NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM
//
19
ICONS
American Goalie Mask
Inventor Changed The
Face Of Hockey
In hockey's rich history, few images are more iconic
than Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante
slipping on his first goalie mask. But other than a few hockey
historians, not many know
the man who actually
created the first fiberglass
goalie mask.
In the early months of
1958, during his time as
athletic trainer at Hamilton
College, Eugene Milton
Long designed the first
form-fitting fiberglass
facemask for goaltenders.
By doing so, the Clinton,
N.Y., native is responsible for the single most impactful
innovation ever introduced in the field of player safety.
It was during the 1959 season, Hamilton goalie Don
Spencer came to Long looking for some added protection
after suffering multiple facial injuries. Long created the first
form-fitting mask soon after.
In the offseason, Spencer read a story in The New York
Times about how Plante was looking for some facial
protection that did not impede his vision and Spencer
wrote the Canadiens netminder touting Long's invention.
While no response ever came, Plante began wearing his
own version of the goalie mask after taking a puck to the
face during a game on Nov. 1, 1959.
Long was always more than willing to share his design
with other trainers and went on to build masks for others,
including Boston Bruins goalie Don Simmons.
In September of 2022, Long was presented with
a Certificate of Commendation from the Society for
International Hockey Research in honor of his work that has
changed the face of the game for goalies everywhere.
