Lorne John "Gump" Worsley (May 14, 1929 ' January 26, 2007) was a professional ice hockey goaltender. Born and raised in Montreal, he was given his nickname due to friends deciding he looked like comic-strip character Andy Gump.

[edit] Career

At the beginning of his career, Worsley played four years in the minor leagues, most notably for the New York Rovers of the EHL, the St. Paul Saints of the USHL and the Saskatoon Quakers of the WHL. He achieved success with all three teams, garnering First Team All-Star and leading goaltender recognition for three straight seasons between 1950 and 1952.

In the fall of 1952 he was signed by the New York Rangers of the NHL, and though playing for a last place team, won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. However, after asking for a $500 a year increase in pay, he was promptly returned to the minor leagues for the following season. Playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the WHL, he won the league most valuable player award in 1954.

He resumed position as starting goaltender for the Rangers in 1954, beating out future NHL star Johnny Bower. Wearing the traditional number 1 for goaltenders, he toiled for the oft-hapless Rangers for the next nine seasons, generally playing well for poor teams.

In the summer of 1963, he became involved in a proposed players' union, and was promptly traded to the Montreal Canadiens. While he was relegated to the minor-league Quebec Aces for parts of two seasons ' and characteristically winning First Team All-Star honors in the AHL in 1964 ' Worsley played his best years for the Habs as a member of four Stanley Cup-winning teams in 1965, 1966, 1968 and 1969. His best season was 1968, where he followed up a Vezina-winning performance and a career-low 1.98 goals against average by going undefeated in the playoffs with eleven straight wins. He quit in the midst of the 1969'70 season, feeling the pressure of performing in Montreal and being phased out in favor of younger goaltenders. He was suspended for not reporting to the Canadiens' Montreal Voyageurs farm team.

Worsley was lured out of retirement by the Minnesota North Stars, and playing in tandem with Cesare Maniago, starred for parts of five more years, retiring at the age of 44 after the 1973'74 season. His best season with the North Stars was 1972, where he was second in the league in goals against average with 2.12 and was named to play in the National Hockey League All-Star Game. Worsley was the first goaltender to have won 300 games and lost 300 games.^[1]. This feat was later accomplished by Curtis Joseph.

Worsley was known for his wry sense of humour and various eccentricities. Early in his career with the Rangers, when he was regularly facing 40'50 shots a night, he was asked "Which team gives you the most trouble?" His reply - "The New York Rangers." Accused by Rangers' coach Phil Watson of having a beer belly, he replied, "Just goes to show you what he knows. I only drink Johnnie Walker Red."

He was also vehemently opposed to wearing a mask. Worsley was the second-to-last professional hockey goaltender to play without a mask - Andy Brown of the Indianapolis Racers being the final one the following season - wearing one only in the last six games of his career. Asked about why he chose to go without, he told reporters, "My face is my mask."^[2]

Worsley was also well known for his fear of flying. He suffered a nervous breakdown in the 1968'69 season after a rough flight from Montreal's Dorval Airport to Chicago on November 25^[3] en route to Los Angeles, and received psychiatric treatment and missed action as a result. It is said that when he came out of retirement to play for the North Stars he was assured that, as Minnesota was in the central part of the continent, the team traveled less than any other in the league.

[edit] Injuries

He suffered many injuries during his career, including a back injury with Vancouver of the WHL which nearly ended his career, a knee problem in the 1956 playoffs that required surgery, a shot from Bobby Hull in 1961 that hit him in the forehead, a severed tendon in 1960, knee surgery in 1966, a pulled hamstring in 1963'64, and a pulled hamstring in 1972'73 that reduced his effectiveness to the point where he temporarily retired from hockey. The blast to the forehead from Bobby Hull landed him, unconscious, in Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital. Upon awakening, he was asked how he was feeling and replied, "Good thing the puck hit me flat!"^[4]

[edit] Retirement and death

At the time of his retirement, Worsley had played more games than any goalie except for Terry Sawchuk and Glenn Hall. He retired with a record of 335 wins, 352 losses and 150 ties, with 43 shutouts, and a goals against average of 2.91.

Worsley suffered a heart attack on January 22, 2007, and died at his home in Beloeil, Quebec on January 26, 2007.^[5]

[edit] Legacy

Two Canadian indie rock bands, Huevos Rancheros ("Gump Worsley's Lament") and The Weakerthans ("Elegy for Gump Worsley"), have recorded tribute songs to Worsley. Canadian band Sons of Freedom also named their second album Gump after Worsley.

[edit] Career achievements and facts

• Stanley Cup champion in 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969.
• Won the Vezina Trophy in 1966 and 1968.
• Named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1968.
• Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1966.
• Played in the All-Star Game in 1961, 1962, 1965, and 1972.
• Curtis Joseph tied his record for the most career losses in the NHL with 352.
• Currently 7th in all time games played, 15th in career wins and 24th in shutouts.
• Induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980 .
• One of the last two goaltenders (the other being Andy Brown) to play in the NHL without a face mask, doing so until his final season.
• Was affectionately known to Minnesota North Stars fans as "the Gumper".
• This is where the popular term "Stacking the Gumpers" originated. Stacking the Gumpers is how a goaltender makes a save by lying on his side and making a "wall" out of his leg pads or "Gumpers."
• Ranked No. 17 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] References

1. ^ Hockey's Book of Firsts, p.18, James Duplacey, JG Press, ISBN 978-1-57215-037-9
2. ^ Obituary from the New York Times
3. ^ Toronto Star, Monday 25 November 1968, page 15.
4. ^ [1] Worsley at Legends of Hockey.
5. ^ [2]

• They Call Me Gump by Lorne "Gump" Worsley with Tim Moriarty
• The Trail of the Stanley Cup, Volume 3 by Charles L. Coleman
• The Complete Encyclopedia of Hockey edited by Zander Hollander
• Hockey Hall of Fame Obituary

[edit] External links

• Gump Worsley's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Gump Worsley's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Subject of The Weakerthans song, Elegy for Gump Worsley