Terry Sawchuk: A Face Only a Hockey Puck Would Love

Submitted by MGoUberBlue on

Some of the older folks here may remember Terry Sawchuk, the Red Wings goalie during the 1950's.  He played with Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio, etc. when the Wings won several Stanley Cups.

This was before a wise engineer invented face masks.

Time had this as a cover once during those days:

http://life.time.com/culture/terry-sawchuk-a-face-only-a-hockey-puck-co…

Hockey players have always been a different breed.

True Blue Grit

March 10th, 2014 at 4:44 PM ^

seeing some games with him.  Tragically, he died at age 40 shortly after retiring from the NHL.  Evidently, he and former teammate Ron Stewart, who were rooming together, got into an argument over some expenses.  And they were started scuffling, half-horsing around and Terry was injured accidently falling on Stewart's knee causing some internal injuries.  Several operations later, he finally died from a pulmonary embolism.   

EDIT:  His name is spelled "Sawchuk", not Sawchuck as in the OP.

mGrowOld

March 10th, 2014 at 5:13 PM ^

I grew up on Ottawa Drive in Pontiac, Michigan.  After he died, Terry was buried in a small cemetary at the end of Ottawa Drive where the road ended (either Orchard Lake or Elizabeth Lake rd - cant remember which).  As a kid I visited his grave cause he was a great Detroit goalie and when he got buried there it was a big deal in the old Pontiac Press.

I guess this is my wierd story bro.

WestWolverine

March 10th, 2014 at 5:16 PM ^

In 1966, Life Magazine had a make-up artist apply stitches and scars to Sawchuk's face to demonstrate all of the injuries to his face over the years. The make-up artist did not have enough room for everything.

So while this is an illustration of all of the injuries over the years, it's not actually what he looked like at any given time. Still, pretty badass though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Sawchuk

BlueMan80

March 10th, 2014 at 5:33 PM ^

I also loved how Gerry Cheevers would mark his mask with fake stitches wherever he got hit.  Kind of made it clear he wasn't a pansy for wearing a mask.  Hard to believe Jacques Plante had his manhood questioned when he started wearing a mask. 

XM - Mt 1822

March 10th, 2014 at 10:00 PM ^

love the old style uni's and goalie pads.  goalies of that era were certifiably insane.   sawchuk would throw up before every game, nerves, even though he was easily the greatest goalie of his era.