Gump Worsley

Gump Worsley
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1980
Born	May 14, 1929 Montreal, QC, CAN
Died	January 26, 2007 (aged 77) Beloeil, QC, CAN
Height	5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight	155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	New York Rangers Montreal Canadiens Minnesota North Stars
Playing career	1952–1974

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

Career

At the outset of his career, Worsley played four years in the minor leagues, most notably for the New York Rovers of the Eastern Hockey League (EHL), the St. Paul Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL), and the Saskatoon Quakers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). For three straight seasons between 1950 and 1952, he achieved success with all three teams, garnering First Team All-Star and leading goaltender recognition.

In the fall of 1952 he was signed by the New York Rangers of the NHL; 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 pay increase, he was promptly returned to the minor leagues the following season. In 1954, playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the WHL, he won the league most valuable player award.

In 1954, Worsley resumed as the Rangers starting goaltender, beating out future NHL star Johnny Bower. Wearing the traditional number 1 for goaltenders, he toiled for the Rangers for the next nine seasons, generally playing well for poor performing 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 Canadiens as a member of four Stanley Cup-winning teams: 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. In dispute with Sam Pollock, Montreal general manager, over refusal to be demoted to the minors, and coach Claude Ruel's consistent playing of Rogatien Vachon, he quit in the midst of the 1969–70 season. Suspended for not reporting to the Canadiens' Montreal Voyageurs farm team, he was replaced by Phil Myre.

Worsley was lured from retirement by the Minnesota North Stars to play in tandem with Cesare Maniago; he 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 with a 2.12 goals against average. Named to play in the 25th 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, 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."

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

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

In his early days he was an outstanding soccer player, beginning his career as a junior with Westmount; in 1948 he was a member of the Montreal youth all-star team. As a promising young player, he soon attracted attention; the following year he moved up to McMasterville in the Montreal League. There he was selected to play in a trial game from which the Montreal all-stars were chosen to play the touring English club Fulham in 1951. In the summer of 1952, while playing hockey for the Saskatoon Quakers, he played centre forward for the Saskatoon All-stars against the touring Tottenham Hotspur from England. By 1953 he was playing centre half for the Montreal Hakoah; he captained Montreal Hakoah at centre half in the Canadian Challenge Trophy final. In the National Challenge Cup final Hakoah lost to Westminster Royals in a three-game series, two of which ended in ties. In 1954, continued his soccer career with Montreal Vickers. His father was also an outstanding soccer player and won a Canadian championship medal with Montreal Grand Trunk in 1919.

Injuries

Worsley suffered many injuries during his career, including: a near career-ending back injury while with Vancouver of the WHL, when Gus Kyle hit him from behind; a knee problem in the 1956 playoffs that required surgery; a severed tendon in 1960; in 1961, a shot from Bobby Hull that hit him in the forehead; a pulled hamstring that same year; a pulled hamstring in 1963–64; knee surgery in 1966, followed by a sprained knee then a concussion from a hard-boiled egg thrown by a New York fan; a broken finger in the 1969 playoffs; a pulled hamstring in 1972–73 that reduced his effectiveness to the point he temporarily retired from hockey. The blast to the forehead from Bobby Hull landed him, unconscious, in Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital. Upon awakening, asked how he was feeling, Gump replied: "Good thing the puck hit me flat!"^[4]

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]

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.

Career achievements and facts

• Won the Calder Trophy in 1953.
• 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 NHL All-Star Game in 1961, 1962, 1965, and 1972.
• Tied with Curtis Joseph for the second most career losses in the NHL with 352.
• Currently 7th in all time games played, 15th in career wins and 24th in shutouts.
• Inducted 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).

