Freaky Friday Freeplay Jan 11, 2013

My friends know that I don't really follow any major sports except, sort of, NHL hockey. I say sort of because in reality I only follow the Detroit Red Wings. My mother tells me I saw my first hockey game when I was just a toddler. Of course, it was a Red Wings game. She tells me that I followed and clapped my chubby little hands whenever I saw one of those handsome young men in red flying over the ice.

Well, the Detroit Red Wings remains my favorite to this day. Having such a late start to the season has been painful but even more painful is the retirement of some of my favorite players - team captain Nicolas Lidstrom and defenseman Tomas Holstrom will be retiring this year and with the new settlement, we may lose some of my other favorites as they become free agents. I hope not but...well, players and life go on.

Anyway, I just saw these two hockey tidbits I thought some other hockey aficionados might be interested it and decided to share. If you've got other tidbits, feel free to add them ;-)

Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante had worn a protective mask in practice before, but on November 1, 1959, a slap shot shattered his nose and required 200 stitches to repair his face. From that point on, he wore his mask during regular play and became the first NHL goalie to do so.


Andy Bathgate was the first professional hockey player to use a curved stick. Bathgate would heat the blade of a regular hockey stick in hot water, then bend it and close it in the stall door of the men's room until game time to maintain the hook.