The Gumper "Lorne(Gump) Worsley", when asked why he did not wear a mask he would reportedly say, " My face is my mask." Gump was elected to the Hockey Hall Of Fame in 1980.

In the mid 1990s I met Gump at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, as I stood back and watched this man with this kind smile on his face, I cringed at the thought of all the pucks and sticks that must have come in contact with him.

In 1959 Jacques Plante was the first goaltender to regularly wear a mask. When playing in a game against the New York Rangers he took an injury to the face, skated off the ice, had it stitched and returned with a mask on.

When we think of goaltenders'characterstics things come to mind like the player who has a fast glove, good positioning, quick feet, and is always tough and ready to react to anything.

It's not suprising that many goaltenders have nervous stomaches before the game. One such player was Glenn Hall. He had such anxiety before a game that he would throw up, while sitting in the lockerroom waiting for game time.

Studying goaltending now, it is hard to believe that goaltenders were once fined for falling to the ice.