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
1946–47	Verdun Cyclones	QJHL		25	6	18	1	1500	138	3	5.52
1947–48	Verdun Cyclones	QJHL		29	13	11	5	1740	95	1	3.28
1948–49	Montreal St. Francis Xavier	MMJHL		47	24	21	2	2840	122	7	2.58
1948–49	New York Rovers	QSHL		2	—	—	—	120	5	0	2.50
1949–50	New York Rovers	EAHL		47	25	17	5	2830	133	7	2.86
1949–50	New Haven Ramblers	AHL		2	2	0	0	120	4	0	2.00
1950–51	St. Paul Saints	USHL		64	33	26	5	3920	184	3	2.82
1951–52	Saskatoon Quakers	PCHL		66	33	19	14	3960	206	5	3.07
1952–53	Saskatoon Quakers	WHL		13	5	7	1	780	50	0	3.84
1952–53	Edmonton Flyers	WHL		1	1	0	0	60	2	0	2.00
1952–53	New York Rangers	NHL		50	13	29	8	3000	153	2	3.06
1953–54	Vancouver Canucks	WHL		70	39	24	7	4200	168	4	2.40
1954–55	New York Rangers	NHL		65	15	33	17	3900	197	4	3.03
1955-56	New York Rangers	NHL		70	32	28	10	4200	198	4	2.83
1956–57	New York Rangers	NHL		68	26	28	14	4080	216	3	3.18
1957–58	New York Rangers	NHL		37	21	10	6	2200	86	4	2.32
1957–58	Providence Reds	AHL		25	12	11	2	1528	83	0	3.26
1958–59	New York Rangers	NHL		67	26	30	11	4001	198	2	2.97
1959–60	New York Rangers	NHL		39	7	23	8	2301	135	0	3.52
1959–60	Springfield Indians	AHL		15	11	3	1	900	33	3	2.20
1960–61	New York Rangers	NHL		59	20	29	8	3473	190	1	3.28
1961–62	New York Rangers	NHL		60	22	27	9	3531	172	2	2.92
1962–63	New York Rangers	NHL		67	22	34	10	3980	217	2	3.27
1963–64	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		8	3	2	2	444	22	1	2.97
1963–64	Quebec Aces	AHL		47	30	16	1	2820	128	5	2.72
1964–65	Quebec Aces	AHL		37	24	12	1	2247	101	2	2.70
1964–65	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		19	10	7	1	1020	50	1	2.94
1965–66	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		51	29	14	6	2899	114	2	2.36
1966–67	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		18	9	6	2	888	47	1	3.18
1967–68	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		40	19	9	8	2213	73	6	1.98
1968–69	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		30	19	5	4	1703	64	5	2.25
1969–70	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		5	3	1	2	360	14	0	2.33
1969–70	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		8	5	1	1	453	20	1	2.65
1970–71	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		24	4	10	8	1369	57	0	2.50
1971–72	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		34	16	10	7	1923	68	2	2.12
1972–73	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		12	6	2	3	624	30	0	2.88
1973–74	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		29	8	14	5	1601	86	0	3.22
NHL totals				861	335	352	150	50,183	2407	43	2.88

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
1947-48	Verdun Cyclones	QJHL		5	1	4	317	21	0	3.97
1948-49	Montreal St. Francis Xavier	MMJHL		5	2	3	310	16	0	3.10
1949-50	New York Rovers	EAHL		12	8	2	720	27	1	2.25
1950-51	St. Paul Saints	USHL		4	1	3	257	9	0	2.19
1951-52	Saskatoon Quakers	PCHL		13	10	3	818	31	1	2.27
1953-54	Vancouver Canucks	WHL		12	7	4	709	29	0	2.45
1955-56	New York Rangers	NHL		3	0	3	190	14	0	4.67
1956-57	New York Rangers	NHL		5	1	4	316	21	0	3.99
1957-58	New York Rangers	NHL		6	2	4	365	28	0	4.60
1961-62	New York Rangers	NHL		6	2	4	384	21	0	3.28
1963-64	Quebec Aces	AHL		9	4	5	543	29	0	3.20
1964-65	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		8	5	3	501	14	2	1.68
1965-66	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		10	8	2	602	20	1	1.99
1966-67	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		2	0	1	80	2	0	1.50
1967-68	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		12	11	0	672	21	1	1.88
1968-69	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		7	5	1	370	14	0	2.27
1969-70	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		3	1	2	180	14	0	4.67
1970-71	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		4	3	1	240	13	0	3.25
1971-72	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		4	2	1	194	7	1	2.16
NHL totals				70	40	26	4084	189	5	2.78

References

1. Hockey’s Book of Firsts, p.18, James Duplacey, JG Press, ISBN 978-1-57215-037-9
2. Litsky, Frank (29 January 2007). "Gump Worsley, 77, Hall of Famer Who Won Four Titles, Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
3. Toronto Star, Monday 25 November 1968, page 15
4. "Gump Worsley". Legends of Hockey. The Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
5. Associated Press (28 January 2007). "Worsley, who helped Montreal to four Cups, dies at 77". ESPN. Retrieved 20 November 2013.

• 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

External links

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