Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as "The Hockey Maven," brings his wit and insight to readers each Wednesday. This week shares conversations with Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Glenn Hall who died Jan. 7 at age 94. These stories originally were shared over lunch in Manhattan while researching for the book " Where have they gone? Hockey stars" written by Stan and Shirley Fischler and published Jan. 1, 1979.
What was your hometown, Humboldt, Saskatchewan, like?
"The best thing about being a kid there was the ability to play a lot of hockey because so much outdoor ice was available. Forwards didn't have to worry about staying in their lanes and coaches weren't around to bother us. I learned the basics -- like passing the puck and skating -- just by having fun. Hockey was one of the best things about growing up in Humboldt."
When did you become a goaltender?
"I started as a forward and captained my public school team. When our goalie quit, I put on the pads. It took time to get used to the position but pretty soon I got better and when I was 16 -- the 1947-48 season -- the Red Wings put me on their list. When I was 18 (in 1949) Detroit assigned me to their Junior team in Windsor, Ontario. It told me I was doing something right."
What was the turning point?
"With Windsor right across from Detroit, (Red Wings general manager) Jack Adams, saw me play and wanted me to turn pro. So, I began studying NHL goalies who came to Detroit, especially Charlie Rayner of the (New York) Rangers. What I got from Rayner was the importance of skating, plus good balance and recovery. That helped me develop what they came to call 'The Butterfly.'"
What was it like when you were brought to Detroit?
"I had paid my dues in the minors, with Indianapolis (of the American Hockey League) in '51-'52 and later in the Western League with Edmonton. Meanwhile, Adams was grooming me to follow his great goalie, Terry Sawchuk. I had a couple of cups of coffee in Detroit (1952-53 and 1954-55) and then I got to 'The Show.' I started full-time in the fall of 1955 with Detroit after Jack traded Sawchuk to Boston.
You had a serious injury with the Red Wings. How bad was it?
"Pretty bad in those mask-less days. We were playing Boston when Vic Stasiuk of the Bruins took a screened shot. The puck whacked me in the mouth and knocked me to the ice, bloodied me up. The doctor put 23 stitches in my mouth and then let me finish the game. That taught me how not to get hit in the face. The trick was to get my feet in front of the puck and my head out of the way."
How did Jack Adams get in the way of your career?
"When we lost (the NHL Semifinals) to Boston (in 1956-57) he said it was my fault. So, he traded me to Chicago (on July 23, 1957) and when I did well there, Adams said he did the Black Hawks a 'favor' by trading me to them. Adams was always trying to make himself look good, but that didn't bother me because another time he blamed Gordie Howe for our losses. By getting lumped in a class with Gordie, I felt I was with the best."
How scary were Black Hawks' practices with Bobby Hull shooting at you with a banana blade stick?
"It was tough, especially when Hull was young and wild with his shots. As he got older, he began to take it easier on me. The fact is practices were overrated. Ten minutes a day would have been enough practice for me. Those workouts served no purpose because I was in the same shape in September as I was in December or March."
What's the real story about you ducking training camp because you were 'painting the barn?'
"Training camp was a total waste, so one summer I told our Chicago [general] manager Tommy Ivan, 'I'm retiring!' I told him he could announce it any way he wanted. Once camp opened, reporters asked why I wasn't there. When they phoned my home, I told my wife, Pauline, 'Tell them I'm painting the barn.' Which I wasn't, but it bought me some time away from the rubber."
What do you recall about Chicago's Stanley Cup victory in 1961?
"We won it in Detroit. The odd thing about it was that we were supposed to fly right back to Chicago for a big hotel dinner celebration, but a heavy blizzard had hit Detroit and the airport was closed. We wound up celebrating in our Detroit hotel. Unfortunately, the Leland Hotel bar was being renovated so there was no champagne, just beer."
With Hall of Famers like Hull, (Stan) Mikita, Pierre Pilote and yourself, how come your Hawks never won (the Cup again)?
"We had too much offense and not enough defense."
What about ending your career in St. Louis, starting with NHL expansion in 1967?
"I found a new life with the Blues -- great owners and the honor of making it to the Cup Final in 1968, 1969 and 1970. St. Louis went up against established teams like Montreal, twice, and then Boston, which was challenging. But we gave them all we had and -- for me -- to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1968 was icing on the cake."
Why did you retire after your third year with the Blues?
"My philosophy was that the game should be played real well when you're at your very best. One hundred percent effort wasn't good enough and toward the end, I began to feel average."
Then, a pause: "Glenn Hall has always believed that if he is going to do something average he might as well not do it at all!"
