationals. He bought Masterton's playing rights from the Canadiens. Bill Masterton was the first player to sign with the new Minnesota team. He agreed to a two-year contract. He said that being able to play in Minnesota was very important to him. He probably wouldn't have joined any other team.

At 29 years old, Masterton played his first NHL game on October 11, 1967. It was the North Stars' first game ever, against the St. Louis Blues. In that game, which ended in a 2–2 tie, Masterton scored the very first goal in the Minnesota franchise's history. His wife Carol later said it was a "dream come true" for him. She explained that he always wanted to play in the NHL, and the expansion helped players like him get that chance. By the middle of that season, Masterton had scored 4 goals and 12 points in 38 games.

His Death

Bill Masterton suffered a very serious head injury during a game on January 13, 1968. It was during the first period of a game against the Oakland Seals at the Met Center. Masterton was skating fast with the puck. He passed it just as two Seals defenders, Larry Cahan and Ron Harris, hit him. Masterton fell backward and hit his head hard on the ice. Like most players at that time, he was not wearing a helmet. The referee, Wally Harris, said the hit was very strong. He also said it was not a dirty play.

The impact caused Masterton to bleed from his nose, ears, and mouth. He lost consciousness before he even hit the ice. Some people said he briefly woke up and whispered, "Never again, never again," before passing out again. He was treated on the ice and in the dressing room. Then, he was quickly taken to Fairview-Southdale Hospital.

His wife Carol, who was watching the game, and his parents, who were listening at home, rushed to the hospital. Doctors found that the injury was too severe for surgery. About 30 hours after his fall, on January 15, Bill Masterton passed away. He never woke up. His parents, brother, wife, and two children were with him. Masterton's teammates were playing a game in Boston when they heard the sad news. Bill Masterton is the only player in NHL history to die directly from an injury he got during a game.

Ron Harris, one of the players involved in the hit, felt very bad about it for many years. He said it was not a dirty play and was not meant to happen. But it was still very hard for him. However, Masterton's family did not blame anyone. Carol Masterton said it was a rare accident that could have happened to anyone.

His Legacy

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was created in 1968 to honor Bill Masterton.

In 1968, very few NHL players wore helmets. Some of Masterton's teammates said that wearing a helmet was not popular in the NHL back then. Players were sometimes even looked down upon for wearing them. But Bill Masterton's death immediately started a big discussion. People wondered if helmets should be required. Lawmakers in New York even thought about making a law for it. The NHL voted on making helmets mandatory three times by 1971, but they said no each time.

Some players started wearing helmets after Masterton's death, but not many. Three years later, only six players on the Minnesota team wore them. This was more than any other NHL team. Many players didn't want to wear helmets because they thought it made them look weak. It took 11 years for the NHL to finally make helmets required. This rule started for all new players entering the league in the 1979–80 season.

Later, in 2011, a newspaper called the Toronto Star looked back at Masterton's death. They suggested that the "tough" attitude of the NHL at that time played a role. Also, Masterton's coach, Wren Blair, believed Masterton might have had a brain issue before the hit. Some players and coaches remembered seeing Masterton briefly black out during practices. One teammate recalled Masterton complaining of bad headaches before the fatal game. These issues might have made the hit, which was otherwise a clean bodycheck, turn deadly.

Several awards were created to remember Bill Masterton. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was started in 1968. It is given every year to the NHL player who shows the best qualities of determination, good sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The University of Denver Pioneers hockey team also named their most valuable player award after him. His high school in Winnipeg, Miles Macdonell Collegiate, gives a scholarship in his name. High schools in Bloomington, where the North Stars played, also give scholarships in Masterton's name. The Minnesota North Stars stopped using his jersey number 19 after his death. They officially retired it in 1987. This honor moved with the team when it became the Dallas Stars.

Bill Masterton was added to the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. He was also named to the NCAA's 50th anniversary team in 1997.

Career Statistics

Awards and Honours

See also

• List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career