Goalies Display Their Split Personalities

Migration of Manitoba’s Pucksters Began in 1909

(As seen in the Winnipeg Tribune) WINNIPEG, Man.— Manitoba has long been recognized as one of the main breeding grounds for professional hockey. During the last 25 years, there have been more than 200 players in the National Hockey League who either were born in Manitoba or learned to play hockey in this province. This situation developed in the 1920’s when the rules governing amateur hockey were greatly relaxed—the residence rule in particular—and Manitoba hockey players scattered right across Canada. It was a short step from “shamateur” hockey to pro ranks. Prior to the first World War, amateur hockey was at the peak of its popularity in Winnipeg. For a young hockey player in those days, the moneyed ranks held no lure. For him, the very pinnacle of success was to play on an…

Schmidt’s Habits Unchanged, Eats. Sleeps Before A Game

BOSTON, Mass.— He still eats a pre-game steak, still takes a pre-game nap, still gets that pre-game squirming feeling in he pit of his stomach. Who’s he? A hockey player, perhaps? Nope, he’s an ex-hockey player, named Milt Schmidt. As the coach of the Bruins, Schmidt still follows essentially the same game-day routines which he followed for nearly two decades as a player. His player habits, he finds, fit his coaching career as well. “I guess I still do everything just about the same,” he reflected. “Sill get up late the morning of a game, except Sunday. Still have my steak between 3 an d4 o’clock, if I can. “One thing I’ve changed, though, is my nap. When I was playing I used to sleep for an hour and a half. Now I usually sleep about 45…

Rocket Speaks To Muzz, Gets Buzz On Ezinicki

NEW YORK—Ranger coach Muzz Patrick said Maurice Richard paid him a quick visit at the New York bench before a Ranger-Canadien game on February 13th. “It was the first time he had so much as nodded to me,” Muzz said. “We talked about a few things and then the Rocket asked me it Bill Ezinicki is as tough as ever. “‘Rocket,’ I says to him, ‘all I can say is that you’ll soon find out.’” Recently, Muzz called Gordie Howe a superior player than Richard, and when this was followed by the Rocket’s four-goal outburst in New York, Muzz was deluged with caustic mail from all over Quebec. Muzz just laughed it off. “You might think it was insulting to say Howe was better,” Muzz said. “After all, not long ago, I classified Howe…